Scientific Secrets of Jainism

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

Page 277

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Parjñāpaka directions प्रज्ञापकदिशा :
In representation of kṣetra-directions and real directions only ten directions are shown. But in representation of Parjñāpaka directions, the author of Niryukti on the Acārāngasūtra, shows eighteen directions.
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Scientific Secrets of Jainism
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Parjñāpaka is one who shows directions. The direction infront of the person, sitting or standing or in respect of whom, directions are to be represented, is called the east, even if it is the south or the west or the north.R As the direction before the Parjñāpaka is the east, the direction behind the Parjñāpaka is the west. The direction to his left is the north and the direction to his right is the south. The directions between these four principal directions are called sub-directions. These make eight directions. There are eight more sub-directions intermediate between these eight directions. All these sixteen directions have the height and thikness of Parjñāpaka. The directions upwards and downwards are of the size of the Parjñāpaka's body and of the shape of a thik staff i. e. stick.10
Jain scriptures give the names of the four sub-directions in both the ways. The method adopted for naming the directions as the north-east, east-south south-west and norht-west in the English language is also an ancient method. Śri Bhadrabahusvāmi, the author of Niryukti on Acārāngasūtra shows the names of the directions thus: 1. east, 2. east-south, 3. south, 4. south-west, 5. west, 6. north-west 7. north, 8. north-east," though in presentation of real directions he describes south-east as Agni, south-west as Nairṛtya, northwest as Vāyavya and north-east as Īsāna.
The intermediate sub- directions between any two adjacent directions of the eight directions, are named by the author of Niryukti on Acārāngasūtra, as 'Syāmā, Utthānī, Kapilā, Khēlidyā, Adhidharma, Pariyādharmā, Sāvitri and Prajñavṛtti."12 śrī śīlānkācārya, the commentator does not clearly say whether the names of these eight intermediate sub-directions should be started from the sub-direction between east and north-east or from the subdirection between east and south-east. But since the names of sub-directions are started from the north-east sub-direction, it will be proper to start from direction between the east and the north-east.
Seeing these references of directions in Jain canonical scriptures, the common man may ask why it is necessary to describe these directions in Jain