“Tātparya-vrtti” of Padmaprabha Maladhārideva and Jain Ethics

Abstract

This publication presents the first translation into European language of the only Sanskrit commentary Tātparya-vr tti of the almost unknown Digambara exegete Padmaprabha Maladhārideva (12th century) on the first chapter-adhikāra of the treatise Niyama-sāra (“Essence of Restraint”) by Kundakunda (3rd–4th centuries), who is one of the most authoritative Jain authors. The first chapter of the commentary introduces the problems of the text and gives a general idea of the “Three Jewels” of Jainism: right vision, right knowledge and right behavior, the latter of which is the main theme of the text. The translation is preceded by an Introduction to the ethical doctrine of Jainism, which is considered by the author of the article as one of the variants of the virtue ethics. Jain ontology, being a descriptive part of the Jain Doctrine, is complemented by a prescriptive one, which includes an extensive system of vows (both “great” and “small”, basic and additional) and restrictions for all members of the community, which is built on the basis of the main prohibition of violence against all kinds of living beings. The observance of vows in Jain ethics is logically integrated into the Path of Liberation of the soul-ātman from the wheel of rebirth and is marked by various steps of the ladder of spiritual self-improvement. In the first chapter of the commentary Padmaprabha Maladhārideva proficiently shows the connection between ontology and ethics, skillfully weaving verses of his own composition into his exegesis and demonstrating deep knowledge not only of the Jain philosophical tradition, but also fluency in various verse meters according to the hermeneutical tasks facing him.