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The Isibhāsiyāi and Pali Buddhist Texts-A Study
73
in the Pāli texts. (DPPN. Vol. II, p. 999ff.) He is called there Saõjaya Velatthiputta. Sāriputta and Moggallāna, the two Chief Disciples' of the Bud dha were his earlier disciples before they joined the Order of the Buddha. Saõjaya had formed his own Sangha and probably had gathered a good number of followers. It is recorded in the Pāli texts that he had died soon after Säriputta joined the Sangha of the Buddha at Rājagsha. Saõjaya of Isibhāsiyāi appears to be the same saint who is known to the Pāli texts. In the Commentary (Sangrahani) of Isibhāsiyāi, both Sāriputta and Sanjaya are described as non-Jain saints in the tirtha (life time) of Mahāvira. This indicates the authenticity of the text and also proves that both were contemporary to the Buddha and Mahāvira, as also evidenced from other sources.
The teachings of the above-noted saints succinctly recorded in the Isibhāsiyai and traceable in the early Pali Buddhist texts, are once more points in evidence as regards the venerable antiquity of the text. The author of the text is well aware of the great saints of ancient India and so he records their names and their teachings on the whole fairly accurately. Thus, this text is one more valuable source for the evaluation of the religious ambience of the times that were contemporary, preceding, and immediately succeeding Buddha and Vardhamana Mahāvira.
Note and References
1, Ed. Walther Schubring, L. D. Series 45, Ahmedabad 1974. 2. Cf. Rhys Davids, Pali-English Dictionary, p. 385; R. C. Childers, A
Dictionary of Pali Language, p. 309; Abhidhānarajendra, Vol. V, p. 1325; Tattvärthadhigama of Umāsvāti, Pt. II (Surat, 1980), p. 309; Sarvārthasiddhi Ch. X-9. Also cf. for Rşi in Amarakoșa, 2.7.42. Cf. Mahāvarśatika XII, p. 277 (Nal. Ed.). Devaputras Khusanasatarogadakşinaye sarvabudhana puyae pracagabudhasa puyaeEpigraphia Indica-I, XIV, p. 295, C.I.I., Vol. II, Pt. 1, No. XXVII,
p. 77. 4. DPPN, Vol, II, p. 52ff.
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