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Tattvartha Sutra
An Important source of Indian
Law
* Suresh jain. I.A.S
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The Tattvartha Sutra written in the first century, is a well known and a very Important work of the jaina Acharya and great logician His Holiness Umaswami. It is also known as "MOKSHA SASTRA" It is a gold mine of Principles relating to jaina philosophy. It is a compendium of the basic doctrines of Jainism. It is a compact book of sublime wisdom and basic epitome of Jainism. It is a jain Bible. It describes the path of liberation. It is a great instrument of salvation in our hands. It prescribes the join way of life. It describes the essentials of jaina philosophy and Religion with the iftmost brevity. It is an authoritative religious book with its excellent social dimensions : crosanctity is highly respocted by all the jains. It bestowed immortal, fame on Umaswami, who was endowed with outstanding and exceptional literary and philosophical talent. Acharya Umaswami is a greatest philosopher. He is noted for 118 depth of thought and simplicity of expression. With his constants meditation, contemplation, clanty of thinking and brevity and conciseness in expression, he created Tattvarthsutra which consists of 357 sutras in its ten chapters. If we delve deep into the truths expounded and enunciated in it, we find that such truths are eternal, universal and immutable. The Tattvarth Sutra deals with seven substances (Tattvas) for the welfare of spirit or soul. It perfectly divides the universe into two eternal substances, Spirit and Matter or living (Jiva) and non-living (Ajiva) or soul and non-soul substances. It defines the nature and process of their interaction between them. Such process of inter action involves influx of karmic matter (Aasrava], its union or attachments or fusion or bondage with soul [Bandha) . The stoppage of further influx of larmic matter (Samvaraj and detachment or shedding away of karmic from soul [Nirjara). Such separation of the soul from matter results in the perfect liberation of soul (Mokha). Right belief, {Samyak Darshan), right knowledge (Samyak Gyant and right conduct (Samyak Charitra) unitedly constitute the path of such liberation.
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