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ISIBH AS I Y ĀIM A Jaina Text of Early Period
By
Walther Schubring
Submitted by E. Sieg at Session of 19th June 1942
of the Isibbasiyāim (Rşibhāṣitāni) we have only scanty and mutually contradictory statements from ancient times. The mere name appears in the lists of literature not included in the Angas as found in the Nands (Āgamodayasamiti 202 b, Weber, Verz. II 679) and the Pakkhiya (Devchand Lalbhai Pustakoddbara 4, 66 a), among the kaliya texts of the Jainas, i.e. those works which (in contrast to the ukkaliya) were destined for the study-hours in the daily time-table. Țbāņa 506a, on the other hand, they appear as the third chapter of the 10 Paṇhāvāgaranaim, the 10th Anga, in the shape of which come down to us, however, they are not contained. Samavāya 68 a, they have 44 aj jhayana, while Jinaprabha in his Vibimaggapavā composed in s. 1363 (Weber p. 864-880) ascribes 50 sections to them. Haribhadra, when commenting on Āvassayanijjutti 2. 6. identifies them with the canonical Paiņņa (Prakırņaka) named Devindatthaya. and when commenting on Av. 8, 5 obviously with the Uttarajjhāyā. For details, Weber's Indische Studien Vols. 16 and 17 be referred to. Thus, already at an early time, there was uncertaintyl regarding a work which the author of the Āv. known under the famous name of Bhadrababu mentions among those (Av. 2, 6, cp, Leumann, Uebersicht ueber die Āvaśyaka-Lit, p. 245) which he intended to write a scholastic treatise (nijjutti). If he did carry out this intention, his work is however, so far as we know, not preserved. The original is mentioned by the Jaina-Granthāvali (p. 80) for several
libraries, but the individual lists of Jesalmer, Limdi, and the former p. 490 Deccan College of Poona do not contain it. Thus, attention was necessa
rily aroused when in 1927 at Indore an unpretentious pamphlet (43 pages, price 3 annas) appeared under the title "Srimadbhiḥ pratyekabuddhair bhasitani Rşibbaştasūtrāņi". It contains the text following below, and, as addenda, two Samgahaņi, which probably had been handed down together
1. And, correspondingly, to-day too. From MS. No. 1144 registered by Bhandarkar
Report...... 1887-88 ff. (1897) Leumann copied out "the supposed Rşibhäşita" (copybook of his legacy under the title Gautama-kulaka). But the 10 gähäs have nothing to do with the text to be discussed just now.
