Tattvartha Sutra: That Which Is
by Umasvati
Primary text · Reading guide
The Short Answer
A systematic Jain work concerned with reality, the soul, karma, and liberation, available in English as That Which Is.
Jainism · Primary text
Before you begin
This sutra is a foundational doctrinal text, not the entirety of Jain scripture. Jain traditions and commentaries should remain distinguishable.
Reading lens: symbolic and religious interpretation; historical details are identified through the sources below.
Choose an edition
Nathmal Tatia’s translation, sponsored by the Institute of Jainology, offers a named study edition.
A path through the book
The introductory framework
Orient yourself to the text’s account of knowledge and liberation.
Its categories of reality
Build a glossary before drawing comparisons with other traditions.
Ethics and liberation
Read conduct as part of the larger doctrinal system.
Sources & editions
- Yale University Press: That Which Is ↗
Edition and reading reference.
An editorial reading guide with original summaries and source links. Modern translations remain the work of their named translators.
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Key Insights
A systematic text depends on its definitions.
Jain karma and liberation have their own conceptual context.
Comparison works best after understanding the text’s own terms.