Tattvarthadhigamsutram Part 1

Author(s): Umaswati, Umaswami, Hiralal R Kapadia
Publisher: Jivanchandra Sakarchandra

Page 45

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This is borne out by the fact that certain passages given in the Sanskrit introduction on pp. 20-22 and attributed to our author are not found in the extant works.
According to the Digambara tradition our author's name is Umasvāmī and he is the most famous disciple of the revered saint Sri Kundakundacharya. He is known as Gridhrapichchha in consequence of his preceptor being so designated. This is borne out by a verse found in one of the manuscripts of Tattvarthadhigamasutra (vide Sanskrit introduction, p. 23). He renounced the world at the age of 19, led the life of an ascetic for 25 years and subsequently became the head of the ascetics and discharged his duties in that capacity for about 40 years.
Different stories are told about the composition of Tattvarthadhigama Sutra: one of these is given as follows in the introduction to its commentary composed in Karnāṭakiya language :
There lived in Kathiawar a pious Jaina layman named Dvaipayana. As he was proficient in the Jaina sacred literature, he desired to compile a great work, but his attempts were not being crowned with success owing to some worldly troubles. Therefore he took a vow not to take his meals until he had composed at least one Sutra. He did not wait to practise his vow, so on that very day he composed the first Sutra, selecting salvation as the subject of his work. In order that he might not forget it he transcribed it on a side of a pillar in his house.
Next day he happened to go out on some business. In his absence a saint visited his house who was warmly received and entertained by his wife. By chance his eyes fell upon this Sutra. He pondered over it and left the place after adding the word Samyag before it.
When Dvaipayana returned home he saw the aphorism so proverbially corrected and consequently questioned his wife, who suggested that the saint must have done this. He ran at once to find out the saint who had obliged him by making such an invaluable and fundamental correction. On the outskirts of the city he came across an order of monks in the midst of whom he found the head of the order seated in the peaceful posture befitting him. He guessed that this must be the very saint he had run after and so he fell at his feet and requested him to complete the work undertaken by him as it was far above his ordinary ability. The saint was moved by the compassion and entreaty, so he finished the work. This saint was no other than our revered author Umāsvāmi and the book completed, Tattvārthādhigama sūtra, it being an expansion of the various