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Rishibhashit : A Study
called him Dharma Sena pati (religious commander) and Mahaprajnawan (extremely wise). Before joining the Buddhist religious organisation he was a disciple of Sanjay. Sanjaya has also been mentioned in Rishibhashit as Arhat Rishi282. Barua has acceptad this Sanjaya as Sanjay Velatthiputta283, one of the six Teerthankar contemporaries of Buddha. I am also of the opinion that this Sanjaya was the initial teacher of Sariputra, who refused request of Sariputra to meet Buddha. In Pali literature, preachings and philosophical thoughts of Sariputra are available in details. A comparative study of these with Rishibhashit is naturally expected.
In Rishibhashit the main theme of Sariputra's preachings is to avoid extremes and follow the middle path 284. This preaching is the central theme of Buddhism. He says, the pleasure that results in blis is the only real pleasure, but the pleasure that results in anguish should not be indulged in. This statement conveys that not the paingiving pleasure, but the bliss giving pleasure is cherishable. Pleasure begets bliss. Pain does not beget bliss. He further states, that eating good food, sleeping in a comfortable bed, and living in a cozy abode, a monk may concentrate in meditation whereas with unlikeable food, bed, and abode he meditates with discomfort. Here the opposition of the practice of abusing the body is clearly evident. This does not mean that Sariputra was a supporter of lustful indulgences. In the following verse he has preached about discipline of the senses. He says, an alert and inteiligent mendicant should not be attracted towards the pleasures of the senses; indulgence in them should be abandoned. Because the sleeping senses of an alert mendicant cause minimal sorrows.
Further, giving transcendence from pleasure and pain as the purpose of meditation, it has been stated that as sweet or bitter medicine is taken for cure of a disease as per the directions of a doctor, similarly stringent or simple practices are done for the cure of the ailment of attachment as per the direction of the wise. As the purpose of treatment is riddance from disease not pleasure or pain; similarly the purpose of meditational practices is riddance from attachment not pleasure or pain, although pleasure and pain are inevitable in the process. Thus a practicing mendicant has been asked to remain aloof from pleasure and pain. The Samveg (fear of the evil) of common man and Nirved (detachment) of good person are signs of humility if they are desireless. Embracing the middle path in context of living in abode or jungle, Sariputra states that for a brave, who has won over the senses, there is no difference between jungle or a church. For a soul indulging in itself, jungle and
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