Studies In Umasvati And His Tattvartha Sutra

Author(s): G C Tripathi, Ashokkumar Singh
Publisher: Bhogilal Laherchand Institute of Indology

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120 Studies in Umāsvāti understand the exact reason of his silence. However it seems to be likely that he does so to avoid unnecessary quarrels on the doctrine. This may be one of the reasons why the Tattvārthasūtra is admitted as authentic by both sects of Jainism.
As mentioned above, Umāsvāti argues the topic of the omniscience from another point of view, that is to say, from the viewpoint concerning the karma. Actually the second half of the Tattvārthasūtra mainly deals with karma. Here what is meant by the word karma is relation between jīva and ajīva, especially matter (pudgala). A soul allows the inflow of matter through its three kinds of actions. The matter covers the inherit character of the soul. The complete separation of the soul from the pudgala is called liberation (moksa). In the tenth chapter of the Tattvārtha sūtra, Umāsvāti discusses the mokṣa. The first sūtra of this chapter declares that the omniscience occurs through annihilation of delusion and that of obstruction of knowledge, intuition and that of the antarāya.13 Here, by explaining the occurrence of the omniscience, the author clearly combines the omniscience with the karma or annihilation of the karma. This explanation is quite common in the Jaina traditon. In āgama literature as well as in later philosophers' works, the omniscience is explained as a result of annihilation of the main varieties of karmas.14
According to the Jaina tradition, the annihilation and stoppage of the karma are done through penances or austerity (tapas). So the omniscience is again related to tapas . The last part of the ninth chapter of the Tattvārthasūtra deals with meditation as a kind of austerity. The author points out and explains the various kinds of meditation. The two of the highest meditations called śukla dhyānas are said to be performed by the omniscient.15 So it can be ascertained that these meditations are the practical cause of the final beatitude or liberation.
Moreover in his other work called Praśamarati, Umāsvāti refers to a notion of kevali-samudghāta which is peculiar to the Jaina tradition. An omniscient person extends his soul to fill the whole universe and shrinks to the original size. The whole process