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According to Avashyak-churni he was inducted into monkhood by Acharya Dharmaghosh.
Besides Avashyak-churni the story of Varattak is also available in Rishimandal-vritti. According to this story, during his monk life he did a forecast which resulted in the victory of king Dhundhumar of Sunsumar city, over Chanda Pradyot. Knowing the cause of Dhundhumar's victory, Chanda Pradyot addressed Varattaka as Naimitik-Muni (a forecasting monk). Knowing the folly of his unbridled utterings, Varattaka devoted himself to repentful meditation and attained moksha. How true is this story is hard to tell, but these details about Varattaka indicate that he must have been an important Rishi.
This chapter contains, in form of preachings of Varattaka Rishi, an outline of what an ideal Shraman should be like. According to this a monk should be averse to the contacts with worldly people or house-holders. At the same time, leaving ties of affection, he should pursue the path of liberation by keeping away from mental abberations and indulging in studies. Entertainment of house-holders by reading dreams, predictions, satisfying vain curiosities etc., accepting and utlising charity; joining the marriage and other ceremonial rituals of disciples; accompanying rulers in war; all such acts, done for mundane pleasures and attracting disciples and followers, are against the conduct of a monk, A Shraman who tolerates pleasure and pain by becoming poor and religious and does not abandon his goal, becomes victor of senses, detached and is not reborn.
These preachings of Varattaka, with slight verbal variations, are found also in the Sabhikshu and Paap-Shraman chapters of Uttaradhyavan. However, there the names of the preachers are not clear. In Buddhist tradition there is a mention of a Varanather214 who became a monk influenced by the preachings of some jungle dwelling monk. However, it is difficult to connect him in any way to Varattaka. We do not find any reference of Varattaka in Vedic tradition. As such it is difficult to infer anything about him on the basis of sources other than Jain and Buddhist.
Rishibhashit : A Study
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| SR No. | 006236 |
| Book Title | Rushibhashit Sutra |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Vinaysagar, Sagarmal Jain, Kalanath Shastri, Dineshchandra Sharma |
| Publisher | Prakrit Bharti Academy |
| Publication Year | 2016 |
| Total Pages | 512 |
| Language | Hindi |
| Classification | Book_Devnagari & agam_anykaalin |
| File Size | 33 MB |