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78 / JAIN STUDIES AND SCIENCE
SPACE AND DIRECTIONS
In the previous chapter, we dealt with the first two mattereals namely, Dharmastikaya (dynaons) & Adharmastikaya (statons). Currently we shall ponder upon the third entity-SPACE. We all are familiar with the four directions East, West, North and South. They are based on the position of Sun with respect to the earth and are thus called Thermal Directions and we perceive them as straight line directions. Similarly, with reference to North Pole, any point on the earth can be described with a longitude and latitude. Interestingly, both these directions are curved. But most of the times we neglect one very important aspect of directions - definition of zero (reference) co-ordinates. Sense of direction, therefore, emerges from the very basic presumption of zero location. Delhi is to our east if we are at London and to our west if we are at Tokyo. So. in broader perspective of Universe, Jain Aagams enumerate seven ways to describe directions with reference to the centre of the Lok called 'ruchak pradesha'. Ruchak pradesha, an eight point centre, is defined as the zero reference co-ordinates in the Jain description of directions. The Acharang Ninukti further describes seven epithets of each direction - Name (Naam), Positioning (Sthapana), Contents (Dravya), Area (Kshetra), Thermal Properties (Taap), Intelligence (Pragyapak), and Quality (Bhava).
1. Ancient Beliefs
An in-depth description is found in various ancient contemporary doctrines regarding space and directions. Two main non-Jain concepts are -
i. ii.
Space and directions are two separate and independent entities. Nyay & Vaishashik literature attribute sound as one the qualities of space and use directions only to define the positioning of the objects.
Jain philosophy rules out both concepts. Distinguishing space from directions, Mahapragya has written that -
"Space is an independent real entity whereas; directions are imaginary appendices of the space. Space is infinitely spread encompassing lok-alok. It neither has a beginning nor an end. It is formless and omnipresent. The positioning of an object in the space needs directions. These directions are Mahadisha, Vidisha, Anudisha, Anyadisha, Urdhvadisha, Aadhodisha and Tiryakdisha."
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