Tattvartha Sutra

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

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INTRODUCTION
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demonstrate to be false the Digambara supposition as to Umāsvāti's relationship with Kundakunda. Of the numerous names available for Kundakunda there is none which is the same as attributed by Umāsvāti either to his preceptor-in-respect-ofinitiation or to his preceptor-in-respect-of-education. So there remains no scope whatsoever for the supposition that there obtains between Umāsvāti and Kundakunda the preceptor-disciple relationship either in respect of initiation or in respect of education. Similarly, this eulogy clearly mentions Umāsvāti as belonging to the Vācaka-tradition and to the branch Uccanāgara while it is a Digambara view that Kundakunda belonged to the Nandisamgha'; and there has been no information up to date that a branch designated Uccanāgara ever flourished within the fold of the Digambara sect. So even if Umāsvāti whom the Digambara sect treats as a disciple of Kundakunda be a historical figure the idea that it is he who composed the text designated Tattvārthādhigama, since it lacks a trustworthy basis, seems to be a later fabrications.
The third of the above references demonstrate to be false the Śvetāmbara supposition as to Umāsvāti's relationship with Śyāmācārya; for Vācaka Umāsvāti, by calling himself “Kaubhīsaņi', indicates that his gotra was 'Kaubhīşana' while Svāti mentioned in the Pattāvali as 'Syāmācārya's preceptor has been said to belong to the gotra Härita?. Besides, the author of Tattvārtha is clearly mentioned as Vācaka' in the eulogy but the Pattāvalī does not attribute the adjective Vācaka' either to Syāmācārya or to Svāti said to be his preceptor. Thus this eulogy on the one hand refutes the mistaken notions that had been traditionally current among the Digambaras and the śvetāmbaras while on the other
1. See Svāmī Samantabhadra p. 158 and further, also Appendix to the present Introduction.
2. See the present Introduction, p. 17, footnote 1; also Appendix to the present Introduction.
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3. hariyaguttaṁ saim ca vamdimo hāriyam ca sāmajjaṁ Sthavirāvali pertaining to Nandi-sūtra.