Indian Logic Forum

Bhadrakara · Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2005 7:46 am Post subject: Niyamasara of Kundakunda Acarya

NiyamasДЃra of Kuб№‡бёЌkuб№‡бёЌДЃcДЃrya

Niyamasara is one of the most renowned Adhyatmic works of Shri Kundakunda Acharya. He was the preceptor of Shri Uma Swami, the renowned author of Shri Tattvarthadhigama Sutra.

The Sanskrit commentary of Niyamasara was written by Shri Padmaprabha Haladhari Deva, who appears to have lived about 1000 A. D. He was preceded by Shri Amrit Chandra Acharya, who wrote Sanskrit commentaries on Panchastikaya, Pravachana-sara and Samayasara, the great monumental works on Jaina metaphysics by Shri Kundakunda Acharya. Padmaprabha has frequently quoted and referred to some of the verses of Amrit Chandira in his commentary on Niyamasara.

The treatise is named Niyamasara, because it deales with the path of liberation which is Right Belief, Right knowledge and Right Conduct, the three jewels of faith combined. The word Niyama literally means, вЂњrule or law,вЂќ and Sara means вЂњthe rightвЂќ (the gist, the essence). Niyamasara thus signifies the Right Rule, i.e., the true and indispensable law for the attainment of liberation.

The sole object and the whole gist of this treatise is to show that the all-pure, all-conscious, all-blissful and self-absorbed soul alone is the Siddha, a perfect soul. If a soul is in bondage with karmic matter, i. e., if it is imperfect, and under delusion, it is imperfection or delusion which is accountable for the continuance of transmigrations, and experiences of pain and pleasure. La order to obtain liberation, perfection, eternal beatitude. a soul must get rid of all connection with the Non-self. When this connection with the Non-self is completely severed, Siddha-pada, Perfection, is attained.

Right Belief, Right Knowledge, and Right Conduct have been dealt with, from two points of view, the. real and the practical.

The real is the only sure and direct path; while the practical is an auxiliary cause to the attainment of the real. Real path of liberation is absorption in the Self.