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56
Rishibhashit : A Study
to Mahavir by this name. As regards the story of Vardhaman's life is concerned, we find detailed description of his personality and philosophy in many ancient canonical works like Acharanga, 221 Sutrakritang,222 Bhagwati,223 Kalp-sutra224 etc. In my opinion, there is no scope of any doubt in accepting that the Vardhaman of Rishibhashit is Bhagwan Mahavir recognised as the twentyfourth Teerthankar by Jains. Another
of of this is that there is complete similarity in the preaching of Vardhaman in Rishibhashit and Mahavir in the 32nd chapter of Uttaradhyayan and the 'Bhavana'225 chapter of the second Srutaskandha of Acharanga.
in the begining of this chapter he says:
There is influx from all around, why do you not stop this influx ? How this influx is blocked ? When the five senses are awake the soul sleeps and when these five sleep soul is awake. Through these five the particles (Karmic-particles) are ingested and through these five only the ingestion is blocked. The subjects, like words etc., of the five senses like hearing etc. are pleasant and unpleasant. One should not be attached to the pleasant ones and should not be averse towards the unpleasant. His influx is blocked, who is alert and unrevolting. That pure soul, who conquers his mind and its passions and indulges in right penance shines like the flame of a yajna. In this manner, this chapter emphasizes on the discipline of mind and the five senses.
This theme of this chapter, with slight verbal variations, is also available in the second shrutaskandha of Acharanga in the chapter titled Bhavana and in Uttaradhyayan in the 32nd chapter titled Pramad-Sthan. This proves that this must have been the original discourse of Vardhaman Mahavir, The sentence 'Deva Vi Tam Namasanti' is also available in the first chapter of Dash-vaikalik.226
This was his original discourse and its language also is accordingly. Another proof of this inference is that in the Pali-Tripitak,227 in the discourse of Nigganthanataputta (Nirgranth Jnata-Putra or Vardhaman) a part of a sentence is 'Savva Vari Varito. In Rishibhashit in this chapter there is a similar sentence : Savva Varihim Variye. It should be recalled that Pt. Rahul Sankratyayan has interpreted 'Vari' as water, which is not correct. Here Vari means that which should be abandoned or washed, or the evil deeds; Sutrakritang228 also mentions in preachings of Mahavir : Se variya itthi sarayabhattam.'
Besides Jain literature the mention of Mahavir Vardhaman is also available in Pali Buddhist literature. Here he has been mentioned as
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