Tattvarth Sutra – Chapter 1

English explanation of Tattvarth Sutra – Chapter 1 (तत्वार्थ सूत्र अध्याय 1)

1. Samyag-darśana-jñāna-cāritrāṇi mokṣa-mārgaḥ
(सम्यग्दर्शनज्ञानचरित्राणि मोक्षमार्गः)

Meaning:
Right Faith (Samyag-darśana), Right Knowledge (Samyag-jñāna), and Right Conduct (Samyak-cāritra) together constitute the path to liberation (mokṣa).
They are not independent or separate; only in unity, as the Three Jewels (Ratnatraya), do they form the true path.

• Samyak = Proper / free from delusion (opposite of false conviction or perversion).
• Right Faith (Samyag-darśana): Genuine conviction in the reality of substances, without misconceptions.
• Right Knowledge (Samyag-jñāna): Knowledge of substances free from doubt, error, and indefiniteness.
  • Doubt – uncertainty about whether reality is as the Jina has declared.
  • Error – belief in the contrary of what the Jina has taught.
  • Indefiniteness – inability to determine the true nature of reality.
• Right Conduct (Samyak-cāritra): Conduct aligned with Right Faith and Right Knowledge, where the soul acts free of delusion, non-restraint, negligence, passions, and activities leading to influx and bondage of karmas.

2. Tattvārtha-śraddhānaṁ samyag-darśanam
(तत्त्वार्थश्रद्धानं सम्यग्दर्शनम्)

Meaning:
Right Faith is the firm belief in the true nature of realities (tattvas).

• The seven tattvas are: jīva (soul), ajīva (non-soul), āsrava (influx of karmas), bandha (bondage), saṁvara (stoppage), nirjarā (shedding of karmas), and mokṣa (liberation).
• To have conviction in them exactly as taught by the Jinas, without doubt or distortion, is Samyag-darśana.
• Tattva means “that which exists in its true form.”
• Tattvārtha means “understanding the thing as it truly is.”

3. Tat-nisargād adhigamād vā
(तन्निसर्गादधिगमाद्वा)

Meaning:
Right Faith arises in two ways – naturally (nisarga) or through instruction (adhigama).

• Natural Right Faith (Nisarga-samyag-darśana):
  Arises spontaneously from within, through innate dispositions, previous impressions, or experiences such as recollection of past lives (jātismaraṇa), or by divine vision.
• Acquired Right Faith (Adhigama-samyag-darśana):
  Arises through guidance and teachings of enlightened teachers or spiritual mentors, when one’s mental dispositions are purified.
  Example: Lord Mahāvīra attained Right Faith in his lion-birth through the discourse of two sky-traversing ascetics possessing miraculous powers.

4. Jīva–ajīva–āsrava–bandha–saṁvara–nirjarā–mokṣas tattvam

(जीवाजीवास्रवबन्धसंवरनिर्जरामोक्षस्तत्त्वम्)

Meaning:
The seven realities (tattvas) are:

1. Jīva (soul)
2. Ajīva (non-soul)
3. Āsrava (influx of karmic matter)
4. Bandha (bondage of karmas)
5. Saṁvara (stoppage of karmic influx)
6. Nirjarā (shedding of karmas)
7. Mokṣa (liberation)

Each of these has two aspects: substance (dravya) and modes/feelings (bhāva).

1. Jīva-tattva (Soul reality)

• Substance aspect (dravya jīva): The conscious living being, from one-sensed organisms to five-sensed beings, up to the perfected liberated Siddhas.
• Mode aspect (bhāva jīva): The soul experienced as existence, bliss, knowledge, and consciousness.
• Two standpoints:
  • Vyavahāra-naya (practical view): A living being survives by four vitalities – senses, strength, life-span, and respiration.
  • Niścaya-naya (absolute view): The soul is defined by its intrinsic qualities of existence, bliss, awareness, and consciousness.

