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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 •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, 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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  • A Study of the History and Cult of the Buddhist Earth Deity in Mainland Southeast Asia

    A Study of the History and Cult of the Buddhist Earth Deity in Mainland Southeast Asia

    A Study of the History and Cult of the Buddhist Earth Deity in Mainland Southeast Asia A Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of PhD in Religious Studies at the University of Canterbury by Elizabeth Guthrie University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand 2004 A Study of the History and Cult of the Buddhist Earth Deity in Mainland Southeast Asia Volume 1 Text Acknowledgements Far-ranging research projects like this inevitably depend on the generosity and assistance of many people. Among those who helped me find the earth deity in image and texts, or helped with translations, were: Ang Choulean, K. Aphaivong. Bandol Samnang, Olivier de Bernon, Didier Bertrand, Fran(,{ois Bizot, Robert L. Brown, Kaye Carter, Chuch Phoeun, Shayne Clarke, John Crocker, Denison University Art Gallery, Robert Didham, Wichai Eungpinichpong, Wilai Eungpinichpong, John Marston, Long Tbol, Des Sothy, Anthony Diller, Jacqueline Filliozat, Rolf Giebel, Hang Chan Sophea, Louis Gabaude, Pam Gutman, Anne Hansen, Huberta Hellendoorn, Hor Lath, Khy Sophal, Khyaw Tha Nyunt, Kuy Lath, Fran(,{ois Lagirarde, Lan Sunnary, Leng Kok An, Lim Yii Hang, Long Tbol, Meng Prang, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Mey Poeun, Museum flir Indische Kunst, Neou Chamrong, Norton Simon Museum, Ouk Ry, Anatole Peltier, Phaitun Dokbukaeo, Phon Sin, Phoung Soueng, Sommai Premchit, Thonevath Pou, Saveros Pou, Craig Reynolds, Waldemar Sailer, Sao Hso Hom, Peter Skilling, Frank Smith, Ven. Suthep Surapong, Donald Swearer, Thein Tun U, Serge Thion, Ashley Thompson, Vijinthanasarn Panya, U Aung Kyaing, U Myint Aung, RE. Vann Molyvann, John Weeks, Hiram W.Woodward, Jr. I received funding from the NZFUW, NZASIA and the University of Canterbury.