Book Title: Rushibhashit Sutra
Author(s): Vinaysagar, Sagarmal Jain, Kalanath Shastri, Dineshchandra Sharma
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy
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enormously beneficial, why would the efforts towards liberation not result in infinite benefits.
This discourse does not contain anything special or original. Many couplets of this chapter can be found in Uttaradhyayan and Dashvaikalik with little verbal variations. The mention of Aardrak in an old work like Sutrakritang proves that he must have been a historical person. Besides Jain tradition, Aardrak does not find any mention in Buddhist and Vedic tradition, as such it is difficult to present comparative study of his life and works. Absence of his name in other traditions indicates that he was connected with Nirgranth (Jain) tradition also.
29. VARDHAMAN
In the 29th chapter of Rishibhashit220 are collected the preachings of Arhat-rishi named Vardhaman, According to the traditional belief of Jains he is said to be a Pratyek-Buddha or Arhat Rishi of the sect of Teerthankar Parshwa, but in my opinion this Vardhaman is none else but Bhagwan Mahavir himself. The family name of Mahavir, according to Jain tradition, is Vardhaman. Kalpsutra and Chaturvinshat-stav refer 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 proof 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' chapter of the second Srutaskandha of Acharanga.
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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,
Rishibhashit: A Study 195