2. Ajīva-tattva (Non-soul reality)

That which lacks consciousness:

• Substance aspect (dravya ajīva): Five categories: matter (pudgala), motion principle (dharma), rest principle (adharma), space (ākāśa), and time (kāla).
• Mode aspect (bhāva ajīva):
  • Pudgala has touch, taste, smell, and color.
  • Dharma enables movement.
  • Adharma enables rest.
  • Ākāśa enables accommodation.
  • Kāla enables continuity and change.

3. Āsrava-tattva (Influx)

• Definition: Influx of karmic matter into the soul.
• Substance aspect: Subtle matter particles (pudgala paramāṇus) capable of becoming karmas flow towards the soul under the influence of passions.
• Mode aspect: The internal states of the soul that attract karma, classified as 57 causes:
  • 5 wrong beliefs (mithyātva)
  • 12 lack of vows (avirati)
  • 25 passions (kaṣāyas)
  • 15 activities of body, speech, and mind (yoga)

4. Bandha-tattva (Bondage)

• Definition: The binding of karmic matter with the soul.
• Substance aspect: Matter particles, once attracted, get bound to the soul.
• Mode aspect: The soul’s passions of attachment and aversion (rāga–dveṣa) cause the binding.

5. Saṁvara-tattva (Stoppage)

• Definition: Prevention of fresh influx of karmas.
• Substance aspect: The stoppage of karmic matter’s inflow.
• Mode aspect: Soul’s effort through vows and disciplines – namely:
  • 5 samitis (carefulness),
  • 5 guptis (restraints),
  • 12 bhāvanās (reflections),
  • 10 dharmas (virtues),
  • 22 pariṣaha-jayas (conquest over afflictions),
  • and observance of vows (vratas).

6. Nirjarā-tattva (Shedding)

• Definition: Separation of previously bound karmas from the soul.
• Substance aspect: The disjunction of karmic particles already bound.
• Mode aspect: Pure states of the soul produced by penances, austerities, meditation, fasting, etc.

7. Mokṣa-tattva (Liberation)

• Definition: The final state of the soul when all karmas are completely destroyed.
• Substance aspect: Complete destruction of all karmic bonds with respect to nature (prakṛti), duration (sthiti), intensity (anubhāga), and quantity (pradeśa).
• Mode aspect: The pure state of the soul, free from delusion, attachment, and aversion – abiding in the Three Jewels (Ratnatraya).

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5. Nāma-sthāpanā-dravya-bhāva-tat-nyāsaḥ (Nikṣepaḥ)

(नामस्थापनाद्रव्यभावतस्तन्न्यासः)

Meaning:
The realities and the path (seven tattvas + right faith, knowledge, conduct) are expressed in the world by four forms of designation (nikṣepa).

Nikṣepa = conventional usage or standpoint of reference according to common practice and standpoints of knowledge. It clarifies discussions.

Types of Nikṣepa (Designation):

1. Nāma-nikṣepa (Name-designation):
   Assigning a name without relation to qualities or actions.
   • Example: Naming a boy “Indra,” though he has none of Indra’s divine qualities.
2. Sthāpanā-nikṣepa (Representation-designation):
   Considering something as a substitute or representation of another.
   • Example: Worshipping the idol of Mahāvīra as Mahāvīra himself.
   • Two types:
     • Tad-ākāra: Same form representation (idol of Mahāvīra seen as Mahāvīra).
     • Atad-ākāra: Different form representation (imagining offering in hand as real food, or chess pieces as kings/ministers).
   • Difference from Nāma-nikṣepa: Here reverence is involved.
3. Dravya-nikṣepa (Substance-designation):
   Referring to a thing by its past or future states.
   • Example: Calling a prince “king,” since he will be king in the future.
   • Or calling someone a “manager” today because he will officially be appointed soon.
4. Bhāva-nikṣepa (Mode-designation):
   Referring to a thing by its present state.
   • Example: Calling the present ruler Indra as “Indra” because he truly possesses that role now.

Sutra 6 to 12

Sutra 13 to 19

Sutra 20 to 25

Sutra 26 to 31

Sutra 32 and 33

English explanation of Chapter 2

Animations and Visualizations.

मुनि श्री 108 प्रणम्यसागरजी तत्वार्थ सूत्र with Animation

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