Tattvartha Sutra

Author(s): Sukhlal Sanghavi, K K Dixit
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 30

INTRODUCTION
(1) Umāsvāti-the Author of Tattvārthasūtra
Family in respect of birth and family in respect of learning—these are the two types of family. Thus when a person's history of birth is to be considered then thought has to be given to the lineage comprising those having blood-relationship with this person—that is, his father, grand-father, great grandfather, son, grand-son, great grand-son; on the other hand, when the history of a person's learning-of the theoretical text composed by him—is sought to be known then thought has to be given to the preceptorial lineage comprising those having educational relationship with this person—that is, his preceptor, grand-preceptor, great grand-preceptor, disciple, grand-disciple, great grand-disciple.
"Tattvārtha" is a theoretical text pertaining to the Jaina branch of the Indian Philosophical Science; so its history comes within the purview of the lineage related to 'family in respect of learning. What learning the author of 'Tattvārtha' has incorpor
1. Both these types of family have been well known to the Aryan tradition and the Āryan literature for thousands of years. Since prominence is given in connection with it to the maternal relationship 'family in respect of birth is dependent on grhastha-āśrama—that is, the life-stage characteristic of a householder; on the other hand, since prominence is given in connection with it to the educational relationship, 'family in respect of learning' is dependent on the preceptorial lineage. Both the types of family find clear mention at least in the grammatical aphorisms of Panini. Thus we there have Vidyāyonisambandhebhyo vuñ-4.3.77. Hence a clear envisagement of these two types of family ought to be much earlier than Panini even.