Mir Hashim Ali: created a stub v1 - done

2026-02-16T10:17:48Z

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{{Short description|Indian Jain monk}}
{{use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2016}}
{{Infobox religious biography
| honorific-prefix = ''[[Acharya (Jainism)|Ācārya]] Śrī''
| honorific-suffix =
| religion = [[Jainism]]
| sect = [[Śvetāmbara]]
| image = Acharya Siddhasena Divakarasuri.jpg
| caption = An idol of Acharya Siddhasenadivākarasuri at a Śvetāmbara Jain temple in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
| birth_date = 5th century CE
| death_date = 5th century CE
| works = ''[[Nyāyāvatāra]]'', ''Kalyanmandir'', ''Vardhman Shakrastav''
| initiator = Acharya Vruddhavadisuri
}}
{{Jainism}}
'''Siddhasenadivākarasuri''' ({{langx|pka|सिद्धसेनदिवाकरसूरि}}) was a [[Jain monk]] of the [[Śvetāmbara]] sect in the fifth century CE who wrote works on [[Jain philosophy]] and epistemology.{{sfn|Long|2009|p=132}}<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jaina |first=Hīrālāla |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OXnXAAAAMAAJ&q=%22annotations+by+siddhasen%22+-wikipedia |title=Contributions of Jaina Religion to Indian Culture |date=2004 |publisher=Sharadaben Chimanbhai Educational Research Centre |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UNYcAAAAMAAJ&q=%22siddhasen%22+-wikipedia |title=Isibhāsiyāiṃ suttāiṃ: R̥ṣibhaṣita sūtra |date=1988 |publisher=Prākr̥ta Bhāratī Akādemī |language=hi}}</ref> He was like the illuminator of the Jain order and therefore came to be known as ''Divākara'', "Sun". He is credited with the authorship of many books, most of which are not available. ''Sanmatitarka'' ('The Logic of the True Doctrine') is the first major Jain work on logic written in [[Sanskrit]].<ref> Qvarnström, Olle; Jainism and Early Buddhism: Essays in Honor of Padmanabh S. Jaini, page 154.</ref>{{sfn|Dundas|2002|p=131}} Among the most popular of his works, the ''Kalyan Mandir Stotra'' is a [[Sanskrit]] hymn dedicated to the 23rd Tirthankara [[Parshvanatha]]. It is one of the 9 holiest recitations (Nav Smaran) in the [[Śvetāmbara|Śvetāmbara Murtipujak]] sect of [[Jainism]].

Two references to Siddhasena's Sanmati Tarka and one reference of Siddhasena himself are found in Jinadāsagaṇī Mahattarā's cūrṇi which is believed to have had been written in 676 CE. Therefore, according to Pandit Bechardas Doshi and Pandit Sukhlal Sanghvi's translation of Sanmati Tarka, Siddhasena Divakarasuri was a [[Śvetāmbara]] ascetic in the 5th century CE.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pandit Sukhlal Sanghvi |first=Pandit Bechardas Doshi |title=Sanmati Tarka |url=https://jainqq.org/explore/001068/20}}</ref>

