Jainism And Its History

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Research Foundation for Jainology

Page 66

The views of these two versions of the same chapter fully correspond to each other with slight difference in content and to an extent in language, a few details figuring more in one than in the other. Thus, at very early date, two versions (Vācanās) of the same subject had existed. This chapter contains philosophical as well as ethical views of Arhat Pārsva. First of all, in this text, the views of Pārsvanatha about the nature of the world are stated. To explain the nature of the world the following five questions were raised: (1) What is the nature of the world (Loka)? (2) What are the different planes of the world? (3) To whom the world belongs? (4) What does one mean by (the term) “world”? (5) What is the meaning of the term Loka? Ansering these five questions Arhat Pārsvanatha said. (1) The world consists of the animate beings and the inanimate
objects. (2) There are four different planes of the world: (i)
Material (Dravya)
Spatial (Ksetra) (iii) Temporal (Kala) (iv) Existential (Bhava) (3) World exists by itself. In the perspective of commandeering position the world belongs to animate beings but in the perspective of its constitution, it belongs to both animate and the inanimate. (4) As for the existence of the world it is eternal, with neither the beginning nor end but is ever changing and thus dynamic in nature. (5) While explaining the meaning of the term loka, it is said that this world is called Loka, because, it is known or experienced or
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