Tattvartha Sutra (with commentary)
by Vijay K. Jain | 2018 | 130,587 words | ISBN-10: 8193272625 | ISBN-13: 9788193272626
This page describes the nature of life-karmas (leading to birth as a human being) which is verse 6.17 of the English translation of the Tattvartha Sutra which represents the essentials of Jainism and Jain dharma and deals with the basics on Karma, Cosmology, Ethics, Celestial beings and Liberation. The Tattvarthasutra is authorative among both Digambara and Shvetambara. This is verse 17 of the chapter Influx of Karmas and includes an extensive commentary.
Verse 6.17 - The nature of Life-Karmas (leading to birth as a human being)
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Tattvartha sūtra 6.17:
अल्पारम्भपरिग्रहत्वं मानुषस्य ॥ ६.१७ ॥
alpārambhaparigrahatvaṃ mānuṣasya || 6.17 ||
The influx (āsrava) of karmas which lead to life as a human-being (manuṣya) is caused by dispositions of slight activity that result in infliction of pain–ārambha–and attachment to possessions–parigraha. (17)
Hindi Anvayarth:
अन्वयार्थ: [अल्पारम्भपरिग्रहत्वं] थोड़ा आरम्भ और थोड़ा परिग्रहपन [मानुषस्य] मनुष्य-आयु के आस्रव का कारण हैं।
Anvayartha: [alparambhaparigrahatvam] thoda़ा arambha aura thoda़ा parigrahapana [manushasya] manushya-ayu ke asrava ka karana haim |
Explanation in English from Ācārya Pūjyapāda’s Sarvārthasiddhi:
The cause of the influx of life-karma leading to birth in the animal and vegetable world has been explained. What is the cause of the influx of life-karma leading to birth as a human being?
The causes of the influx of karmas which lead to birth in the infernal regions have already been described. The opposites of these cause the influx of karmas which lead to birth as a human being. To elaborate, the following are the causes: humility, gentle disposition, simplicity in behaviour, slight passions (kaṣāya), being free from distressful disposition at the time of death, and so on.
Is that all which causes the influx of life-karma leading to birth as a human being?
[see next sūtra]