Astronomy and Cosmology

Author(s): L C Jain
Publisher: Rajasthan Prakrit Bharti Sansthan Jaipur

Page 44

regeneration and degeneration 55 in the knowledge, longevity, stature etc. during six periods of the two acons of regeneration and degeneration, known as utsarpiņi (hyperserpentine) and avasarpiņi (hyposerpentine). The full cycle takes 2014 addhā sāgaropoma of time.56 The present period is speculated to be Duşşamā, consisting of 21000 years of avasarpiņi, leading to gradual degeneration, ending in + 18497 of the Christian era.
PARĀVARTANA PERIODS
Then the periods of cycles of wandering or transmigration of a bios based on transmutation, transfer, and other changes attract attention at the speculation of the Jaina school. The transmigration is of five kinds : (1) cycle of material change (2) cycle of spatial change (3) cycle of temporal change (4) cycle of incarnation change and (5) cycle of becoming (phase) change.57
The description of the cycle of phase (bhāva ) is interesting and hence it may be lucidly related here. The period of time taken in the completion of such a cycle is really strange to imagine. Let some bios be endowed with the five senses and the mind and actuated by mythic faith acquires knowledge-obscuring karmas, below (107)2 sāgaras duration, which is the utmost minimum and suited to it. The minimum degree of passion suited to that duration, governed by the six stations58 and of the extent of innumerate times the innumerate space-points of loka, occurs to him. And,
to this minimum degree of affection (Kaşāya), the minimum degree of intensity (impartation) of karmas of the extent of innumerate times the spatial units of the universe occurs to him. In this manner, the utmost mininum degree of vibratory (volition) activity occurs to this bios with the minimum duration, the minimum of affection, and the minimum of impar
55. Cf Reality, op. cit. p. 97. Cf. also Cosmology, old & new, op. cit. p.
231. G. R. Jain, here, finds the value of the mahā kalpa of the two aeons avasarpini & utsarpiņi, each of which consists of 4.13 x 1076 solar years. The Brahma kalpa also consists of 77 digits but digits do not
agree. 56. Cf. V.P., pp. 129–134, for details. 57. These are called dravya, Kşetra, kāla, bhava and bhāva parāvartana.
Cf. Reality, pp. 56–60. 8. CF. Cosmology, Old & New, op. cit., pp. 100-103. The increase and
decrease is in infinitesimal, innumerate part, numerate part, numerate times, innumerate times and infinite times of intensity as an impulse.
25