Doctrine of Jainas

SR No.: 011097
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Walther Shubring, Wolfgang Beurlen
Publisher: Motilal Banarasidas
Publication Year: 1978
Total Pages: 309
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 17 MB

Page 231

COSMOGRAPHY
215
gill. With regard to both kinds of gods the Rayanappabhā region is horizontally divided into a southern and a northern half, being void, however, above and below in a layer measuring 1,000 joy. in depth both of hells and places pertaining to gods. These places (bhavana) are bright,1 sumptuously furnished and pleasant in every respect Those situated on the edge are circular, those situated inside are square shaped, the nethermost layer is merely circular (Jiv. 94b). the total number is 77.2 mill, the number of the individual kinds differs from 6 4 mill. with the Asurak. up to 9 6 mill with the Vāukumāra 2
Each of the two halves, of which all southern ones contain some more places than the northern ones, is governed by a prince. These pairs of princes in the above quoted sequence of the kinds are Camara and Balı Vairoyana, Dharana and Bhūyānanda, Venudeva and Venudāli, Harikanta and Haris(s)aha, Aggisiha and Aggimänava, Punna and Vasittha, Jalakanta and Jalappaha, Amiyagai and Amiyavāhana, Velamba and Pabhanjana, Ghosa and Mahāghosa. It is but in the case of Camara and to a smaller degree of Balı that we come to know more than the mere names of these princes, while the remaining pairs stand back completely, and it is only by their surnames (V1y 200b) that we are, partly, informed of their origin With regard to Camara and his Asurakumāras (and equally with Sakka, § 131) we can speak of something like a mythology (comp Viy. 169b ff, 319b, 752a, etc.) His residence-it is called Camaracancā as that of Bali bears the name of Balıcancā--is described in Viy. 144a, 617a, though it is added that it does not serve him as a dwelling but simply as place of entertainment.
ş112. The transition to the centre world is formed by the Vānamantara- (or Vantariya-) gods, for their seats are partly (Pannav 95a) subterranean (§ 110), partly in the groves (Jambudd. 31a) summarized in § 116–in the so-called
I Vay 246 b 2 Vuy 770a, where also the places of Vānamantara and Joisiya
are mentioned