Studies In Umasvati And His Tattvartha Sutra

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

Page 199

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The Epistemological Concepts of Umāsvāti: As interpreted by Yasovijaya
G. L. SUTHAR
Ācārya Umāsvāti is renowned as the exponent of Jaina philosophy who has pioneered in authoring the aphoristic treatise in Sanskrit language. The prominent logicians of both the sects have tested their philosophical acumen and scholarship by writing learned commentaries and glosses on the Tattvārthasūtra. All the later Jaina philosophers have held it in high esteem as is evident from the statement of the aphorist Acārya Hemacandrasūri in his Pramāṇa-mīmāmsā1— ‘yadi vā prekṣasva vācakamukhya-viracitāni sakalaśāstracūḍāmaṇibhūtāni Tattvārthasūtrāni (यदि वा प्रेक्षस्व वाचकमुख्यविरचितानि सकलशास्त्र - चूडामणिभूतानि तत्त्वार्थसूत्राणि) । '
It is this treatise which established the aphoristic style of Sanskrit in Jaina tradition and inspired the later Jaina philosophers for writing their works in Sanskrit. It is worth mentioning that the Tattvärthasutra has the trinity of jñāna, jñeya and caritra for its subject-matter. Apart from Umāsvāti himself, the other commentators, Vrttikāras and Vārtikakāras of this treatise are-Pujyapāda, Haribhadra, Akalankadeva, Vidyānanda, Malayagiri, Abhayadevasūri, Gandhahasti, Śrutasagara, Vibudhasena, Yogīndradeva, Lakṣmīdeva, Yogadeva, Cirantanamuni, Yasovijaya etc. Thus evidently there