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XXII : TATTVĀRTHA SŪTRA
be very popular and well established in the scholastic circles of the time and Vācaka Umāsvāti, too, was attracted towards and felt compelled to follow this style of the contemporary scholars of other religious philosophies. As far as is known, Vācaka Umāsvāti was the first to follow this style of concise Samiskrta aphorisms in the field of Jaina scriptural literature. However, this style became well established and continued to be followed by the Jaina scholars - both of the Digambara and the Svetāmbara traditions – of the later years.
This treatise, consisting of 344 concise Samskıta aphorisms, has been divided into ten chapters. Umāsvāti has stated these aphorisms in the form of established principles without giving any reason or justification thereof. This style is in contrast to the styles of Kanāda of the Vaiseśika and Gautama of the Nyāya philosophies, that supports each aphorism therein with detailed reasons and justifications, and follows the style of the Yoga philosopher Patañjali who states them without giving any reason or argument in their justification. This style creates a very strong impression that the Jaina tradition is predominantly based on faith and it accepts the words of its Prophets-propounders (Tīrthankaras) without any room for doubt or skepticism.
The Subject Matter -
While the Vaišeśika, Sankhya, and Vedānta philosophics lay predominant emphasis on the matter of worth knowing (Iñeyatattva)'and the Yoga and Buddhist philosophies do so on the matter of conduct (Cāritra), Bhagvān Mahāvīra laid cqual emphasis on
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