==Life==
'''Siddhasenadivākarasuri''' is said to have lived in fourth or fifth century CE and is said to have flourished in the [[Gupta Empire]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Mehta |first1=Balwant Sinha |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pjAeAAAAMAAJ&q=%22siddhasen%22+-wikipedia |title=Chittorgarh: The Cradle of Chivalry & Culture |last2=Mehta |first2=Jodh Sinha |date=1966 |publisher=Rajasthan Itihas Parishad |language=en}}</ref>{{sfn|Orsini|Schofield|1981|p=64}}<ref>{{Cite book |last=Das |first=Dr Manas Kumar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ls0xDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22siddhasen%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA42 |title=INDIAN CULTURAL HERITAGE |date=2017-08-09 |publisher=Lulu.com |isbn=978-1-387-04428-3 |language=en}}</ref> He was a Brahmin by birth and a scholar.{{sfn|Orsini|Schofield|1981|p=64}} He was initiated by ''Acharya'' ''Vṛddhavadisuri''.{{sfn|Natubhai Shah|2004|p=49}} His name at birth was Kumudchandra.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jain |first=Arun Kumar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y4aVRLGhf-8C&dq=%22siddhasen%22+-wikipedia&pg=RA1-PA162 |title=Faith & Philosophy of Jainism |date=2009 |publisher=Gyan Publishing House |isbn=978-81-7835-723-2 |language=en}}</ref> He was a proud Brahmin. However, when he lost a debate to Acharya Vruddhavadisuri, he accepted initiation into the Jain sangha.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Barodia |first=U. D. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ScFKAAAAMAAJ&dq=%22siddhasen%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA57 |title=History and Literature of Jainism |date=1909 |publisher=Jain Graduates' Association |language=en}}</ref> He came to be known as Acharya Siddhasensuri or Acharya '''Siddhasenadivākarasuri''' after he was given the position of an acharya. He is one of the most revered [[Acharya (Jainism)|Acharyas]] of the [[Śvetāmbara]] sect.

According to the tradition, '''Siddhasenadivākarasuri''' once planned to translate all the Jaina works from [[prakrit]] to [[Sanskrit]].{{sfn|Orsini|Schofield|1981|pp=64-65}} He was asked by his master to visit all the [[Jain temple]]s as a punishment. He thus visited the Jain temples for twelve years.{{sfn|Orsini|Schofield|1981|p=65}} He then came upon a [[Linga temple]] in Ujjain. He slept at the temple with his feet towards the [[Linga]], which is a symbol of [[Shiva]]. King [[Vikramaditya]] had him beaten for the sin on request of the devotees. However, with miraculous powers, '''Siddhasenadivākarasuri''' made that the King's wife receive the beating instead of him, looking at his miraculous powers he was then set free. King Vikramaditya requested '''Siddhasenadivākarasuri''' not to sleep in front of the Linga and should start worshipping him, '''Siddhasenadivākarasuri''' replied to the king's request stating that the Linga would not be able to handle his devotion and bhakti, thus he then started to praise the lord by residing his composition "The Kalyan Mandir Stotra" as he reached the 11th verse, the sky rumbled, the temple bells started ringing and the Linga opened thus emerging the idol of Avanti Parshwanath from within.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gobXAAAAMAAJ&q=%22kalyan+mandir+stotra%22+-wikipedia |title=Teerth Darshan |date=2002 |publisher=Shree Jain Prarthana Mandir Trust (Regd.) |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vi1uAAAAMAAJ&q=%22siddhasen%22+-wikipedia |title=Puratan |date=1989 |publisher=Department of Archaeology and Museums, Madhya Pradesh |language=en}}</ref> This idol is worshipped by the [[Śvetāmbara]] sect and it is one of the 108 most revered images of the 23rd Tirtankara [[Parshvanatha]] as worshipped by the [[Śvetāmbara|Śvetāmbara Murtipujak]] sect. It is believed that the idol of Avanti Parshvanath was created and worshipped by [[Mahakala]] himself.{{sfn|von Glasenapp|1999|pp=126–127}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Siddhasen Diwakarsuri - Jain Stories |url=https://jainknowledge.com/media-information/194/jain_stories/Siddhasen-Diwakarsuri |access-date=2024-04-16 |website=jainknowledge.com |language=en}}</ref>

He is said to have spent the rest of his life in the vicinity of [[Bharuch]] in [[Gujarat]].<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g4oMAQAAMAAJ&q=%22siddhasen%22+-wikipedia |title=Gujarat |date=2007 |publisher=Gujarat Vishvakosh Trust |language=en}}</ref>

