Acharya Gruddhapiccha

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Acharya Gruddhapiccha," in English:

Acharya Gruddhapiccha: The Pioneer of Sanskrit Prose-Sutras in Jainism

This text introduces Acharya Gruddhapiccha, recognized as the first Jain scholar to codify Jain principles in Sanskrit prose-sutras. He is also known by the names Umaswami and Umasvati. Elder Acharyas like Virsen and Vidyanand referred to him as 'Gruddhapicchacharya,' a name he himself did not use in his works. Abhayachandra also mentions him as Gruddhapiccha.

The Tattvartha Sutra: His Sole and Celebrated Work

Acharya Gruddhapiccha is undisputedly credited with a single, highly renowned and accepted work: the Tattvartha Sutra. This scripture is described as the essence of all learned knowledge, distilled into a profound text. It is also known by various names in Jain literature and inscriptions, including Tattvartha, Tattvarthashastra, Mokshashastra, Nihshreyashastra, and Tattvarthadhigama.

The sutras within the Tattvartha Sutra are characterized as precise, meaningful, profound, and clear. The text has received immense respect and has been commented upon by scholars from both the Digambara and Shvetambara traditions. These commentaries, which include tika (commentaries), vyakhyas (explanations), tippani (notes), bhashya (discourses), and vartika (critical explanations), are often so extensive and profound that they qualify as independent works. Notable among these are Acharya Akalankadeva's Tattvartha Vartika and his Bhashya on the Vartikas, as well as Acharya Vidyananda's Tattvartha Shlokavartika and his self-authored Bhashya on it, which offer detailed discussions on numerous subjects.

Author's Expertise and the Structure of Tattvartha Sutra

Acharya Gruddhapiccha's sole Tattvartha Sutra has made him immortal and renowned. A deep study of the Tattvartha Sutra leaves an indelible impression on the reader, showcasing his mastery in expounding principles and his profound knowledge of philosophy and logic.

The eighth, ninth, and tenth chapters of the Tattvartha Sutra primarily focus on expounding doctrines. The remaining chapters offer a blend of doctrines, philosophy, and logic. While philosophy and logic are discussed in these chapters, they are presented with the clarity required to establish the core principles. The era in which he lived was primarily focused on presenting doctrines, and he adopted philosophical and logical reasoning as needed to support them. This approach is compared to texts like Kanada's Vaisheshika Sutra and Jaimini's Mimamsa Sutra, which also primarily present their core doctrines with philosophical and logical explanations interspersed as required.

The text highlights specific sutras within the Tattvartha Sutra that demonstrate this approach:

• Sutras 5, 7, and 8 of the first chapter expound doctrines according to the Agamas.
• Sutras 6, 10, 11, and 12 of the first chapter deal with philosophy.
• Sutras 31 and 32 of the first chapter, and Sutras 5, 6, 7, and 8 of the tenth chapter discuss logic (tarka). This demonstrates that the Tattvartha Sutra presents not only doctrines but also philosophical and logical discussions deemed necessary for the readers of that time.

Challenges and the Revival of the Tattvartha Sutra

The author suggests that the creator of this Sanskrit prose-sutra text likely faced various challenges. This is because the previous monastic traditions primarily favored writing in Prakrit. It is possible that his attempt was initially met with opposition, leading to the Tattvartha Sutra remaining untouched for several centuries, with no commentaries or explanations written on it.

Devanandin-Pujyapada (6th Century) is credited as the first Acharya to write a commentary, the Tattvartha Vritti-Sarvartha Siddhi, thereby revealing its hidden significance. This paved the way for subsequent Acharyas like Akalankadeva, Vidyananda, and Siddhasena Gani.

The Tattvartha Sutra, like the Vaisheshika Sutra, comprises 10 chapters. It begins and ends with a single verse. The initial verse serves as an invocation (mangalacharana), while the concluding verse signifies the completion of the text and its brevity. The text provides these concluding verses:

• Initial Verse: "मोक्षमार्गस्य नेतारं भेत्तारं कर्मभूभृताम् । ज्ञातारं विश्वतत्वानां वन्दे तद्गुणलब्धये ॥" (I bow to the leader of the path to liberation, the destroyer of the mountains of karma, and the knower of all universal truths, to attain their virtues.)
• Final Verse: "अक्षर-मात्र-पद-स्वरहीनं व्यंजन-संधि-विवर्जितरेफम् । साधुभिरत्र मम क्षमितव्यं को न विमुह्यति शास्त्र-समुद्रे ॥" (Forgive me, saints, for any imperfections in letters, syllables, words, vowels, or for omitting the letter 'ra' connected with consonants. Who is not bewildered in the ocean of scripture?)

In essence, the text concludes by stating that Acharya Gruddhapiccha and his Tattvartha Sutra hold a respected and distinguished place in the entirety of Jain literature.