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Rishibhashit : A Study
be noted that although Ambad has been mentioned in Jain canons as a Parivrajak, it has been said that he respected Mahavir36; that is the reason that this chapter contains maximum number of Jain concepts.
In the twentysixth chapter of Rishibhashit the description of Brahmin has been included just like that in twentyfifth chapter of Uttaradhyayan. Same chapter also mentions Kashaya, Nirjara, six life forms and compassion towards all living. In the thirtyfirst chapter of Parshwa we again come across Chaturyam, Ashtavidh-Karm Granthi, Char Gati, Panchastikaya and Moksha Sthana. This chapter, like Jain concepts, conveys that living being moves upwards and matter downwards. However, the presence of Jain concepts in this chapter is not out of place because Parshwa has been accepted as one belonging to Jain tradition.
Lately, scholars have started believing that the knowledge of Jains has been inherited from the tradition of Parshwa. Schubring has also recognised the influence of Parshwa tradition on Rishibhashit. Again the thirtysecond chapter of Ping propogates the liberation of four Varnas just like the Jain belief. The thirtyfourth chapter also contains discourses about Parishah and Upasarg. This chapter also discusses the liberation of monk indulging in five Mahavrata, free of Kashaya, free of attachment and inflow of Karma. Thirtyfifth chapter of Uddalak, once again, contains mention of three Gupti, three Danda, three Ralya, four Kashaya, four Vikatha, five Samiti, Panchendriyasanyam, Yogasandhan, Navakoti Parishuddha, details of different clans free of ten Dosha, acceptance of eatables prepared for others, cold and lifeless. The same chapter also mentions Sangya and 22 Parishaha.
Thus, we observe that Rishibhasit contains many Jain concepts. It is natural to question if the Jain Acharyas have compiled their own concepts in the name of the Rishis of Rishibhashit or the concepts were originally of these Rishis and percolated into Jain tradition. It is evident that leaving aside Parshwa and Mahavir, all other Rishis of Rishibhashit were either independent ascetics or belonged to traditions other than Jain. Some of them, however, can be found in Uttaradhyayan and Sutrakritang. If we conclude that the concepts do not belong to the Rishis named, the authenticity of the work and its compiler becomes doubtful. On the other hand, to accept that all these concepts came to Jains from other traditions is also not satisfactory. So we proceed first to examine if the concepts mentioned in Rishibhashit are of the Rishis named or of Jain Acharyas.
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