Pravin K. Shah
Jaina Education CommitteeJain Study Center of North Carolina
509 Carriage Woods CircleRaleigh, NC 27607-3969
Website: www.jaina.org, www.jainelibrary.org
e-mail: [email protected], [email protected]
919-859-4994 H, 919-889-1900Cel
Jain Universe
Preaching Methods of Lord Mahavir
Lord Mahavir preached Jain religion and its philosophy andspirituality using four different methods known as FourAnuyogs
1. Stories (Pratham_anuyog)
Historical, non-historical, and mythology
2. Conduct (Charan_anuyog)
Self control, penance, repentance, and nonviolence
3. Mathematics (Ganit_anuyog / Karan_anuyog)
Karma and its classificationVarious stages of Soul's spiritual developmentStructure and Function Universe
4. Philosophy or Adhyatma (Dravya_anuyog)
Spirituality
Jain Universe
Akas (Space)
Lokakas
Jiva and AjivaExist
Height - 14 Rajlok
Alokakas
Empty - Void
Infinite
Jain Universe
Jain Universe
Yojan and Rajlok Measurement
Yojan
1 Danda or Bow = 6 feet2000 Danda or Bow = 1 Kosha4 Kosha = 1 Yojan (@ 9.0 miles)
Another book gives different measurement
1 Dhanu = 6 feet
4000 Dhanu = 1 Yojan (@4.5 miles)
1000 Yojans = 1 Mahayojan
Rajlok or Rajju
A distance traveled by a deva (a heavenly god) in six months at a rate of2,057,152 Yojan in one samay (Samay = smallest unit of time = @1/4second) 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).
= @1.15 x 10E21 miles
Universe (Lokakas)
Total Height = 14 Rajlok
Upper world height = 7 Rajlok
Middle world height = 1800 Yojans
900 Yojan up from center of the surface900 Yojan down from center of the surfaceWidth = 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)
Upper World
• Liberated Souls (Moksha)
• Vaimanik devas
12 /16 Devaloks, 9 Graivek, 5 Anuttar devas
Middle World
• Jyotishka devas (above 900 yojans)
• Humans, Tiryanch (on surface)
• Vyan vantar devas (below 900 yojans)
Lower World
• Bhavanpati devas
• Narakis
Upper World
Upper World
Height = 7 Rajlok or Rajju
Moksha, 5 Anuttaras, 9 Graiveks, 12 or 16 Devloks
Liberated Souls - lives in Moksha
Vaimanik devas (3 sub-categories)
Higher Vaimanik devas (Anuttara and Graiveks)
Anuttara devas attain liberation either in next birth orthird birth
Each deva is independent
Lower Vaimanik devas
Organized like Earthly kingdoms -
Rulers (Indra), Counselors, Guards, Followers,Armies
Middle World
Consist of 900 yojans above and 900 yojans below Earth surface
Jambudvip is in the Center of the Middle World
Surrounding Jambudvip, an innumerable series of concentric rings ofalternate oceans and islands (dvip or continents)
Residents
Jyotishka devas (gods of light) - 790 to 900 yojans above earth
Human, Tiryanch (Animals, birds, etc......) on the surface
Vyan vantar devas - 100 yojan below surface of Earth
World of Human (Manushya_lok)
Consist of two and half continents
Jambudvip, Dhataki_khanda, and half of Puskara_dvip
Middle World (Madhyalok)Two and Half Island
Jyotishka DevasDistance from Earth surface
Stars (Tara) = 790 yojans
Sun (Surya) = 800 yojans
Moon (Chandra) = 880 yojans
Constellation (Nakshatra) = 884 yojans
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 DvipIsland
2 2 176 56 133,950E14
Lavan SamudraOcean
4 4 352 112 267,900E14
Dhataki KhandIsland
12 12 1056 336 803,700E14
Kalodadhi SamudraOcean
42 42 3696 1176 2,812,950E14
Pushkar DvipIsland
72 72 6336 2096 4,822,200E14
Total 132 132 11696 3696 8,840,600E14
•Only stars are in 10 million X 10 million unit (10E14)
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, divideinto seven huge continents
Each continent is watered by two greatrivers
Jambu-dvip
Jambu-dvip
Seven Continents and Six Mountains
1. Airavata (North) - Rakta and Raktoda Rivers
Shikhari Mountain
2. Airanyavant - Rupyakula and Suvarnakula Rivers
Rukmi Mountain
3. Ramyak - Narkanta and Narikanta Rivers
Nil Mountain
4. Mahavideh (Middle) - Sitoda and Sita Rivers
Nishidh Mountain
5. Harivarsha - Harikanta and Harita Rivers
Mahahimvant Mountain
6. Himavant - Rohitasya and Rohita Rivers
Himvant Mountain
7. Bharata (South) - Sindhu and Ganga Rivers
Jambu-dvip
Karma_bhumi (Land of Action)• Three Continents
Bharata, Airavata, and Mahavideh
• Tirthankars are born only in Karma_bhumi
• Religion exist and Liberation is possible
Akarma_bhumi (Land of No Action)• Four Continents
Hemavat, Harivarsha, Ramyak, Hiranyavat
• Two Sub-continents of Mahavideh
Devkuru and Uttarkuru
• Congenital pairs (yugalins) live
• Land is adorned with wish-granting trees(kalpa_vraksa) and magnificent ponds.
