Reality English Translation of Sarvarthasiddhi

Author(s): S A Jain
Publisher: Jwalamalini Trust Chennai

Page 31

THE PATH TO LIBERATION
gether) constitute the path to liberation.
The word samyak is either a derivative or a non-derivative (conventional word). When it is considered as a derivative, it is derived thus. The word is derived from the root and with the preposition sam by the addition of the suffix kvip. Its meaning is 'laudatory.' It is added to every one of the words, i. e, right faith, right knowledge, right conduct. The nature, definitions and divisions of these are described in detail later on. The names alone are enumerated here. The attribute 'right' is added to faith in order to include faith based on true knowledge of substances. Knowing substances such as the souls as these actually are is right knowledge. The attribute 'right' is intended to ward off uncertainty, doubt and error in knowledge. Right conduct is the cessation of activity leading to the taking in of karmas by a wise person engaged in the removal of the causes of transmigration. The attribute 'right' is intended to exclude conduct based on ignorance or wrong knowledge. That which sees, that by which it is seen, or seeing alone is darśana. That which knows, that by which it is known, or knowing alone is knowledge. That which acts, that by which it is acted or acting alone is conduct. Now it follows that one and the same thing is the agent as well as the instrument. This is a contradiction. Yes, it is true. But it is said thus from the point of view of considering the substance and its quality as different. For instance, Fire burns fuel by its quality of burning'. From the many-sided point of view, it is proper to speak of the substance and its quality as the same as well as different. Hence there is no inconsistency in considering these as agents as well as instruments, just as it is appropriate to speak of burning etc. in the case of fire as an agent, instrument, eto.
Now it is appropriate that knowledge must precede faith in the sutra for two reasons. For faith arises on the basis of knowledge and the word knowledge in Sanskrit (jñāna) is composed of less number of letters than faith (darśana).1 But
i One of the rules governing the composing of sutras is that the word with less number of letters must ordinarily be placed before another with more number of letters.
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