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Rishibhashit: A Study
concept of Gopath and Mahapath. Mahayan word in also found in Acharanga. In the chapters 310 to 318 of Shantiparva in Mahabharat are compiled the preachings of Yajnavalkya. This mainly expounds the Sankhya and Yoga concepts. This chapter of Rishibhashit also talks about the procedure of collecting alms by a monk, which is similar to the Jain method. Still this can be said that the author of Rishibhashit has not distorted the basic preachings of Yajnavalkya.
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In the twentieth chapter of Utkata, Bhautikavad or Charvak Darshan has been propogated. Although there is no mention of the author of this chapter it is certain that the ideas of Charvak have been propounded with complete authenticity. The preachings of Vardhaman available in Rishibhashit are found in almost exact similarity in the chapter titled Bhavana of second Shrutaskandha of Acharanga and 32nd chapter of Uttaradhyayan.
On the aforesaid evidences we may conclude that generally the preachings of various Rishis have been presented authentically. However, mainly it contains only the meditational and moral aspects without any emphasis on philosophical background. This is also true that its presentation and writing has been done by Jain Acharyas; and so it is natural that some concepts of Jains reflect predominently in this work. Also there is enough evidence that what we today consider as Jain concepts, could originally have been concepts belonging to other traditions creeping in later into Jainism. As such the authenticity and originality of the preachings of Rishis of Rishibhashit cannot totally be set aside. At the most we may deduce that there is an indirect influence of Jain tradition over them.
The historic background of Rishis of Rishibhashit :
It is clearly established that most of the Rishis of Rishibhashit were not connected with Jain tradition. The adjectives like Brahmin Parivrajak indicate that they were from non-Jain traditions. Also, some names like Dev Narad, Asit deval, Angiras Bhardwaj, Yajnavalkya, Bahuk, Vidur, Tharishen Krishna, Dvaipayan, Aruni, Uddalak, Narayan have been popular in Vedic tradition and their teachings are intact in Upanishads, Mahabharat, and Puranas even today. The names of Dev Narad, Angiras Bharadvaj, Dvaipayan also find their mention in Sutrakritanga, Aupapatik, Antkritdasha besides Rishibhashit in Jain tradition as also in Buddhist Tripitak literature.
Similarly, Vajjiyaputra, Mahakashyap, and Sariputra are famous personalities of Buddhist tradition and are mentioned in Tripitak literature.
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