Atma the Self

Author(s): Punyadarshanvijay
Publisher: Sanmarg Prakashan

Page 76

... ĀTMĀ
The Self....
To sum up :
All Omniscient Spiritual Teachers (Arhats) from infinite past, present (continuous lineal arhat in Mahāvidēha Kșētra) and of infinite future propound the same philosophy. There cannot be any difference in the absolute truth; advised, guided and made known the path travelled by them to the Eternal Salvation and Bliss.
The greatest work of humanity cannot match the smallest wonder of nature. There is nothing so small and subtle as the 'Paramāņu the indivisible particle of matter, nor any element so vast as the absolute empty pure space (Alōkākāśa); similarly there is no indivisible time unit so small as the 'Samaya' nor of great magnitude as 'Pudgala Parāvarta Kāla' time. There is no quality of Soul more subtle than non-violence and no virtue of spirit greater than reverence for life. No power is greater than the limitless incredible energy, knowledge, vision, etc. of the immortal pure Soul, capable of achieving Omniscience, who can know and see everything of the past, present and the future. They elaborately described the existence of life in the whole cosmos (including Black Hole- 'Tamaskāya' both visible and invisible, mobile and immobile, their sizes, types, life-spans etc. from submicroscopic Nigoda Souls with shortest life-span (22.76 births and re-births in a second) to 10 million purva (of 70,560 billion years each), immense body and strength exists during a certain period of the 3rd and 4th section (of countless year) in the Kāla Cakra (time cycle). The 5th and the 6th section of the descending cycle and 1st and 2nd section of the ascending
NOTE:
* Black Hole have raised doubts about some of the existing theories of science. Its emptiness, complete darkness, power to suck-in suns and stars, nothing can penetrate, etc.
In 'Brhatsangrahani Prakarana' a very brief note mentions, "Innumerable worlds away from Jambūdvipa (Central-world) comes Arunāvarana Dvipa and Arunāvarana ocean. Proceeding about 42000 Yojana in the ocean, there rises Tamaskāya" (Apakāyamaya Mahā Amdhakāra). Full of (sub-micro) water bodies, very deep, dense, utter darkness, impenetrable, to a height of 1720 Yojana, like a wall, thereafter it begins to spread for countless Yojana and high upto Brahma Loka - the fifth heavenly abode. Detailed description of its size, shape, energy, etc., with illustrations are given in Jaina Scriptures. There are eight different types of Krsnarāji.
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