Jaina Epistemology

SR No.: 006738
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Indra Chandra Shastri
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith
Publication Year: 1990
Total Pages: 516
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 21 MB

Page 370

Direct Knowledge
345 cognized by the avadbi. All other units of space fall in the middle. As the area extends, time also gets its extension. But, this extension is not without a proportion. Jinabhadra gives the following account of it.
According to Jainism samaya and pradeśa are the shortest indivisible units of time and space-respectively. But they are so minute as beyond the common appreciation. They are not taken into account for general measurement. Argula (finger tip) and Avalika are the shortest units commonly applied to the measurement of space and time respectively.
The avadhi cognizing an area measured by an innumerably small part of angula, would cognize the span of time measured by the correspondingly small part of avalika. The avadhi with an area of one angula will have one avalika in respect of time. This proportion continues as below: Space
Time Hasta ( 1.5 feet) Muhurtānta (less than 48 minutes) Gavyūti (4 miles) Divasānta (less than 24 hours) Yojana ( 8 miles ) Divasapşthaktva (2 to 9 days) 25 Yojanas ( 200 miles) Paksānkta (less than one fortnight) Bharata kşetra
Māsānta (less than one month) Jambūdvipa
More than one month Manusyaloka
One year Rucakadvira
2 to 9 years; according to another
view one thousand years. Sankhyeya dvipa-sāgara Numerable years more than one
(numerable islands and thousand.
oceans) Asankhyeya dvipa-sāgara Innumerable years.
The increase in time is not certain with the increase in area; but, with the increase in time that in space is certain. The scope of Avadhi in respect of substance!
We have known the area and the span of time cognized by 1. Viseşāvaśyakabhāsya G. 627-669