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JAINA CONCEPTION OF SPACE
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the universe, but what prevents them from moving with the universe in the empty space ? These questions have not occurred to the Jaina thinkers and hence they have not answered them.
The loka (Universe) is of the form of a standing human trunk with two feet apart and two hands on hips.28 So, secondarily the lokākāśa (Universe-space) may also be said to possess this form. Usually the formless is said to assume the form of its container. But here the formless container is said to assume the form of its content. Of course, lokākāśa cannot be said to assume this form at some point of time.29
Like the aras (divisions of Time Cycles, the different regions of lokākāśa are characterised by the different degrees of pleasure or happiness. As we go higher from the lowest region of the lokākāśa the degree of happiness increases: The degree of happiness in the lowest region of lokākāśa is almost nil, whereas the degree of happiness in the highest region of lokākāśa is the highest - ananta. A living being becomes more and more happy if he enters higher and higher regions of lokākāśa, but for the entry he should earn the passport by his meritorious deeds. By good acts a living being earns the passport for the entry into hïgher regions and by bad acts a living being earns the passport for the entry into lower regions. 7. Alokākāsa
As we know, ākāśa as a whole has ananta pradeśas (space-points). And alokākāśa also has ananta pradeśas. Having taken asaṁkhyāta pradeśas of lokākāśa from ananta pradesas of ākāśa as a whole, the remaining pradeśas of alokākāśa are still ananta.
Alokākāśa is infinite (ananta) but this infinity is also fixed in the sense that increase or decrease of a single space-point is an impossibility. Again, no encroachment from loka on its infinity is possible.
Has alokākāśa any form ? No. it has no form. But it may be conceived as having the form of a parabola. Parabola is a symbol of spatial infinity. So, we may say that infinity of alokākāśa is represented by a parabola put on the highest end of lokākāśa. And we may further say that its emptiness is represented by a sūnya put in the parabola. But we cannot say all this because the Jainas have included the parabola (with a sünya in it) in the loka putting a boundary line of loka over it.