• No Tirthankar is born
• No Religion exist and hence no liberation
Karma and Akarma Bhumi
• 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 andSouth)
• Two rivers (Ganga and Sindhu) run from North to South.They divide each North and South sections into threesub_continents
• Mountain has two tunnels connecting North and Southsection
• Chakravarti king rules all six sub_continents (only he canpass through the tunnels)
• Vasudev king rules three sub_continents
• Southern middle sub_continent is known as Arya_kshetra
• Remaining five sub_continents are known asAnarya_kshetra (Malechchha)
• Tirthankar is born only in Arya_kshetra
Bharat_kshetra
Bharat-kshetra (India)
Mount Meru is located at the center. It is buttressed by the twoVaksara mountain ranges which surround two countries knownas 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
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• Northeast (Ishan) - Simandhar_swami (8th vijay)
• Southeast (Agni) - Yugamandhar_swami (9th vijay)
• Southwest (Nairutya) - Bahu_swami (24th vijay)
• Northwest (Vayavya) - Subahu_swami (25th vijay)
Mahavedah - kshetra
Manushya_Lok - (World of Humans)
Humans reside only in Two and Half dvips(continents)
JambudvipDhataki_khandaHalf of Puskara_dvip
Dhataki_khanda is twice as large as Jambudvip. Ithas twice the number of mountains, rivers andcontinents of Jambudvip.
Puskara_dvip is twice as large as Dhataki_khandabut humans reside only in half of Puskar dvip. Henceit has also twice the number of mountains, rivers,and continents of Jambu_dvip.
Manushya_Lok(World of Humans) cont..
Hence Manushya_lok consist of:
Fifteen Karma_bhumi,
Five Bharat_kshetra,
Five Airavat_kshetra,
Five Mahavideh_kshetra (includes Five Mount Meru),
Thirty Akarma_bhumi.
Human, Animals, Birds, Trees, Plants, etc. exist
Human population of Manushya_lok is 10E29
Outside Manushya_lok
Only Animals, Birds, Trees, Plants, etc. exist
Liberation is attained only from Karma_bhumi of Manushya_lok
Nandishwar-dvip52 Eternal Temples
Lower World
Residents
Narakis (Hellish)
Bhavanvasi devas
Naga_kumar, Asur_kumar, Padmavati
7 infernal regions (Narakis)
1st region = 1 Rajju wide
7th region = 7 Rajju wide
Each infernal region is made up of
Clay,
Ice (solid water)
Solid air (ghan vayu)
Thin air (tan vayu)
Space (akas)
Lower World continued..
Suffering increases from 1st to 7th Hell (Narakis)
Burning heat
Intense cold
Nauseous smells
Unquenchable thirst
Insatiable hunger
Unavoidable torture from each other
Ill treatment from Asuras (upto 3 Narakis)
(Asuras are Bhavanpati devs)
Earth is Flat
Earth is not moving
Sun and Moon moves around Mount Meru (Earth)
Two Suns and Two Moons exist in Jambu-dvip
Mahavideh-kshetra connected to Bharat-kshetra via land(mountains, rivers, etc..)
Sun is closer to Earth than Moon
By travelling in one direction you can not come back to thesame point
Summary
If religion conservatives continue to define their skepticismabout the (marvelous, breathtaking, compelling) findings ofmodern science, they will eventually lose in the minds andthe hearts of the next generation of children
It is a deep weakness for any theology or religion to bewrong about the scientific nature of the universe.
The scientific method is the proper way - actually the onlyway - to understand the physical universe.
There is no philosophical or theological method to studythe structure of stars, planet and universe.
Discussion
No religion should exceed its bounds by declaring that itpossesses the complete knowledge of the structure of stars,planet and universe.
In order to accept the scientific method, they must abandonthe beliefs of their religion in the area of physical nature ofthe universe.
Discussion