==Thought==
Siddhasena's main contribution in the Sanmatitarka is his analysis of the Jaina theory of [[Anekantavada]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Prakash 'Babloo' |first=Ravi |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DmJCEAAAQBAJ&q=%22siddhasen%22+-wikipedia |title=Comparative Religions and Philosophies |date=2021-09-10 |publisher=K.K. Publications |language=en}}</ref> According to Jeffery Long, Siddhasena divides the seven classical Jain ''nayas'' (standpoints, viewpoints) into two categories: "those which affirm the substantiality of existence (dravyāstikanayas)<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S43XAAAAMAAJ&q=%22siddhasen%22+-wikipedia |title=Illustrated Shri Bhagavati Sutra (Vyakhya Prajnapti) |date=2005 |publisher=Padma Prakāśana |language=hi}}</ref> and those which affirm the impermanent, changing aspects of existence (paryāyāstikanayas)."{{sfn|Long|2009|p=132}} This view sees the best account of reality as one which includes permanence and impermanence, identity and difference in a complex set of contradictory relations. Siddhasena also argued that the number of possible ''nayas'' or viewpoints of reality is potentially limitless.{{sfn|Long|2009|p=132}} He then goes on to correlate each of the nayas with the positions of Indian philosophical schools, showing how each view is not only partial but also one sided.<ref name=":0" />

==Works==
He is credited with authorship of -

* Sanmati-tarka-prakaraṇa{{sfn|Natubhai Shah|2004|p=49}}{{sfn|Balcerowicz|Mejor|2004|p=313}} - Prākṛta work on logic consisting of 167 verses divided into 3 kāṇḍas.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Sanghvi |first=Sukhlal |url=https://archive.org/details/dli.ernet.428305/page/n19/mode/2up?view=theater |title=Sammatitarkaprakarana |publisher=Gujarat Vidyapith |year=1925 |pages=16–17 |language=Sanskrit}}</ref>.
* [[Nyāyāvatāra]] - One of the first Jaina works on Nyāya in Saṃskṛta<ref name=":1" />
* Kalyāṇa-mandira-stotra - 44-versed praise to 23rd Jaina Tīrthaṅkara Pārśvanātha.<ref name=":1" />
* Dvātriṃśad Dvātriṃśikā - Thirty-two-versed compositions in Saṃskṛta. Out of 32 he authored, only 21 are available today.<ref name=":1" />
* Gandhahastivivaraṇa on 1st adhyayana on [[Ācārāṅga Sūtra|ācārāgasūtra]] (not available)<ref name=":1" />
* Gandhahastimahābhāṣya on Tattvārthādhigamasūtra (not available)<ref name=":1" />

==Commentaries on his works==

Lāvaṇyasūri has composed a Saṁskṛta commentary - Kiraṇāvalī on his 21 of 32 Dvātriṁśikā-s available today.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Visaria |first=Anish |title=Dvātriṁśad Dvātriṁśikā by Siddhasena Divākara with Kiraṇāvalī Commentary by Lāvaṇyasūri |url=https://jainqq.org/pagetext/Dwatrinshad_Dwatrinshika/004300/2}}</ref>

A Sanskrit commentary called Tattvabodhavidhāyinī is composed upon his ''Sanmatitarka'' by [[Abhaydevsuri]] and is edited in modern scholarship.<ref name="SanghaviSanmati">{{cite book |last=Siddhasena Divākara |first= |url=https://archive.org/details/tyVg_sanmati-tark-prakaran-of-siddhasen-divakar-with-tattva-bodha-vidhayini-commentar/page/n23/mode/2up |title=Sanmati-tarka (with Abhayadeva’s commentary) |publisher=Gujarat Vidyapith |editor-last=Sanghavi |editor-first=Sukhlalji |access-date=6 January 2026}}</ref>

