The Doctrine of the Jainas, Described after the Old Sources c9.3

c9.3

§103. There is (Thāṇ. 1 b; Samav. 1 b) but o n e world (loga) and beside it but o n e non-world (aloga). The latter surrounds the world on all sides like a hollow sphere (Viy. 522a) and is out of reach, since beyond the boundaries of the world the medium of motion is absent (Viy. 717 b). The extension of both is illustrated (Viy. 525 b) by describing the speed of divine personalities and the distance they are able to cover by it; in figures the world measures 7 times 10¹⁴ joyana¹ in all directions (Viy. 579 a). Seen in its vertical cross-section it narrows from below to the centre and then widens again in nearly the same degree to above (Viy. 248a; 616 b). Both the summit and the base are built up in a convex shape. To make it plain we may compare it with an 8 of equal halves rotated round its axis. Canonically, however, the three sections (Thāṇ. 126a)—we call them by the names of the lower, the centre and the upper world²—are compared with a bed to rest on (paliyanka), a so-called thunderbolt (vara-vaira), and an upright standing drum (uddha-muinga)—this following the teaching of Pāsa (Viy. 248 a); acc. to Viy. 522a the lower and centre section are even illustrated by a couch (tappa³) and a cymbal (jhallari), resp. For the whole Viy. 522 a; 616 b apply the comparison with a supaiṭṭhaga, i.e. a "broad-bottomed" vessel. By these conceptions it is demonstrated as good as certain that the horizontal cross-section was thought to be circular. The calculations, however, drawn from the Lokaprakāśa of the Śvet. (composed 1708 A.D.) by KIRFEL⁴ prove that its author imagined the world as three pyramids one upon the other each having a square base and rising in steps on all sides, the centre one of which standing on its top surface, whereas the description given by the Dig.⁵ shows three roof-like bodies of the same unchanging length but of a steadily de-, resp. increasing width. In the Canon we read of these details as little as we do of the unit of measure of rajju, "rope", by means of which the proportions of the parts is being expressed.⁶ With the height of the whole world measuring 14 r. the upper and the lower world each come to 7 r. (the centre world is not considered). The width of its base decreases from 7 r. down to 1 r. in the centre world, in order to increase again to 5 r. (§ 129) and then to decrease once more down to 1 r. A third non-canonical conception refers to a world of human appearance¹ (as *loka-puruṣa*). This easily makes itself clear by the mere outline of the whole which, moreover, certainly accounts for the name of the Gevejjaga or "neck" regions (§ 129) and the expression of *loga-matthaga* (Dasav. 4, 25).²