Scientific Secrets of Jainism

Author(s): Nandighoshvijay
Publisher: Research Institute of Scientific Secrets from Indian Oriental Scriptures Ahmedabad

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Scientific Secrets of Jainism
cosmology. These are described in ancient Āgamas i.e. Jain canonical scriptures and other treatises. They are as under:
According to Jain doctrine the time-cycle has two main divisions called Utsarpiņikāla and Avasarpiņikāla in Jain-terminology. The Avasarpinikāla is the time of our modern cosmic calendar. The Avasarpiņikāla has six subdivisions called ārās, spokes of the wheel of time i.e. era or epoch. According to Kalpasūtra, a Jain canonical scripture, the first spoke (ārā) is called susamasuşama and its duration is of four kādākodi (4 x 10,00,00,00 x 10,00,00,00) i.e. 4 x 1014 Sāgarōpamas (ocean-measured periods of time). One Sāgarōpama is equal to 101 palyāpamas (glass measured periods of time). In short the
uration of time of the first susama-susama ārā is equal to 4 x 1024 palyöpama years. Palyāpama is the smallest of the big units of time. The number of years in a palyāpama is certain but not clearly expressed and cannot be shown in figures. Even Agamas and other scriptures say that a palyāpama has innumerable years. This is, therefore, a matter for further research. The second ārā (Spoke of time-wheel) is called susama. Its duration is of 3 x 1029 palyāpamas. The third ārā is called suşama-duhşama and it has 2 x 1029 palyāpama years. The fourth ārā is duhsama-susama. It has a duration of 42000 years less 1 x 1020 palyāpama years. The fifth ārā is called duhşama. It has only 21000 years. The sixth ārā is called duhsama-duhşama. It also has 21000 years. Thus, the total duration of Avasarpiņikāla is of 10palyāpama years.
Reverse is the order of Utsarpinikāla. Both together make time-cycle of 2x103 palyāpama years.
Non-Jain books of Indian culture also give a similar description of time. The Manusmrti and its commentators divide the life-time of the cosmos i.e. universe into four divisions, namely, Krta, Trētā, Dvāpara and kali. There is Sandhyā in the beginning and Sandhyāmsa at the end of every epoch. Krta - Sandhyā-400 years, the main division-4000 years, Sandhyāmsa-400 years. Trētā- Sandhyā- 300years, the main division-3000 years, Sandhyāmsa-300 years. Dvāpara-Sandhyā-200 years, the main division-2000 years, Sandhyāmía-200 years. Kali -Sandhyā 100 years, the main division - 1000 years, Sandhyāmsa - 100 years.
According to the commentators, this number is of heavenly years and each