Traverses on Less Trodden Path of Indian Philosophy and Religion

Author(s): Yajneshwar S Shastri
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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UMĀSVĀTI'S CONTRIBUTION TO INDIAN PHILOSOPHY
Jainism is one of the major philosophical systems of India. Since 2500 years it has made manifold contributions to Indian Culture through its literature, religion, philosophy, architecture, sculpture, painting and music. Our author Acārya Umāvāti Vācaka who flourished circa 4th Century A.D, belongs to the galaxy of master-minds of the Jaina literary world holding a pre-eminent place among intellectuals and saipts of the Jaioa community. The position which he occupies among Jaina authors is of a unique character. As far as the available literature of the Jainas is concerned, he is the first among the Jaina masters to present fundamental principles of Jainism in Sanskrit language. The credit of introducing Jainism in Sutra form (aphoristic fcrm) on the lines of NyāyaVaiseșika sūtras, goes to this author. His contribution to Jaina philosophy, Religion, Ethics, Psychology and Cosmology, through his monumental work Tattvärthadhigamasūtral (T. S.) is unparalleled in the history of Jainism. He is the first author who has introduced the term adhyaya in T. S. instead of adhya yana of early Jaina Āgamas. Again, he is the first Jaina author to adopt Sanskrit poetic media to propagate Jaina Philosophy and Religion. The Praśamaratiprakarana of this learned author is one of the master-pieces in this direction. This is also a compendious work covering the quintesence of Jainism in a convincing manner. Though many other works such as Jambudvipa-samasa, Srāvakaprajñupti and Fūja prokarana are attributed to this author, but the two works viz., Tattvarthàdhigamasutra and Praśamaratiprakarana are really mile-stones and have left unimaginable.. impact on the later Jaina writers and have proved to be a milch-cow for later commentators for quotations. Tattvärthadhigamasutra is purely philosophical in nature wbile Prasamurati is religio-philosophical treatise of more popular nature addressed to monks and lay followers. His contri. bution to Metaphysics and Ethics through these two works is perbaps the most valuable contribution, not merely to Indian pbilosopby. but to world thought.
1. Tattvärthādhigamasūtram (T. S.), part I and I, ed H. R. Kapapia, Pub. : J, S.
Javeri, Bombay, 1926, and 1930. 2. Prasamaratiprakarana with Haribhadra's Commentary Pub. :D. L. Jaina Pustakod
dbara Samstha, Surat, 1940.