Tattvarthadhigam Sutram Part 06 - Book Summary

This document is Volume 06, Chapter 9 of the Tattvarthadhigama Sutra, translated into Gujarati and compiled by Acharya Rajshekharsuri, Dharmshekharvijay, and Divyashekharvijay, and published by Arihant Aradhak Trust.

Key aspects covered in this volume include:

Introduction to the Tattvarthadhigama Sutra:
- The main title of the scripture is Tattvarthadhigama, meaning "realization of tattvas (realities)."
- It is widely known by its abbreviated title, Tattvarthasutra.
- The author is Umaswati Bhagavat, who also composed a commentary (Bhashya) on the sutras.
- The Digambara tradition disputes Umaswati's authorship of the Bhashya due to their belief that "where there are clothes, there is no liberation." However, arguments exist to support Umaswati's authorship of the Bhashya.
- The book primarily deals with the Dravyānuvoga (study of substances) among the four Anuvarthas (commentarial traditions) in Jainism: Dravyānuvoga, Charaṇa-karaṇānuvoga (conduct and practice), Gaṇitānuvoga (mathematics), and Dharma-kathānuvoga (religious narratives).
- Dravyānuvoga and Charana-karanaanuva are considered the main Anuvarthas, with Dravyānuvoga having greater importance due to its focus on the nature of substances like Jiva (soul) and Ajiva (non-soul).
- Studying this text leads to the manifestation and strengthening of Samyagdarshan (right faith).
- The text is considered profound, containing the essence of the entire Jain doctrine within less than 200 verses, akin to fitting an ocean into a pitcher.
Author's (Umaswati's) Introduction:
- Umaswati's lineage and background are described: disciple of Ghoshanandi Kshamaashramana, student of Mahavachak Shramana Mundata, disciple of Vacakacharya Moola, born in Nyagrodhika village, son of Swati and Uma, and resided in Kusumpur (Patliputra).
- He composed this text out of compassion for the suffering world, which was afflicted by bodily and mental pain and misled by incorrect scriptures.
Commentator's (Haribhadrasuri's) Introduction:
- Haribhadrasuri is identified as the author of the "DuPadupika" commentary on Umaswati's Karika and Bhashya.
- This commentary is considered the most ancient, even older than Siddhasena Gani's commentary.
- Haribhadrasuri's commentary extends up to the 23rd sutra of the 6th chapter. The remaining part was completed by Yashobhadrasuri and then by his disciples.
Translator's (Acharya Rajshekharsuri) Information:
- The translation began in Pali-tadana in VS 2053.
- The translator initially chose Haribhadrasuri's commentary due to the difficulty of Siddhasena Gani's commentary.
- The translation process faced challenges, including physical illness and eye problems for the translator.
- Despite obstacles, the translation was completed with the support of his disciples and inspiration from his gurus.
- The translator acknowledges potential errors and shortcomings and seeks forgiveness from scholars.
Detailed Content of Chapter 6:
- Chapter Focus: The sixth chapter primarily deals with Āsrava (influx of karma).
- Yoga (Activity):
  - Sutra 6-1: Defines Yoga as the activity of body, speech, and mind (Kāya-Vāṅ-Manah-karma Yogaḥ). Yoga is classified as auspicious (Shubha) and inauspicious (Ashubha). Inauspicious yoga leads to negative consequences, while auspicious yoga leads to positive ones.
  - Sutra 6-2: States that this Yoga itself is Āsrava (Sa Āśravaḥ).
  - Sutra 6-3 & 6-4: Clarify that auspicious yoga is the influx of Punya (meritorious karma), and inauspicious yoga is the influx of Papa (demeritorious karma).
  - Sutra 6-5: Explains that yoga, when accompanied by passions (Sakashāya), leads to Samparyāyika karma (karmic influx causing prolonged suffering in the cycle of birth and death), and when free from passions (Akashāya), leads to Iryapatha karma (karmic influx that lasts for only one moment and is a cause of liberation).
- Types of Āsrava:
  - Sutra 6-6: Enumerate the types of Samparyāyika Āsrava: Five (Vows – Avratas), Four (Passions – Kashāyas), Five (Indriyas – senses), and Twenty-five (Activities – Kriyāḥ).
  - Sutra 6-7: Explains that the intensity of karma bondage (bandha) varies based on the intensity or mildness of passions (tīvra-manda), knowledge (jñāta-ajñāta), energy (vīrya), and the instrument or means (adhikaraṇa).
