Book Title: Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra
Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur
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NINTH CHAPTER Cosmology, Cosmography, and Geography
FIRST SECTION
Cosmology In the Bhs the entire Universe is conceived of as comprising Loka (the inhabited Universe) and Aloka (Non-Universe-uninhabited by beings), both of which were eternal and without succession.
"Dovi ee sāsayā bhāvā, aņāņupuvvi”l.
There are prescribed to be four kinds of the Universe (Loka), viz., Dravyaloka (the Universe of substane), Ksetraloka (the Universe of space), Kālaloka (the Universe of Time), and Bhāvaloka (the Universe of state).
The Ksetraloka is divided into three regions, viz. AdhaḥlokaKetraloka (lower region), Tiryagloka-Ksetraloka (horizontal region) Urddhvaloka-ksetraloka (upper region); they are further sub-divided into different worlds.
Thus there are stated to be seven kinds of AdhaḥlokaKŘetraloka viz. Ratnaprabhā-prthivi, Sarkarā prabhā, Vālukāprabhā, Parkaprabhā, Tamā, Tamaḥtamā (i.e. Adhah-Saptamā),' innumerable Tiryagloka-Ksetra-loka, such as, Jambūdvīpa island upto Svayambhū ramana island and sea, and there are fifteen Urddhvaloka-Ksetralokas, viz. (1) Saudharma, (2) Aišāna, (3) Sanatkumāra, (4) Mahendra, (5) Brahmaloka, (6) Lāntaka, (7) Mahāśukra, (8) Sahasrāra, (9) Anata, (10) Pränata, (11) Arana, (12) Acyuta, (13) Graiveyakavimāna, (14) Anuttara-V imana, (15) Isadprāgbhāraprthivi-Urddhvaloka."
It is stated that the border of the Non-Universe (Alokānta) is touched by that of the Universe (Lokänta), while the borders of the Universe are connected by the following stages (sthānas) one after another, viz. the intervening space (avakāśāntara),
1 Bhs,1, 6, 53. : 10, 11, 10, 420. 10, 11, 10, 420.
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