Jain Journal 1978 01

SR No.: 520049
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publication Year: 1978
Total Pages: 36
Language: English
Classification: Magazine, India_Jain Journal, & India
File Size: 2 MB

Page 14

90
JAIN JOURNAL
This is almost in accordance with the relation between a Yojana and the British miles as prevalent in those times.25
(2) It is evident from the above that the celestial angular distances had
been measured into Yojanas (or yojanas) projected over the surface of earth. Yojana is basically a linear measure of length and it is
quite confusing with the notion of modern degrees of arc. (3) Sürya Prajñapti 18, the seventh Upānga (sub-limb) of Jaina canon
of sacred literature, states as : ता इमीसे रयणप्पभाए पुढवीए बहुसब रर्माणज्जातो भूमिभागाओ* अठ्ठजोयणसए अबहाए सूरविमाणे चारं चरति ।
"From the 'samatala bhūmi' (earth having plane surface), Sun moves at a height of 800 Yojanas."
It is explicitly mentioned in JP. 10.6 also, We know that28
500
1 Y=
Ž
8
y
800 Y = 50000 y = OJ
Thus on Summer solstice day when Sun lies overhead of an observer situated at O, the point J lies on the circumference of samatala bhūmi. Since Sun always remains at a distance of 800 Y from samtala bhūmi, when the Sun moves on ecliptic, J correspondingly describes an imaginary locus as such that OJ remains always equal to 800 Y. This imaginary locus corresponds to the periphery of samatala bhūmi and its plane is parallel to the plane of ecliptic (apparent annual path of Sun).
Now using eq. No. (3) and eq. No. (4), we have OJ = 800 Y = 73o.7
... (7) Celestial latitude of the point J = OJ = 73o.7
So samatala bhūmi represents the plane parallel to the plane of ecliptic and bounded by the parallel of celestial latitude of 730.7. The centre of samatala bhūmi is coincident with the projection (on earth) of pole of ecliptic. Radius of samatala bhūmi is equal to 90° minus 73o.7 i.e. 16°.3. Obviously, with this concept of samatala bhūmi, the Jaina notion that moon is 80 Y higher than Sun becomes easily discernible.
25 See f.n. No. 22. 26 Ibid.
* The word 'bahusama ramaniajjato bhumibhagao' denotes a standard refe rence plane and it has been termed as 'samatala bhumi' simply for convenience sake.