  - Sutra 6-8: Introduces the two types of Adhikaraṇa (instrument or means): Jiva Adhikaraṇa (related to living beings) and Ajiva Adhikaraṇa (related to non-living things).
  - Sutra 6-9: Details the 108 types of Jiva Adhikaraṇa, stemming from combinations of Sambhrama (intention), Samārambha (preparation), Ārambha (action), Yoga (activity), Krta (done by oneself), Kārita (done by others), Anumati (approved), and Kashāya (passions).
  - Sutra 6-10: Describes the types of Ajiva Adhikaraṇa: Nirvartana (creation), Nikshepa (placement), Samyoga (combination), and Nisarga (abandonment), with various sub-categories.
- Āsrava for Specific Karmas:
  - Sutra 6-11: Āsravas for Jñānāvaraṇīya (knowledge-obscuring) and Darshanāvaraṇīya (perception-obscuring) karma are related to disrespect, hiding, envy, obstacles, attainment, and obstruction towards knowledge, knowers, and means of knowledge, and similarly towards perception, perceivers, and means of perception.
  - Sutra 6-12: Āsravas for Asātāvedanīya (unpleasant feeling-producing) karma involve experiencing or causing suffering, grief, heat, crying, striking, and lamentation, whether it affects oneself, others, or both.
  - Sutra 6-13: Āsravas for Sātāvedanīya (pleasant feeling-producing) karma include compassion for all beings, adherence to vows, charity, passionate restraint (sarāgasaṃyama), partial restraint (saṃyamāsaṃyama), involuntary purification (akāmanirjarā), immature penance (bālatapa), forgiveness (kṣānti), and purity (śauca).
  - Sutra 6-14: Āsravas for Darśanamohanīya (perception-deluding) karma involve speaking negatively about Kevalins (omniscient beings), Śruta (scriptures), Sangha (community), Dharma (religion), and Devas (celestial beings).
  - Sutra 6-15: Āsravas for Charitramohanīya (conduct-deluding) karma stem from the intense states of the soul caused by the arousal of passions.
  - Sutra 6-16: Āsravas for Naraka (hellish) birth karma are excessive involvement in activities (ārambha) and excessive accumulation (parigraha).
  - Sutra 6-17: The Āsrava for Tiryancha (animal) birth karma is deceitfulness (māyā).
  - Sutra 6-18: Āsravas for Mānuṣa (human) birth karma include minimal involvement in activities (alpa-ārambha), minimal accumulation (alpa-parigraha), natural gentleness (svabhāva-mārdava), and natural straightforwardness (svabhāva-ārjava).
  - Sutra 6-19: The absence of moral conduct (niḥśīlavratatva) is an Āsrava for Naraka, Tiryancha, and Human births.
  - Sutra 6-20: Āsravas for Deva (celestial) birth karma are passionate restraint (sarāgasaṃyama), partial restraint (saṃyamāsaṃyama), involuntary purification (akāmanirjarā), and immature penance (bālatapa).
  - Sutra 6-21: Āsravas for Ashubha Nāma Karma (inauspicious name-karma) include crookedness (vakratā) and insincerity (visaṃvādana) in body, speech, and mind.
  - Sutra 6-22: The opposite of the above are Āsravas for Shubha Nāma Karma (auspicious name-karma).
  - Sutra 6-23: Specific Āsravas for Tirthankara Nāma Karma (name-karma leading to Tirthankara status) are outlined, including purity of faith, humility, non-transgression in vows, constant application of knowledge, continuous spiritual fervor, charity and penance according to capacity, maintaining harmony in the community and among monks, serving the monks, devotion to Kevalins, Acharyas, scholars, and the teachings, upholding essential duties, propagating the path to liberation, and showing affection for the teachings.
  - Sutra 6-24: Āsravas for Nichagotra Nāma Karma (low-status name-karma) include criticizing others, praising oneself, hiding others' virtues, and displaying one's own non-existent virtues.
  - Sutra 6-25: The opposite of the above, along with a humble attitude and absence of pride, are Āsravas for Uchchagotra Nāma Karma (high-status name-karma).
  - Sutra 6-26: The Āsrava for Antarāya Karma (obstruction karma) involves creating obstacles in acts like charity.

This comprehensive summary provides an overview of the key concepts, authors, translators, and the detailed content of the sixth chapter of the Tattvarthadhigama Sutra, as presented in this Gujarati translation.