Authored by Acharya Umasvami (often called Umaswati) sometime between the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE in western India, the Tattvartha Sutra stands out as the first Jain treatise composed in classical Sanskrit rather than Prakrit. That bold move made it a common ground for both Digambara and Śvētāmbara traditions—no small feat when sectarian splits were as fierce as a monsoon downpour.

Umaswati, probably hailing from today’s Gujarat or Rajasthan, distilled centuries of oral teachings into 350 concise aphorisms. These “sutras” lay out ten tattvas (fundamental principles) that explain the workings of reality, the mechanics of karma’s influx and bondage, and the pathways to liberation. By weaving these threads into a single systematic fabric, the work set the stage for later commentaries and earned a reputation as the “philosopher’s cornerstone” of Jain thought.

Over the centuries, scholars from both wings of Jainism have penned glosses—most famously Vidyananda’s 8th-century commentary and Haribhadra’s balanced exposition in the 8th–9th century—that help unpack Umaswati’s succinct verses. Today, digitization projects at institutions like the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute are giving new life to palm-leaf manuscripts, while international peace forums sometimes quote its verses on non-violence—a reminder that ancient wisdom still rings true in modern debates about climate action and social harmony.