Reality English Translation of Sarvarthasiddhi

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

Page 32

RIGHT FAITIL AND RIGIIT KNOWLEDGE
this contention is untenable, as faith and knowledge arise in the soul simultaneously. For instance, when the clouds disappear, both the heat and the light of the sun are manifested simultaneously. Similarly, when right faith is attained by the soul owing to the subsidence, destruction or destructioncum-subsidence of faith-deluding karmas, right sensory knowledge and right scriptural knowledge are attained by the soul at the same time by the removal of wrong sensory and wrong scriptural knowledge. Secondly, what is venerable is placed before that of fewer letters. How is right faith worthy of adoration? It is on the basis of right faith that knowledge acquires the attribute of 'right'. Knowledge is mentioned before conduct, for conduct issues from knowledge.
Perfect release from all karmas is liberation. The path to liberation is the method by which it can be attained. The singular 'path' is used in order to indicate that all the three together constitute the path to liberation. This controverts the views that each of these singly constitutes a path. Hence it must be understood that these three-right faith, right knowledge and right conduct-together constitute the direct path to liberation.
Right faith mentioned first in the preceding sutra is defined next.
. तत्त्वार्थश्रद्धानं सम्यग्दर्शनम्
Tattvārthaśraddhānam samyagdarśanam (2) 2. Belief in substances ascertained as they are is right faith.
Tattva is an abstract noun used in general, for tad is a pronoun. And pronouns are used for all in a general sense. The nature of that is thatness, tattvam, that is a thing as it is. What is meant by 'of that'? It means ascertaining a substance as it is. That which is ascertained or determined is a substance. The compound tattvārtha may be taken in two ways. It may be expanded tattvena arthaḥ, and then it means ascertaining substances as they really are, i. e. by their own nature. Otherwise substance is mentioned along with quality,