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54
Rishibhashit : A Study
Chanda Pradyot addressed Varattaka as Naimitik-Muni (a forcasting monk). Knowing the folly of his unbridled utterings, Varattaka devoted himself to repentful meditation and attained moksha. How true is this story is hard to tell, but these details about Varattaka indicate that he must have been an important Rishi.
This chapter contains, in form of preachings of Varattaka Rishi, an outline of what an ideal sraman should be like. According to this a monk should be averse to the contacts with worldly people or householders. At the same time, leaving ties of affection, he should pursue the path of liberation by keeping away from mental abberations and indulging in studies. Entertainment of house-holders by reading dreams, predictions, satisfying vain curiosities etc., accepting and utlising charity ; joining the marraige and other cerimonial rituals of disciples; accompanying rulers in war; all such acts, done for mundane pleasures and attracting disciples and followers, are against the conduct of a monk, A sraman who tolerates pleasure and pain by becoming poor and religious and does not abandon his goal, becomes victor of senses, detached and is not reborn.
These preachings of Varattaka, with slight verbal variations, are found also in the Sabhikshu and Paap-sraman chapters of Uttaradhyayan, However, there the names of the preachers are not clear. In Buddhist tradition there is a mention of a Varana--ther214 who became a monk influenced by the preachings of some jungle dwelling monk. However, it is difficult to connect him in any way to Varattaka. We do not find any reference of Varattaka in Vedic tradition. As such it is difficult to infer any thing about him on the basis of sources other than Jain and Buddhist.
28. AARDRAK
The twenty eighth chapter of Rishibhashit215 is about Aardrak. Available Prakrit forms of Aardrak are Adda-a and Addag. However, we should remember that Rishibhashit contains details of two monks with similar names-Aardrak and Uddalak. In Prakrit Uddalak is called Uddalava; as such a note should be taken of the variation in the Sanskrit forms of these two names.
Besides Rishibhashit, we find mention of Aardrak also in Sutrakritang, 216 Sutrakritang-niryukti 217 and Sutrakritang-churni218 In Avashyak219 also, he has been mentioned as Aardrak Kumar. According to Sutrakritang when he goes to become a monk, he meets monks from
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