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Āryikās: The Digambara Sādhvis
D - Triloka Sodha Samsthāna: The Institute of Cosmographical Research
673
Jaina cosmography depicts the universe as comprising trilokas, three worlds, namely, the lower, intermediate and higher worlds.96 During the course of the centuries the study of this cosmography has been neglected and the major texts upon which it is based are little known. In order to fill this gap, Mātāji, who is obliged to spend the greater part of the year at Hastinapura, has established a Sodha Samsthāna, an institute of research into the subject of the trilokas. It is not possible to enter here into the study of this vast and complex subject, but mention at least must be made of Mātāji's original initiative. She devotes herself to research into the manuscripts and to translation-work, in order to make the cosmographical texts accessible to the śrāvakas and śrāvikās and at the same time, with a view to rendering this cosmography more intelligible, more palpable, as one might say, she has embarked upon a vast project in the shape of a concrete representation of what, in the intermediate world, the earthly world where dwells humankind, is called Jambudvipa (the island of Jambu or red-apple-tree) and Meruparvata (Mount Meru) in the centre of this same island.
a) Why Hastinapura?
This place, situated to the Northeast of Dilli, combines a number of features that make it particularly appropriate for such an enterprise. It is a tirthasthāna, a place of pilgrimage. There, according to tradition, three tirthankaras were not only born, but also received dikṣā and attained kevala-jñāna. These are Santinatha, Kunthunatha and Aranatha, the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth tirthankaras.9 Within this immense, quiet jungle the Digambaras have large tracts of
97
Jain Education International
96 Cf. TS III; IV. For a detailed description of the trilokas, cf. JSK III, pp. 443-509.
97 Cf. Jñānamati, 1974d, pp. 23-40.
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