A modern Gujarati commentary titled ''Śakrastava: Paramno Shakshātkār'' has been written by Acharya [[Yashovijaysuri]], offering a devotional and philosophical interpretation of the ''Śakrastava'', traditionally attributed to Siddhasena Divākara. The work presents the hymn not merely as a liturgical composition but as a contemplative text, explaining the spiritual meanings of the epithets used for the Arihanta and relating them to inner experience, meditation, and devotional practice within the Jain bhakti tradition. The commentary combines scriptural references, philosophical reflection, and experiential exposition, aiming to make the devotional and contemplative dimensions of the ''Śakrastava'' accessible to contemporary readers while preserving its traditional theological framework.<ref name="Yashovijaysuri2021">{{cite book
|last=Yashovijaysuri
|first=Acharya
|title=Śakrastava: Paramno Shakshātkār
|language=Gujarati
|publisher=Acharya Omkarsuri Jnanmandir
|location=Surat
|year=2021
|isbn=978-81-949353-2-2
}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Manatunga|Mānatuṅga]]
*[[Hemachandra|Hemacandra]]
*[[Devardhigani Kshamashraman|Devarddhigaṇi Kṣamāśrama]]
*[[Yashovijaya|Yaśovijaya]]

==References==
===Citations===
{{reflist}}

===Sources===
* {{citation |editor-last=Balcerowicz |editor-first=Piotr |editor-link=Piotr Balcerowicz |editor-last2=Mejor |editor-first2=Marek |editor-link2=Marek Mejor |title=Essays in Indian Philosophy, Religion and Literature |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b2qPLswTCSIC |date=2004 |orig-year=2002 |publisher=[[Motilal Banarsidass]] |location=[[Delhi]] |isbn= 9788120819788|edition=First Indian }}
* {{citation |last=Dundas |first=Paul |author-link=Paul Dundas |title=The Jains |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X8iAAgAAQBAJ |edition=Second |date=2002 |orig-year=1992 |publisher=[[Routledge]] |isbn=0-415-26605-X |location=[[London]] and [[New York City|New York]] }}
* {{citation |last=Long |first=Jeffery D. |author-link=Jeffery D. Long |title=Jainism: An Introduction |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I3gAAwAAQBAJ |publisher=[[I.B. Tauris]] |date=2009 |isbn=978-1-84511-625-5 }}
* {{citation |editor-last=Orsini |editor-first=Francesca |editor-link=Francesca Orsini |editor-last2=Schofield |editor-first2=Katherine Butler |title=Tellings and Texts: Music, Literature and Performance in North India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P0SlCgAAQBAJ |publisher=[[Open Book Publishers]] |year=1981 |isbn=978-1-78374-105-2 }}
* Shri Abhidhan Rajendra Kosh Vol 5, written by [[Acharya Rajendrasuri]] (1827–1906)
* {{citation |last=Shah |first=Natubhai |author-link=Natubhai Shah |title=Jainism: The World of Conquerors |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qLNQKGcDIhsC |volume=I |date=2004 |orig-year=First published in 1998 |publisher=[[Motilal Banarsidass]] |isbn=81-208-1938-1 |ref={{sfnref|Natubhai Shah|2004}} }}
* {{citation |last=von Glasenapp |first=Helmuth |author-link=Helmuth von Glasenapp |others=[[Shridhar B. Shrotri]] (trans.) |title=Jainism: An Indian Religion of Salvation |trans-title=Der Jainismus: Eine Indische Erlosungsreligion |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WzEzXDk0v6sC |publisher=[[Motilal Banarsidass]] |date=1999 |location=[[Delhi]] |isbn=81-208-1376-6 }}

==Further reading==
*Siddhasena Divākara. ''Dvātriṃśikā'', in A. N. Upadhye (1971).

{{Jain Gurus}}
{{Jainism topics}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Divakara, Siddhasena}}
[[Category:Jain acharyas]]
[[Category:Indian Jain writers|Siddhasen Diwakar]]
[[Category:Year of death unknown]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]
[[Category:Indian Jain monks]]
[[Category:5th-century Indian Jains]]
[[Category:5th-century Jain monks]]
[[Category:5th-century Indian monks]]

Siddhasenadivākarasuri - Revision history

Mir Hashim Ali: created a stub v1 - done