Jaina World of Non Living

SR No.: 001658
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: N L Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith
Publication Year: 2000
Total Pages: 306
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Philosophy, Tattvartha Sutra, Tattvartha Sutra, & Tattvarth
File Size: 17 MB

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The Jaina world of Non-living
4. The mention of innumerable spacepoints of the realities of medium of motion and rest indicates that the occupied universe is finite as these realities are found only in this section of space. This fact is indicated by aphorism 1.25 of J.T.D. of Tulsi where he has included occupied space in it along with all others of Umāsvāti. Despite their being a continuous single whole, the concept of their spacepoints serves to explain many physical and psychological phenomena. Of course, the commentary elaborates the primary nature of their spacepoints. 5. The Jaina system postulates the finiteness of the occupied universe. They have a three-tyre universe with a specific shape. The volume of this universe is 343 cubic Rajjus. The Svetāmbaras have given a volume of 239 cubic Rajjus which has been disputed by the physicist Jaina saint Muni Mahendra who concurs with the correctness of 343 cubic Rajjus. The Rajju is a larger length unit which has been calculated on some assumptions by many authors. G.R. Jain mentions it to be equal to 1.45x102 miles (app. 2.3x10kms) based on equating the Einstein's volume of universe (1037X1063 cubic miles) with Jaina volume in cubic Rajjus. The Rajju unit is a larger unit as astronomical light year of current science though their volues differ (5.88x10'). 6. The term 'innumerable' may have a meaning of a countless number. It has three varieties - (i) peripheral (parsta), (ii) yoked (yukta) and (iii) numerate. Each of them is divided into three classes - (i) minimal (ii) maximal and (iii) middle. Thus, the innumerable number has a total of nine varieties. Their values increase in the order given and could have as shown below: (a) Minimal peripheral = maximal numerable +1 (b) Middle peripheral = minimal peripheral + 1 - >
maximal peripheral - 1. (c) Maximal peripheral = minimal yoked + 1 and so on. The commentary indicates that by the term innumerable, one should take the middle innumerable, as also mentioned in the case of numerable number in 3.38. It does not mention what class of innumerable number should be taken. This non-mention shows that varieties of 'innumerable' number were not developed by Akalanka's time. Pūjyapāda
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