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Tattvarthasūtra
FOREWORD
By
Dr. Chakravarthi Nainar Devakumar
ॐ नमो वीतरागाय / Om namo vitarāgāya
Brevity is the Soul of the Wit. It is evident in 'Tattvārthasūtra' which captures the essence of the Jain dharma in just 357 aphorisms (sutra) with a total word count of 2314. Its original name was also a single word, viz., "Tattvartha'. This sacred book is the first ever work in Sanskrit in the era of Lord Vardhamana. It is blissfully musical to recite and an excellent reader in Sanskrit poetry of aphorisms.
What is 'tattvärtha'? It is to unravel the common and uncommon threads of the intrigues of the functions of the beings in the universe. In this modern era, the use of artificial intelligence will help in better understanding of the interplay of matter and the bio-ware. 'Tattvārthasūtra' helps in understanding the origin of the natural intelligence, its trappings in the maze of the universe and its purification from the karmic matter. That substratum which happens to be You and Me, is the cornerstone of the subject.
1- - 'om' is a spiritual syllable that is generally chanted before reciting sacred texts or 'mantra'. In Jainism, it symbolizes the five Supreme Beings - pańca parameṣṭhi. Namo vitarāgāya' is making obeisance to the Omniscient Supreme Being who has vanquished all attachment (rāga). Such Supreme Being has the most auspicious body - paramaudārika śarīra - and is characterized by the four infinitudes (anantacatuṣṭaya): infinite perception (darśana), infinite knowledge (jñāna), infinite bliss (sukha) and infinite energy (virya). He is referred to variously as the 'Arhat', 'Tirthankara', 'Apta' and 'Jina'.
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