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Rishibhashit : A Study
15
Although it is difficult to ascertain the historical existence and tradition of Pushpshalputra, Valkalchiri, Kummaputra, Ketaliputta, Bhayali, Madhurayan, Sauryayan, Aryayan, Gardabhali, Gathapatiputra, Tarun, Varatraya, Aardrak, Vayu, Sanjaya, Indranaga, Som, Yama, Varun, Vaishraman etc., if we analyse their histroical existence on the basis of their mention available in the Jain, Buddhist, and Vedic traditions we may arrive at some conclusion,
Prof. C. M. Upasak has given such an evaluation in his article titled "Isibhasiyam and Pali Buddhist text.," but he has limited this study only to Buddhist Tripitak literature. In this preface I am trying to go a step ahead of the efforts of Schubring and Upasak, with authenticity based on comparative and critical analysis. As such I now take up a more serious study of each individual sage of Rishibhashit one by one.
1. DEV NARAD
The first chapter of Rishibhashit is about Arhat Rishi Dev Narad. Mentions about Narad are found in Jain, Buddhist, as well as Hindu traditions. In Jain tradition, Narad finds place, besides Rishibhashit40, in Samvayang41, Jnatadharmakatha12, Aupapatik 43, Rishimanda/44, and Avashyak-churn;45. Samvayang states that Narad shall be re-incarnated as the twenty first Teerthankar Vimal in the coming time-cycle (ascending). As such Rishibhashit and Samvayang both have referred to Narad with reverence. He has been accepted as Pratyekbuddha indirectly in Samvayang and directly in Rishibhashit. But we shall have to recall that there are differences in the concepts of Arhat Rishi, Pratyekbuddha and Teerthankara.
According to Jain tradition Arhat and Pratyekbuddha get liberated in the same life, whereas future Teerthankara gets liberated after two rebirths. As per Jain tradition there is no scope of Arhat or Pratyekbuddha becoming a future Teerthankara. This proves that the concepts of Pratyekbuddha and future Teerthankara evolved only after the writing of Rishibhashit. Although, from one point of view, both these concepts are efforts towards eulogising a person, future Teerthankara is acceptable to Jain tradition but Pratyekbuddha is not. in this process of rejecting, most of the Rishis of Rishibhashit have been termed as Pratyekbuddha and in process of accepting, some of them have been termed as future Teerthankaras.
The Dev Narad of Rishibhashit has been mentioned as Kalchhul Narad in Jnatadharmakatha and Isimandal (Rishimandal), but this is just
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