Tattvartha Sutra

Author(s): Umaswati, Umaswami, Manu Doshi
Publisher: Shrutratnakar Ahmedabad

Page 19

INTRODUCTION
Sutra could have been written with the purpose of presenting in Sanskrit the essence of the Prakrit writings of Kundkundächärya. In view of that resemblance and closeness of their time, Digambar scholars might have been induced to treat the author of Tattvärtha Sutra as a pupil of Kundkundächärya.
There is a strong reason to believe that the division between Shwetämbar and Digambar sects was not rigid until the time, when Tattvärtha Sutra was written. Those labels also did not exist at that time. If we trace the history of Jainism, it can be seen that there were clad as well as unclad monks in the order of Lord Mahävir and they amicably stayed together. Neither of them had an edge over the other. As such, Ägams, composed on the basis of Lord's teaching, acknowledge the prevalence of the clad as well as the unclad order.
That amicability could have continued until the time of Jambuswämi, who was the last omniscient of the present time cycle. The dissension could have started thereafter. As Lord Mahävir himself had mostly remained unclad after his renunciation, the unclad group might have contended that they were the true followers of the Lord and they might have considered the clad ones as slack in observance of Lord's code and might have developed disregard for the scriptural precepts pertaining to the clad order. That could have resulted in disputing the authenticity of the relevant texts.
Since Ägams composed by Ganadhars were not put to writing, there came about different views about the versions thereof. A conference was therefore convened about 170 years