A Key-note Address on Umāsvāti and His Works
By Satya Ranjan Banerjee
Summary
This piece reproduces Satya Ranjan Banerjee’s keynote address from an international seminar on Umāsvāti. Banerjee welcomes delegates and emphasises the importance of studying Umāsvāti, a seminal Jain thinker whose dates range between the 1st and 6th centuries CE. Umāsvāti’s Tattvārtha‑sūtra, also known as the Pramāṇa‑śāstra, is highlighted as the first systematic compendium of Jain doctrine, synthesising themes from the Āgamas. Banerjee explains that the text outlines the path to liberation through right faith, knowledge and conduct and elaborates on metaphysical categories such as soul, matter and karma. He notes Umāsvāti’s pioneering role in developing Jain logic and his influence on later scholars. The address underscores that Indian intellectual history cannot be fully understood without acknowledging Jain contributions across disciplines. Banerjee outlines the seminar’s fifteen topics, including bibliographies, commentaries, comparative studies and technical analyses of Umāsvāti’s writings. He calls for systematic research on Jain logic from Umāsvāti’s era to the seventeenth century and praises the institutional support of the Bhogilal Leherchand Institute of Indology. In closing, he thanks the delegates and expresses hope that the seminar will spur fruitful collaboration and deepen understanding of Jain philosophy.
Conclusion
The keynote address underscores Umāsvāti’s central place in Jain intellectual history, particularly through his Tattvārtha‑sūtra, which systematised Jain doctrine and laid the groundwork for later developments in Indian logic. By convening scholars to examine his works from multiple perspectives, the seminar aims to deepen understanding of Jain philosophy and highlight its relevance within the broader Indian tradition. Banerjee closes with optimism that collaborative research will shed new light on Umāsvāti and invigorate the study of Jain logic.