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106
TATTVĀRTHA SŪTRA
named Uccanāgara ? And has there ever been in ancient time a community of monks belonging to the family Vācaka or bearing the title Vācaka ? If there has been such a community where is it found described or mentioned ?
(4) I myself doubt that Umāsvāti, the author of Tattvārtha, was a disciple of Kundakunda-for I have not yet come across an old evidence corroborative of a view like that. Whatever evidences are actually with me in this connection are all the later than the 12th century. Hence my question posed above. Let me have whatever broad answer occurs to you.
(5) The well known text Tattvārtha is a composition of Umāsvāti, a disciple of Kundakunda—in support of a view like this are there any evidences or mentions older than the 1 century ? If there are what are they? Is there in the the Digambara literature a mention older than the 10th century which hints or asserts that Tattvārtha was composed by Umāsvāti, a disciple of Kundakunda ?
(6) The verse “Tattvārthasūtra-kartāraṁ grdhrapicchopalaksitam" etc—where does it occur and how old is it ?
(7) Do the old commentators like Pūjyapāda, Akalanka, Vidyānanda etc. anywhere mention Umāsvāti as the author of Tattvārtha ? If they do not, why did a view like that become current later on ?
(b) Premiji's Letter
"Received your kind letter dated 6th instant. I do not in the least believe that Umāsvāti was a descendant of Kundakunda. The idea of his being such a descendant originated at a time when the commentaries on Tattvārtha like Sarvārthasiddhi, ślokavārtika, Rājavārtika etc. had already been composed and the Digambara sect had thoroughly owned this text. No mention made in this connection earlier than the 10th century I have yet come across. I am convinced that hardly any of the great scholarauthors produced by the Digambara sect occupied the post of
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