Tattvartha Sutra That Which Is

Author(s): Vinod Kapashi
Publisher: Vinod Kapashi

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Tattvartha Sutra
Tattvartha Sutra
flow of karma towards soul, bondage of karma to the soul, stoppage of karma, shedding of those particles and emancipation respectively)
2. The name of his spiritual teacher 3. The names of his father, mother and family-line 4, His birthplace and place where this book was composed (Nyagodhrika, and Patliputra respectively) 5, His own title (Vachak) 6, Name of the book and his own name. (Tattvarthasutra, Umaswati) Here, one would think if the author himself said this, there should not be any argument as to his real name or where he was born etc. The point is some scholars believe this commentary was not written by the author but may have been written by someone else!
Verse 9 in chapter 1 describes five types of knowledge and deals with sub classifications of knowledge also. I have listed the names of Jain scriptures here for the benefit of readers The second chapter deals with jiva and types of jivas,
There are two classes of substances, jivas or sentient and ajivas or insentient. Jiva possesses manifestation of consciousness and is called soul or spirit. Then the book gives characteristics of jiva, mobile and immobile jivas, senses, mind, liberated souls, and different bodies.
This argument may never be settled. On the points mentioned above, scholars now deduce Umaswatiji was born in the first century AD and the most important thing is the contents of the book are acceptable to all Jains and this is why the book is recognised as a main source material for philosophical aspects of Jainism.
The third chapter describes cosmological aspects, different types of hells and hellish beings are described. I have omitted this but have provided diagrams and brief notes on cosmology. The fourth chapter deals similarly with cosmological aspects but describes abodes of devas or celestial beings and their lives, However this one has been omitted by me.
CONTENTS OF THE BOOKThe first aphorism in the first chapter says that enlightened faith, enlightened knowledge and enlightened conduct lead to Moksha or final emancipation. After that, fuller explanation of these concepts are explored
Right faith- What is it? Types of enlightened faith, and how one can obtain it. This chapter then mentions seven tattvas (truths, realities or fundamental verities) and these are Jiva, Ajiva, Ashrava, Bandha, Samvar, Nirjara and Moksha (life or soul, non-life,
The fifth chapter is the key section to enable one to understand Jain philosophy of true entities. It deals with non-life, ajiva, and aspects of 'five-bodies'. These areJiva (soul) and four types of ajivas (non-lives). They are collectively called Panchastikaya (five with the existence, bodies). Ajivas area) dharmastikaya (condition for movement),
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