A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s6.t4.256

v2.c19.s6.t4.256

Only fragments have come down to us of the Cittaviśuddhi-Prakaraṇa,[^3) "Section of the Purification of the Mind," a didactic poem containing among other things controversial arguments against the Brahmanical ceremonial system. The following is declared against the belief that bathing in the Ganges washes away sins: If salvation could be attained by means of Ganges water, then fishermen would all attain salvation, and more particularly the fishes, which are in the Ganges day and night. It is doubtful, however, whether this work in its present form, in which Tantric ideas, and expressions for the days of the week (vāra) and the zodiac (rāśi) which were borrowed from Greek astronomy, occur, can be ascribed to the ancient Āryadeva.[^4)