Studies In Umasvati And His Tattvartha Sutra

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

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24 Studies in Umāsvāti
Pt. Sukhlalji puts it in the author's foreword to his book, which is entitled in its English translation as 'Pt. Sukhlalji's Commentary on the Tattvārthasūtra of Vācaka Umāsvāti'. As we learn there, Pt. Sukhlalji in 1930, after various difficulties had been overcome, published his Gujarati commentary of the TS; the Hindi version followed in 1939, and a second edition of the later in 1951. This had been revised in collaboration with Pt. D. D. Malvania. This again, as stated by the author himself, at the initiative of Malvania has been translated into English by late K. K. Dixit and published in the L. D. Series 44 (1974).
As it stands, the Book, a volume of more than 550 pages, is an impressive piece of work, with an introduction of more than 100 pages (pp. 15–118), a section with hints for special study (pp. 119-24), an analytical table of contents (pp. 125-39), the Sanskrit text (following the Svetāmbara recension, but provided with systematic critical notes that quotes especially the Digambara variants and commentaries (pp. 1-26).Then comes the English translation of Pt. Sukhlalji's commentary on the Sūtra (pp. 1–373), followed by an index of proper names (pp. 375–88) and an index of technical terms (pp. 381–425). The author's foreword clearly states his aim: (a) Because he wished to supply the Tattvārtha text with a
good exposition, he was therefore keen, he writes (p. 5 ff.), to make an impartial use of all available material connected with Jaina Philosophy (independently of any
sectarian views); (b) To satisfy the curiosity of the students both of the
universities and of old style teaching, and so to retain the sectarian technical terminology but to analyse it by making
it simple; (c) To normally accept the reading of the aphorisms found in
the bhāsya; nevertheless, in case of important sectarian differences, to provide and translate the Digambara variant - in some very controversial cases, to try to decide what stands closer to the intention of the aphorist;