Rushibhashit Sutra

Author(s): Vinaysagar, Sagarmal Jain, Kalanath Shastri, Dineshchandra Sharma
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

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propogates the liberation of four Varnas just like the Jain belief. The thirtyfourth chapter also contains discourses about Parishah and Upasarg. This chapter also discusses the liberation of monk indulging in five Mahavrata, free of Kashaya, free of attachment and inflow of Karma. Thirtyfifth chapter of Uddalak, once again, contains mention of three Gupti, three Danda, three Ralya, four Kashaya, four Vikatha, five Samiti, Panchendriyasanyam, Yogasandhan, Navakoti Parishuddha, details of different clans free of ten Dosha, acceptance of eatables prepared for others, cold and lifeless. The same chapter also mentions Sangya and 22 Parishaha.
Thus, we observe that Rishibhasit contains many Jain concepts. It is natural to question if the Jain Acharyas have compiled their own concepts in the name of the Rishis of Rishibhashit or the concepts were originally of these Rishis and percolated into Jain tradition. It is evident that leaving aside Parshwa and Mahavir, all other Rishis of Rishibhashit were either independent ascetics or belonged to traditions other than Jain. Some of them, however, can be found in Uttaradhyayan and Sutrakritang. If we conclude that the concepts do not belong to the Rishis named, the authenticity of the work and its compiler becomes doubtful. On the other hand, to accept that all these concepts came to Jains from other traditions is also not satisfactory. So we proceed first to examine if the concepts mentioned in Rishibhashit are of the Rishis named or of Jain Acharyas.
Question of Authenticity of Concepts preached in Rishibhashit:
Although all the concepts and related literature of all the Rishis of Rishibhashit are not available in traditions other than Jain, still, concepts and thoughts of many are available in other traditions, even today. Yajnavalkya is mentioned in Upnishads, Vajjiyaputta, Mahakashyap, and Sariputta can be found in Buddhist Tripitak literature. Similarly, Vidur, Narayan, Asit Deval etc. find place in Mahabharat and other works of Hindu tradition. By comparing their ideas mentioned in Rishibhashit with other sources we can evaluate their authenticity.
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