Jain Universe Pravin K Shah Jain Study Center

Jain Universe • Pravin K. Shah • Jain Study Center of North Carolina • 509 Carriage Woods Circle • Raleigh, NC 27607 -3969 • Website: www. jaina. org • e-mail: education@jaina. org • 919 -859 -4994 and Fax

Preaching Methods of Lord Mahavir § Lord Mahavir preached Jain religion and its philosophy and spirituality using four different methods known as Four Anuyogs ƒ Stories (Pratham_anuyog) –Historical and non-historical ƒ Conduct (Charan_anuyog) –Self control, penance, repentance, and nonviolence ƒ Mathematics (Ganit_anuyog / Karan_anuyog) –Karma and its classification –Various stages of Soul's spiritual development –Structure and Function Universe ƒ Philosophy or Adhyatma (Dravya_anuyog) –Spirituality

Jain Universe Akas (Space) Lokakas Jiva and A-jiva Exist Height - 14 Rajlok A-lokakas Empty - Void Infinite

Jain Universe

Yojan and Rajlok Measurement § Yojan ƒ 1 Danda or Bow = 6 feet ƒ 2000 Danda or Bow = 1 Kosha ƒ 4 Kosha = 1 Yojan (@ 9. 0 miles) – another book gives different measurement ƒ 1 Dhanu = 6 feet ƒ 4000 Dhanu = 1 Yojan (@4. 5 miles) ƒ 1000 Yojans = 1 Mahayojan § Rajlok or Rajju – A distance traveled by a deva (heavenly being) in six months at a rate of 2, 057, 152 Yojan in one samay (Samay = smallest unit of time = @1/4 second) or – The distance traveled in six months by a ball of iron weighing 1, 000 bhar (1000 tolas or 25 lb. ) let fall freely from Indralok (heaven). ƒ = @1. 15 x 10 E 21 miles

Universe (Lokakas) § Total Height = 14 Rajlok § Upper world height = 7 Rajlok § Middle world height = 1800 Yojans – 900 Yojan up from surface (center) – 900 Yojan down from surface (center) ƒ Width = 1 Rajlok § Lower world height = 7 Rajlok § Lokakas Volume ( Digambar) = 343 Cubic Rajlok § Lokakas Volume ( Swetambar ) = 239 Cubic Rajlok

Universe (Lokakas) § Who Lives Where? (Residents) ƒ Upper World –Liberated Souls (Moksha) –Vaimanik devas Ÿ 12 /16 Devaloks, 9 Graivek, 5 Anuttar devas ƒ Middle World –Jyotishka devas (above 900 yojans) –Humans, Tiryanch (on surface) –Vyan vantar devas (below 900 yojans) ƒ Lower World –Bhavanpati devas –Narakis

Upper World § Height = 7 Rajlok or Rajju § 12 or 16 devloks, 9 graiveks, 5 anuttaras, Moksha § Liberated Souls - lives in Moksha § Vaimanik devas ƒ Higher Vaimanik devas –Graiveks and Anuttara devas –Each deva is independent –Anuttara devas attain liberation either in next birth or third birth ƒ Lower Vaimanik devas –organized like earthly kingdoms Ÿrulers (Indra), counselors, guards, followers, armies

Upper World

Middle World § Consist of 900 yojans above and 900 yojans below earth surface § Residents ƒ Jyotishka devas (gods of light) - 790 to 900 yojans above earth ƒ Human, Tiryanch (Animals, birds, etc. . . ) on the surface ƒ Vyan vantar devas - 100 yojan below earth § Jambudvip is in the Center of the Middle World § Surrounding Jambudvip, an innumerable series of concentric rings of alternate oceans and islands (dvip or continents) § World of Human (manushya_lok) consist of two and half continents ƒ Jambudvip, Dhataki_khanda, and half of Puskara_dvip

Middle World

Jyotishka Devas § Distance from Earth surface ƒ Stars (Tara) = 790 yojans ƒ Sun (Surya) ƒ Moon (Chandra) = 800 yojans = 880 yojans ƒ Constellation (Nakshatra) = 884 yojans ƒ Planets (Graha) –Mercury (Budha) = 888 yojans –Venus (Shukra) = 891 yojans –Jupiter (Guru or Brahaspati) = 894 yojans –Mars (Mangal) = 897 yojans –Saturn (Shani) = 900 yojans –Remaining planets = 888 to 900 yojans

Mount Meru

Mount Meru

Number of Jyotishka Devas (Two and Half Continents) Location Moon Sun Planet Constellation Stars Jambu 2 2 176 56 133, 950 E 14 Lavan 4 4 352 112 267, 900 E 14 Dhataki 12 12 1056 336 803, 700 E 14 Kalodadhi 42 42 3696 1176 2, 812, 950 E 14 Pushkar 72 72 6336 2096 4, 822, 200 E 14 Total 132 11696 3696 8, 840, 600 E 14 • Only stars are in 10 million X 10 million unit (10 E 14)

