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    Jain Universe

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    abhochi
    The document describes the Jain cosmological worldview. It states that the universe consists of an upper world, middle world, and lower world. The middle world includes Mount Meru at the center and is inhabited by humans, animals, gods, and others. The upper world contains liberated souls and deities, while the lower world contains hellish regions. It provides details on the residents, structures, and measurements of the different worlds according to Jain scriptures.

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    Jain Universe

    Uploaded by

    abhochi
    312 views31 pages
    The document describes the Jain cosmological worldview. It states that the universe consists of an upper world, middle world, and lower world. The middle world includes Mount Meru at the center and is inhabited by humans, animals, gods, and others. The upper world contains liberated souls and deities, while the lower world contains hellish regions. It provides details on the residents, structures, and measurements of the different worlds according to Jain scriptures.

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    The document describes the Jain cosmological worldview. It states that the universe consists of an upper world, middle world, and lower world. The middle world includes Mount Meru at the center and is inhabited by humans, animals, gods, and others. The upper world contains liberated souls and deities, while the lower world contains hellish regions. It provides details on the residents, structures, and measurements of the different worlds according to Jain scriptures.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    312 views31 pages

    Jain Universe

    Uploaded by

    abhochi
    The document describes the Jain cosmological worldview. It states that the universe consists of an upper world, middle world, and lower world. The middle world includes Mount Meru at the center and is inhabited by humans, animals, gods, and others. The upper world contains liberated souls and deities, while the lower world contains hellish regions. It provides details on the residents, structures, and measurements of the different worlds according to Jain scriptures.

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    Jain Universe

    Pravin K. Shah
    Jaina Education Committee
    Jain Study Center of North Carolina
    509 Carriage Woods Circle
    Raleigh, NC 27607-3969
    Website: www.jaina.org, www.jainelibrary.org
    e-mail: [email protected], [email protected]
    919-859-4994 H, 919-889-1900Cel
    Preaching Methods of Lord Mahavir
    Lord Mahavir preached Jain religion and its philosophy and
    spirituality using four different methods known as Four
    Anuyogs
    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 classification
    Various stages of Soul's spiritual development
    Structure and Function Universe
    4. Philosophy or Adhyatma (Dravya_anuyog)
    Spirituality
    Jain Universe

    Jain Universe
    Akas (Space)

    Lokakas
    Alokakas
    Jiva and Ajiva
    Empty - Void
    Exist
    Infinite
    Height - 14 Rajlok
    Jain Universe
    Yojan and Rajlok Measurement

    Yojan
    1 Danda or Bow = 6 feet
    2000 Danda or Bow = 1 Kosha
    4 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 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).
    = @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 surface
    900 Yojan down from center of the surface
    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)
    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 or
    third 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 of
    alternate 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 Devas
    Distance 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 Dvip 2 2 176 56 133,950E14


    Island

    Lavan Samudra 4 4 352 112 267,900E14


    Ocean

    Dhataki Khand 12 12 1056 336 803,700E14


    Island

    Kalodadhi Samudra 42 42 3696 1176 2,812,950E14


    Ocean

    Pushkar Dvip 72 72 6336 2096 4,822,200E14


    Island

    Total 132 132 11696 3696 8,840,600E14


    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


    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
    Karma and Akarma Bhumi
    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
    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
    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)
    Manushya_Lok - (World of Humans)
    Humans reside only in Two and Half dvips
    (continents)
    Jambudvip
    Dhataki_khanda
    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:


    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-dvip
    52 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)
    Summary
    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 the
    same point
    Discussion

    If religion conservatives continue to define their skepticism


    about the (marvelous, breathtaking, compelling) findings of
    modern science, they will eventually lose in the minds and
    the hearts of the next generation of children
    It is a deep weakness for any theology or religion to be
    wrong about the scientific nature of the universe.
    The scientific method is the proper way - actually the only
    way - to understand the physical universe.
    There is no philosophical or theological method to study
    the structure of stars, planet and universe.
    Discussion

    No religion should exceed its bounds by declaring that it


    possesses the complete knowledge of the structure of stars,
    planet and universe.
    In order to accept the scientific method, they must abandon
    the beliefs of their religion in the area of physical nature of
    the universe.

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