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80/JAIN STUDIES AND SCIENCE
stars and journey towards them will then be possible. In the universe of flat space-time, the nearest star is around 4.2 light-years away. Until this distance is curved up, any possibility to receive information from them is quite remote. Scientists are also working on another possibility of 'warm-holes'. These warm holes are the ones which add another dimension to any spatial arrangement. For instance, if a hole exits between North and South poles, we need not travel the earth's curvature; instead, we travel diagonally, a substantially low distance. It is all about finding such hidden directions which are curved up in the space-time universe.
In this context, the description of directions available in Jain literature is full of immense possibilities and scholars can base their research on this subject. According to Jain philosophy, a ‘unit' space can accommodate infinite 'anant pradeshi pudgals (vyavaharic parmanu)'. This can be understood only with. the help of curled up directions which are capable of containing unlimited mass. 4. Agamic Description of Directions
In Acharang Sutra, a very interesting episode of re-birth enumerates various directions -
I have come from Purvadisha (East)
OR from Dakshindisha (South)
OR from Pashchimdisha (West)
OR from Uttardisha (North)
OR from Urdhvadisha (upwards)
OR from Aadhodisha (downwards)
OR from Anyadisha (Other direction)
OR from Anudisha (Perpendicular direction)
Eight directions find mention in this event. While the six directions are well known, significance of other two needs investigation. Before this is dealt with any further, the details excavated by Mahapragya from the ancient Agamas are worth mentioning. All directions including the vertical perpendicular direction originate in the Triyak-lok. These directions initialise from the central ruchak-pradesh comprised of eight-points arranged in the form of a cube. According to the data available, author has a geometrical basis to presume this cube as all its sides equal to 800 yojans. From every corner of this cube, there
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