Purushartha Siddhyupaya

Puruşārthasiddhyupāya
Image of Acharya Amritchandra, author of Puruşārthasiddhyupāya
Information
Religion	Jainism
Author	Acharya Amritchandra

Puruşārthasiddhyupāya (Purushartha Siddhyupaya) is a major Jain text authored by Acharya Amritchandra. Acharya Amritchandra was a Digambara Acharya who lived in the tenth century (Vikram Samvat). Puruşārthasiddhyupāya deals with the conduct of householder (sravak) in detail. Another major Jain text that deals with householder's conduct is Ratnakaranda śrāvakācāra. Puruşārthasiddhyupāya also deals extensively with the Jain concept of ahiṃsā.

Like all Jain texts first sloka (aphorism) of Puruşārthasiddhyupāya is an invocation:

Victory to the Supreme Effulgence (Omniscience – the infinite and all-embracing knowledge) that images, as it were in a mirror, all substances and their infinite modes, extending through the past, the present, and the future.

Puruşārthasiddhyupāya deals extensively with the Jaina concept of ahimsa (non-injury) particularly in reference to its observance as a minor vow (anuvrata) by the Śrāvaka. In "Verse 43" deliberate himsa (injury) is defined as “acting under the influence of passions, an injury caused to physical or psychical vitalities” (verse 43). Acharya Amritchandra then elaborates on the observances that help the householder in abiding by his minor vow of ahimsa. Eleven verses (79-89), cautions the householder regarding certain misconstrued notions that people put forward to justify their acts of himsa.