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Chapter 11
THE TIRTHANKARAS AND LORD MAHAVIRA
The Tirthankaras and Lord Mahāvira.
Time (Kāla) is infinite according to the Jaina tradition, it is a substance which has kalpas (aeons) or cycles. Each cycle is divided into two eras; the avasarpiņi and utsarpiņi. The former is an era during which happiness and goodness go on decreasing while the latter era is one in which there is a gradual increase in piety, truth and goodness. Each of these two equal cras is divided into six ages or periods of unequal length, each with its own features. The present era is called avasarpiņi and its six ages are; 1) suşamā-suşamā or the period of great happiness; 2) suşamā or the period of happiness; 3) susama-duhsamā or the period of happiness and some misery; 4) duḥsama-suşāmā or the period of misery and some happiness; 5) duhşamā or the period of misery 6) duḥsamaduḥsamā or the period or greai misery. The periods or ages of utsarpiņi have the same names in the reverse order, commencing with duhşamā-duhşamā. Thus the first three of the avasarpiņi Kāla and the last three of the utsarpiņi Kāla are periods or ages of happiness.
In the earliest state of civilization, man knew neither the arts nor the occupations like agriculture. He depended wholly on fruits and roots for his diet, and leaves and barks of trees for his clothing. So the trees were called Kalpa-vřkşas as they yielded all that man needed or desired. This age was
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