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Kirfel, the German scholar interpreted the figure of the Universe as "three pyramids one on top of the other, each with a square base and rising in steps on all sides, the center one of which standing on its top surface.
The model of the universe shows three different parts; upper, middle and lower. The unit of measurement for large structures is called Yojana, i.e equivalent to about six miles. The upper part of the universe is said to be the Heavens. The Middle part belongs to the Humans, animals, plants, astral bodies and their owners etc. It is a flat, circular disc, and one Rajju (highest unit of distance measurement) diameter. The lowest part belongs to the seven Hells. Hence, the occupied universe can be described in the shape of Humans with three distinct parts. The liberated souls reside at the top of the upper world. This region is known as the Siddha Sila.
For us, the significant part is the middle world. Our earth is at the centre of the middle world and shaped like a circular disc surrounded alternately by innumerable annular seas and island continents, their diameters going on doubling.
Eternal
We know that circle is a perfectly round plane figure. If we measure the circumference and the diameter of any circle and then divide the circumference by the diameter; we will always get the same answer. It does not matter whether the circle is as big as a spaghetti plate or as small as our pinky ring. The magic number is approximately 3.1415826... termed pie (Greek symbol). The quotient is not an exact decimal. We would not be able to find the precise value of pie because pie is a never ending number. Therefore, 'the squaring of a circle' i.e. the dimensions of a square with the same area as that of a circle of any size is not possible. We can derive the inference that as the circle is the symbol of never-ending story because it is a line that goes around and around without ending so is the world is never ending in time i.e. eternal. Now-a-days the scholars are presenting the shape of a Loka with curvature inspite of a flat base to form a figure of 8 so that the shape of the Loka becomes stable.
Another contribution of Jain cosmology is the concept of Ruyag Pradesh i.e. the central points of the cosmos.
2. Ruyag Pradesh
According to Jain philosophy the universal space i.e. Loka has an eight-point center at the half way of the vertical direction. They are known as Ruyag Pradeshes. The illustration of the eight-point center is as follows:
"The figure that emerges when the four udders of a cow are in one plane and the four udders of another cow are in a lower plane, interlinking in such a way that each point gets enjoined to the other two points. This forms a figure of three dimensional square
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