Nemichandra Acharya

 

Nemichandra Acharya

.....SIDDHANT CHAKRAVARTY

"Just as a chakravarty with the help of Sudarshan wheel conquers the six great lands, I (Nemichandra) have by virtue of my quest for truth, assimilated the six divisions of the scriptures of Jain philosophy (Shat Khandagam)". He was known as Siddhanta Chakravarty (the repository of the all pervading philosophy ennunciated by omni-conscious lords of the Jain order). He was a contemporary of the Jain king Chamunda Rai, whose time is the first half of the 11th century. So he lived in this land then.

He was not an ordinary scholar; his great living works, Gomattasar Jivkand, Gomattasar Karmakand, Triloksar, Labdhisar and Kshapanasar are shining examples of his extraordinary erudition and a full justification of the title Siddhanta Chakravarty i.e. the great master of the fundamental principles.

On the pursuasion of King Chamund Rai, he wrote Gomattasar taking the essence of all available works of the great Acharyas. Jivkand and Karmakand are two parts thereof.

The Shat Khandagam written by Bhutbali and Pushpadanta, the disciples of Acharya Dharsen, is the oldest work in the old traditional Jain literature. In the first part of this treatise many subjects from the soul and soul combined with karmas aspects have been described. Keeping these in view Siddhanta Chakravarty Nemichandra wrote Gomattasar and divided it in two parts, Jivkand and Karmakand.

Gomattasar is a regular text-book of the Jain Vidyalayas. In the first chapter of this great work, Gunasthans have been elaborately dealt with. This lesson has been written keeping in view the deliberations there. For a wide knowledge of the Gunasthans, students are advised to study Gomattasar Jivkand.