In India, philosophers, poets and writers always stood
for system and subject-matter. They never cared for their name and
fame. They rarely mentioned their name, parental heritage, education,
time etc, in their works. Umasvati is not exception to this tradition.
In the prasamaratiprakarana, neither in the beginning nor in the end, he
mentions his name though, this work is recognized right from the
beginning as a work of Umasvati. But, fortunately
Tattvarthasutra-svopajnabhasya, which is now accepted as a work of the
same author, in its ending colophon (Prasasti) gives some important
information about the family, heritage, teachers and spiritual
initiators of our present author. From these verses of the colophon we
learn that he was born in Nyagrodhika village, he belongs to the
Kaubhisaningotra (parental lineage), Svati was his father's name and his
mother was Uma of the Vatsagotra3. His vidyaguru (teacher) was Sri Mula,
who was a Vacakacarya and who has as his guru, Sri Mundapada-a
mahavacaka ksamana,4 whereas his spiritual initiator (Diksaguru) was Sri
Ghosanandi, well-versed in 11 angas and a disciple of Sri Sivasuri, a
Vacakamukhya of great renown.5 He was also called Nagaravacaka,6 Sri
Madhavacarya, presenting Arhatadarsana in his work Sarvadarsanasangraha,
calls him as Umasvati Vacakacarya7. It seems that Vacaka is honorable
title added to his name. This title shows his profound scholarship in
Purva literature.8 He was so popular writer that later writers and
commentators of Jaina literature mention him by mere Vacaka of Acarya9.
Another important point is that in olden days, there was a class of
teachers known as Vacakavarga. These Vacakas were the great Scholars of
Agamic literature and capable of imparting Agamic knowledge on others.
Umasvati was belonging to this class of Vacakas.
Caste:
The word 'Vatsisuta'- son of a female descendent of Vatsa,
mentioned by Umasvati himself in the colophon of Svopajnabhasya
indicates that he was a Brahmin by birth.10 His mother's Gotra was Vatsa.
Vatsagotra is as old as Brhadaranyaka Upanisad.11 Prof. McDonnell and
Keith rightly pointed out that Vatsiputra-son of a female descendent of
Vatsa, a the name of a teacher mentioned in the last Vamsa (list of a
teachers) of the Brhadaranyaka Upanisad, as a pupil of Parasariputra
according to Kanva recension, as pupil of Bharadvajiputra according to
the Madhyandina.12 Bhatta Bana and Vatsyayana were belonging to this
Vatsagotra. Asvalayana in his Srautasutra mentions two branches of
Vatsagotra. We learn from the Bijolia Inscription that some of the
Brahmin kings of the 9th and 10th century were belonging to this gotra.
This was the gotra of the Chahamanas.13 Kubhisana14 gotra of Umasvati's
father; implies that he was a son of saivabrahmin. Sri Gunakarasuri,
(15th A. D.= 1426 V. S.) commenting on 11th verse of Bhaktamarastotra
clearly states that Umasvati was a convert from Saiva Brahmin sect.15
Another important point in support of this argument is that it was
un-usual for Jainas to have profound knowledge of non-Jaina Schools of
thought in the classical period. Umasvati's mastery over Sanskrit
language and familiarity with the concept of Brahmanical Schools of
thought, especially with Nyaya-Vaisesika, Sankhya-Yoga, Ramayana and
Mahabharata, shows that he was probably a convert from the Brahmanical
faith. We also learn from the early History of Jaina literature that
most of the Jaina masters were learned Brahmins. In Acaranga (Which is
the earliest Agama) the auster Mahavira is addressed as a great Brahmin
(Mahana). It is from the beginning of Kalpasutra that Mahavira is known
as Ksatriya, on account of possibility of dominance of the Ksatriya
caste in society. All the great Ganadharas were Brahmins by birth. So,
it is quite possible that Umasvati was also Brahmin by birth before
canversion to Jaina faith.
Date of Umasvati is still a controversial problem in the
history of Jaina literature. Very little is known about the exact date
of the present author. The colophon at the end of
Tattvarthasutra-svopajnabhasya is not useful in fixing the date of
Umasvati. Scholars are not unanimous in fixing the date of Umasvati.
