Doctrine of Karman in Jain Philosophy

Author(s): Hiralal R Kapadia
Publisher: Vijibai Jivanlal Panalal Charity Fund Mumbai

Page 90

THE DOCTRINE OF KARMAN
continually revolving, in the direction towards the right round the Meru mountain ; beyond it they are not in constant movement. There are many Indras here the suns and moons-besides 7 other grades. The other as with the preceding.
IV. The Vaimānikas are divided into 2 chief classes : Kalpopapannas (inhabitants of Kalpas) and Kalpālitas (kalpa-less). Kalpa means abode of the gods.
(a) The Kalpo pa pannas are inhabiting the following Kalpas : 1. Saudharnia, 2. Aiśāna, 3. Sanatkumāra, 4. Mahendra, 5. Brahmaloka, 6. Lántaka, 7. Mahāśukra, 8, Sahasrāra, 9. Ānata, 10. Pranata, 11. Arana and 12. Acyuta, The 1. Kalpa lies above the canopy of the Meru, then every one above the other. With every Kalpa the lifetime, power, delights, splendour, purity of the leśyā, strength of the senses, and sphere of activity of the avadhi-knowledge of its inhabitants is growing whilst the circumference of the sphere (through which they wander in the universe), the size of the body, the possession and the pride, is decreasing. In 1 and 2 bodily coition is still performed; in the others a more and more refined sort of sexual satisfaction takes its place. At the head of each group stands an Indra, besides whom
The number of the suns in Jambūdvipa is 2, beyond the salt-ocean (Lavanoda) 4, etc. Altogether there are in the human world 132 suns. Equally great is the number of moons, of which each has 28 naksatra:1, 88 planets, 66,975 kotākoțis of fixed stars as attendants. (Jacobi ad Tattv. IV 14). That in the part of the world inhabited by us (Jambidiipa) are 2 suns and 2 moons, is a peculiarity of the Jain doctrine. "They proceed from the idea that in the course of 24 hours the sun as well as the other heavenly bodies can only make hall of the circuit of the Meru, that, therefore, when the night in Bharata-varşa (India) reaches its end, the sun, whose light had given the preceding day, has only reached the north-west of the Meru. The sun which rises actually in the east of Bharatavarşa cannot, therefore, be the same sun which set on the preceding evening, but is a second, different sun, which however cannot be distinguished by the eye from the first. On the morning of the 3rd day there reappears the first sun which has reached, at about this time, the south-east corner of the Meru. For the same reason the Jainas presume the existence of 2 moons, 2 series of nakşalras, etc. All heavenly bodies are thus doubled : but as only one member of this pair appears always in Bharata-varsa and as both menibers completely resemble one another, nothing in the phenomenon is thereby changed." G. Thibaut, “ Astronomie" (in Grundriss der indo-arischen Philologie ", Vol. III Nr. 9) p. 21 seq.
2 "In Sanat kumāra and Mahendra the goddesses permit themselves to be touched by the god who has erotic desires, whereupon he is satisfied. In Brahmaloka and Lantaka the goddesses show themselves in their splendour and beauty to the god for the same purpose and with the same success. In Mahāśukra and Sahasrara the gods need only hear the laughter, the chatter, and the singing of the goddesses in order to satisfy their desire. In Anata, Pranata, Ārana and Acyula it suffices that the gods imagine the goddesses in thought." Jacobi ad Tattv. IV, 9.