An exploration of the Tattvārtha Sūtra quickly reveals a handful of commentaries that have truly stood the test of time—each peeling back another layer of Jain wisdom.

Medieval Cornerstones
• Pūjyapāda’s Sarvārthasiddhi (5th century): Universally hailed as the gold standard, this lucid Sanskrit gloss breathes life into Kundakunda’s terse aphorisms, weaving metaphysics and ethics into one seamless tapestry.
• Haribhadra’s Tattvārtha-vivaraṇa (8th–9th century): Infused with devotional fervor, it marries rigorous logic to the soul’s journey, reflecting early tantric and yogic undercurrents.
• Hemacandra’s Commentary (12th century): A polymath’s gift, it stitches grammar, yoga theory and cosmology into a cohesive guide, often cited in modern philosophical debates.
• Prabhācandra’s Vṛtti (11th–12th century): Compact yet incisive, this gloss tackles the knotty problem of karma with surgical precision.
• Vidyānandi’s Tattvārtha-kathā (7th century): One of the earliest expositions, its narrative style makes dense ideas surprisingly accessible.

Modern Milestones
• Hermann Jacobi’s Critical Edition and German Translation (1894): A trailblazer in Western Jain studies, Jacobi’s meticulous philology remains a cornerstone for comparative religion scholars.
• Champat Rai Jain’s English Translation and Notes (1931): Among the first to open Tattvārtha to a global audience, this work still finds pride of place in many university libraries.
• Muni Jambuvijayaji’s Sanskrit Critical Edition with Sarvārthasiddhi (1954): A scholarly benchmark, drawing on dozens of palm-leaf manuscripts.
• C.K. Jain’s Annotated English Commentary (1992): Strikes a balance between academic rigor and reader-friendly commentary, making it a go-to for newcomers.
• Vijay K. Jain’s Tattvārthasūtra with Sarvārthasiddhi & English Translation (2011): A modern classic—meticulous notes, clear translations and cross-references to contemporary Jain practice.

Recent scholarship got a fresh spark at the 2024 International Jain Studies Conference in Oxford, where rediscovered manuscripts of Hemacandra’s gloss have opened new avenues for exploration. Whether dipping a toe into philosophical waters or diving headfirst into debates on karma theory, these commentaries form the bedrock of any serious study of the Tattvārtha Sūtra.