Jambudvip § Center of the Middle World § Diameters 100, 000 yojans § Mount Meru is at the center § Illuminated by two Moons and two Suns § Six mountains run from East to West, divide into seven huge continents § Each continent is watered by two great rivers

Jambu-dvip

Jambu-dvip

Jambu-dvip § Seven Continents and Six Mountains – Airavata (North) [Rakta and Raktoda Rivers] ŸShikhari Mountain – Airanyavant [Rupyakula and Suvarnakula Rivers] ŸRukmi Mountain – Ramyak [Narkanta and Narikanta Rivers] ŸNil Mountain – Mahavideh (Middle) [Sitoda and Sita Rivers] ŸNishidh Mountain – Harivarsha [Harikanta and Harita Rivers] ŸMahahimvant Mountain – Himavant [Rohitasya and Rohita Rivers] ŸHimvant Mountain – Bharata (South) [Sindhu and Ganga Rivers]

Karma and Akarma Bhumi § Karma_bhumi (Land of Action) – Three Continents ŸBharata, Airavata, and Mahavideh – Tirthankars are born only in Karma_bhumi – Religion exist and Liberation is possible § Akarma_bhumi (Land of No Action) – Four Continents ŸHemavat, Harivarsha, Ramyak, Hiranyavat – Two Sub_continents of Mahavideh ŸDevkuru and Uttarkuru – Congenital pairs (yugalins) live – Land is adorned with wish-granting trees (kalpa_vraksa) and magnificent ponds. – No Tirthankar is born – No Religion and hence no liberation

Bharat_kshetra § Located in the Southern part of Jambudvip § Vaitadhya mountain runs from East to West in the middle (width 50 yojan) divides into two halves (North and South) § Two rivers (Ganga and Sindhu) run from North to South. They divide each North and South sections into three sub_continents § Mountain has two tunnels connecting North and South section § Chakravarti king rules all six sub_continents (only he can pass through the tunnels) § Vasudev king rules three sub_continents § Southern middle sub_continent is known as Arya_kshetra § Remaining five sub_continents are known as Anarya_kshetra (Malechchha) § Tirthankar is born only in Arya_kshetra

Bharat-kshetra (India)

Mahavedah_kshetra § Mount Meru is located at the center. It is buttressed by the two Vaksara mountain ranges which surround two countries known as Uttara_kuru and Deva_kuru. § Both Kurus are Akarma_bhumi and where congenital pairs (yugalins) live. § Two rivers (Sita and Sitoda) divides into four parts ƒ Northeast, Southeast, Northwest, Southwest § Each part has 8 sub_continents § Total 32 sub_continents known as 32 vijays § A Tirthankar may born in each vijay § At present four Tirthankaras exist as follows ƒ Northeast (Ishan) - Simandhar_swami (8 th vijay) ƒ Southeast (Agni) - Yugamandhar_swami (9 th vijay) ƒ Southwest (Nairutya) - Bahu_swami (24 th vijay) ƒ Northwest (Vayavya) - Subahu_swami (25 th vijay)

Manushya_Lok (World of Humans) § Humans reside only in Two and Half dvips (continents) ƒ Jambudvip ƒ Dhataki_khanda ƒ Half of Puskara_dvip § Dhataki_khanda is twice as large as Jambudvip. It has twice the number of mountains, rivers and continents of Jambudvip. § Puskara_dvip is twice as large as Dhataki_khanda but humans reside only in half of Puskar dvip. Hence it has also twice the number of mountains, rivers, and continents of Jambu_dvip.

Manushya_Lok (World of Humans) cont. . § Hence Manushya_lok consist of: ƒ Fifteen Karma_bhumi, –Five Bharat_kshetra, –Five Airavat_kshetra, –Five Mahavideh_kshetra (includes Five Mount Meru), ƒ Thirty Akarma_bhumi. § Human population of Manushya_lok is 10 E 29 § Outside Manushya_lok ƒ Animals, Birds, Trees, Plants, etc. exist § Liberation is attained only from Karma_bhumi of Manushya_lok

Nandishwar-dvip 52 Eternal Temples

Lower World § Residents ƒ Narakis (Hellish) ƒ Bhavanvasi devas – Naga_kumar, Asur_kumar, Padmavati § 7 infernal regions (Narakis) ƒ 1 st region = 1 Rajju wide ƒ 7 th region = 7 Rajju wide § Each infernal region is made up of ƒ Clay, ƒ Ice (solid water) ƒ Solid air (ghan vayu) ƒ Thin air (tan vayu) ƒ Space (akas)

Lower World continued. . §Suffering increases from 1 st to 7 th Hell (Narakis) ƒ Burning heat ƒ Intense cold ƒ Nauseous smells ƒ Unquenchable thirst ƒ Insatiable hunger ƒ Unavoidable torture from each other ƒ Ill treatment from Asuras (upto 3 Narakis)

Summary § Earth is Flat § Earth is not moving § Sun and Moon moves around Mount Meru (Earth) § Two Suns and Two Moons for Jambudvip § Mahavideh-kshetra connected to Bharat-kshetra via land (mountains, rivers, etc. . ) § Sun is closer to Earth than Moon