Fwd: Jain concept of time (Kalacakra: The wheel of time)

[Guest guest]

, " sunil nair "

<astro_tellerkerala wrote:

 

 

dear group

 

The contribution of jains in vedic astrology is uncomparable ( texts

like surya pranjapti ,chandra prankjapi and jyothish karandakam to name

few is suppose to b BC 1000 ( or BC 500) text books ) tho lately many

of their texts gone into darkness of history due to over sanskritisation

of all texts and the business class jain s are not much interested in

intellectual pursuits ,also due to the transition of Languages frm

brahmi and prakrit to sanskrit and other regional launguages .( it is my

opinion )

 

It is similar to Hindu thoughts but i think jains dont blv in total

dissolution of universe (pralaya )but i think they also has the Yuga

concept ( Time scale ) tho in diffrnt cycle which is the main aim of

this post .

 

any way pls read abt the concept of Time called kala chakra according

jain thinkers and scholars .

 

 

 

rgrds sunil nair

 

Käl (Time):

 

There are two types of käl: realistic (nishchaya) time and

conventional (vyavahär) time. From realistic point of view, it means

continuity. As dharmästikäy assists in motion and

adharmästikäy assists in rest, käl assists other substance to

go through transitory changes. The conventional time is only in the

first two and half continents (dwips) where human beings are. There are

inummerous continents and oceans in madhya loka (also called tiryang

loka). Jambu-dwip (our continet), Ghätaki-khand and half Puskarvar

are the first two and half continets. Suns, moons, planets, galaxies and

stars revolve around these two and half continents. Because they are

encircling, we have days and nights. Outside these two and half

continents, suns, moons, planets, galaxies and stars are stationary.

Therefore, where there is a sun, they only have days, and where they

have a moon, they only have nights.

The smallest indivisible portion of time is called Samaya. Samaya can be

compared to a parmänu. Time required for one blink of our eyes

consists of innumerous samayas. Combination of samayas are: seconds,

minutes, hours, days, months, years, etc.

 

1. Indivisible finest time = 1 Samay

Countless Samayas = 1 Ävalikä 16777216 Ävalikäs = 1 Muhurt

(48 minutes) 30 Muhurtas = 1 Day and night 15 Days and nights = 1

Fortnight 2 Fortnights = 1 Month 12 Months = 1 Year Countless years =

1 Palyopam 10 Crores of Crores of Palyopams = 1 Sägaropam 10 Crores

of Crores of Sägaropams = l Utsarpini or 1 Avasarpini. 1 Utsarpini +

1 Avasarpini = 1 Kälchakra (One time cycle) Infinite kälchakras =

1 Pudgal parävartan käl Jains believe that time is infinite,

without any beginning or end. Time is divided into infinite equal time

cycles (Kälchakras). Every time cycle is further sub-divided in two

equal halves. The first half is the progressive cycle or ascending

order, called Utsarpini. The other half is the regressive cycle or the

descending order, called Avasarpini. Every Utsarpini and Avasarpini is

divided into six unequal periods called Äräs. During the Utsarpini

half cycle, progress, development, happiness, strength, age, body,

religious trends, etc. go from the worst conditions to the best. During

the Avasarpini half cycle, progress, development, happiness, strength,

age, body, religious trends, etc. go from the best conditions to the

worst. Presently, we are in the fifth Ärä of the Avasarpini phase.

When the Avasarpini phase ends the Utsarpini phase begins. This

kälchakra repeats again and continues forever. The six Äräs are

(in Avasarpini): (1) Susham Susham (very happy), (2) Susham (happy), (3)

Susham Dusham (happy-unhappy), (4) Dusham Susham (unhappy-happy), (5)

Dusham (unhappy) and (6) Dusham Dusham (very unhappy). The six

Äräs in Utsarpini are in reverse order.

Kalacakra: The wheel of time

 

Time is divided into two equal cycles, Avasarpini Kala and Utsarpini

Kala. Each cycle is divided into six different divisions. The six

divisions known as aras (Spokes of a wheel).

 

* Avasarpini

 

1.Sushama-Sushama

 

2.Sushama

 

3.Sushama-Duhshama

 

4.Duhshama-Sushama

 

5.Duhshama

 

6.Duhshama-Duhshama

 

* Utsarpini

 

1.Duhshama-Duhshama

 

2.Duhshama

 

3.Duhshama-Sushama

 

4.Sushama-Duhshama

 

5.Sushama

 

6.Suhshama-Sushama

 

Details of sub division of Avasarpini and Utarsarpini kala

 

Avasarpini and Utsarpini Each Kala extends over 10 Kota-Koti sagaropama

years. The first ara Sukham-Sukham of 4 Koda-Kodi sagaropam years, the

second ara Sukham of 3 Koda-Kodi Sagaropam years, the third ara

Sukham-Dukham of 2 Koda-Kodi sagaropam years, the fourth Duhkham-Sukham

of the duration of 42 thousand years less in one Koda-Kodi sagaropam

years, the fifth are Duhkham of 21 thousand years and the last ara

Dukham-Duhkham will be 21 thousand years duration. At present, Duhkham

is going on of which nearly twenty four hundred and eighty one years

have passed. In the Utsarpini Kala, the order of the aras is the

reverse.

 

Ara of Avasarpini Kala

 

1. During the first ara of Sushama-Sushama of the Avasarpini Kala, the

age of the yugalika people was three palyopama years. They took their

food on the fourth day, their bodies were very tall and were marked by

auspicious symbols. They were devoid of anger, pride, deceit, greed and

other sinful acts. Various kinds of the kalpa trees fulfilled their

wishes.

 

2. During the second ara named Sushama, the yugalika lived for two

palyopamas. They took their food at an interval of three days. They were

also tall. The kalpa trees less supplied their wants than before. The

objects of land and water became less sweet and fruitful than they were

during the first ara.

 

3. During the third ara of Sushama-Duhshama, the age limit of the

yugalikas became one palyopama. They took their food on the second day.

The earth and water as well as height and strength of the body went on

decreasing and they became less than they were during the second ara.

 

4. During the fourth ara Duhshama-Sushama, the height of the human being

became five hundred dhanushyas and with ever progressing decrease it was

reduced only to seven hands at the end of the fourth ara. Even the

period of age limit was reduced approximately to one hundred years and

less at the close of this ara. At this time, there was much happiness

but the slight misery. People were happy and prosperous. The land was

fertile and produced the abundant fruit

 

5. During the fifth are named Duhshama, the present age during which we

are living, the height, age limit and the strength of the human beings

will be reduced. The majority of the people will be miserable and there

will be little piety and honesty. After that, there will be the sixth

ara Duhshama-Duhshama in which there will be no sense of reason and

morality among the people. The age, height and strength of the human

beings will decrease to a great extent. People will suffer from the

various diseases and thus, their lived will be miserable.

 

Similarly, to the sixth and fifth aras of the Avasarpini Kala are first

and the second of the Utasarapini Kala. At the end of the second ara

named Dushama of the Utsarapini Kala, there will be seven Kulkaras.

After the lapse of the Duhshama ara of the Utsarapini Kala, there will

be sixty three excellent personages.

 

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