His date ranges between the 2nd and 5th centuries of the Christian era.
Dr. Satiscandra Vidyabhusana, thinks that Umasvati flourished in 2nd A.
D. (1-85 A. D.)16 Hartmut Piper and Dr. Suzuko Ohira assigned the 5th
century A.D., as the date of Umasvati17. A careful study of his works
revels that he was familiar with the Sankhya system, Yoga sutras and
bhasyas, Nyaya-Vaisesikasutras, which are known to have been composed
prior to the date of great Vijnanavadi Buddhist Vasubandhu who
flourished in the middle of the 5th century A.D. Umasvati in his works
clearly distinguishes the Jaina concepts, from the Sankhya systems,
Nyaya-vaisesikasutra and Abhidharma Kosa of Vasubandhu.18 It seems that
Umasvati and Vasubandhu were contemporaries in the 5th century A. D.19
Sect:
Umasvati was so great personality that Digambaras and
Svetambaras, the two major sects of Jaina community claim that he
belongs their sect. Digambaras believe that Umasvati was a pupil of
famous Digambara Acary-Kundakunda. Digambara Pattavali mentions
Umasvati as the sixth Diagmbarasuri of the Sarasvatigaccha between
Kunda-Kunda and Lohacarya II.20 He was also called Grddhrapiccha and
Umasvami in the Digambara tradition.21 We learn from one of the
Sravanabelagola Inscriptions (1433-A. D.) that there was some speciality
in Umasvati being called Grddharapiccha.22 Digambaras believe that,
Tattvarthasutra is the only work written by Umasvati. They reject
outright other works attributed to him. Even Svopajnabhasya on T. S. is
not accepted by them as a work as a work of the same author.
Svetambaras believe that Umasvati
belongs to their faith. They attribute T. S. and Svopajnabhasya and
many other minor works to Umasvati. Their claim is justifiable on many
accounts. The rock inscriptions of Sravanabelagola in which Umasvati
was mentioned as Digambara, were all composed after 11th or 12th century
A. D. Whereas in certain Svetambara texts23 written by Siddhasenagani
(7-8 A. D.), Jinadasamahatara, (7. AD) Haribhadrasuri (8 A. D.),
Abhayadevsuri (10th A. D.). which are earlier that Sravanabelagola rock
inscriptions, we find that, Umasvati was recognized as Svetambarite and,
author of T. S. with Svopajnabhasya, Prasamaratiprakarana and many other
small treatises. Sri Haribhadrasuri of 12th A. D. (other than
Yakinisunu-Haribhadra) clearly states in his commentary on
Prasamaratiprakarana that Umasvati is the glory of the entire Svetambara
family (Svetambarakulatilaka). A careful study of his works reveals
that he was a svetambarite. The code of conduct for monks prescribed by
him in Tattvarthasutrabhasya and Prasamaratiprakarana is clear evidence
that he belongs to the Svetambara sect.24 A systematic account of a
monk's clothes, utensils and food mentioned in the Prasamarati is
applicable to Svetambaras only.25
In Prasamarati, prescribing the rules of conduct for
monks, he actually refers to Acarangasutra which is not accepted by
Digambaras as Agama.26 The main reason in denouncing Svopajnabhasya of
T. S. and other works as those of Umasvati by Digambaras is that the
doctrines mentioned in these works ot only do not support the Digambara
doctrines but they directly go against their very system. It seems that
even different readings of the T. S. are introduced by Pujyapada to suit
Digambara view point, otherwise they are absent in earliest manuscripts
of the T. S. text.27
Works:
Umasvati was a pre-eminent writer
in those days and the tradition attributes to him not less than five
hundred treatises called Prakaranagranthas.28 At the present state of
our knowledge, it is very difficult to accept this traditional view.
But it appears that the might have written a few more texts than those
handed down to us because, certain verses attributed to Umasvati by
later writers like Siddhasenagani, Abhayadevasuri and Bhavavijaya, are
not traceable in his extant works.29 At present Tattvarthasutra with
Svopajnabhasya, Prasamaratiprakarna, Jambudvipasmasa, Sravakaprajnapti
and Pujaprakarana are accepted as works of Umasvati.
