RE: 108

[Guest guest]

Hi Dear Folks,

Remember our thoughts about the number 108? Here is quite a

bunch of information from an Indian website!!!

love,

sadhvi

 

 

 

Significance of 108

 

The Indian Subcontinent rosary or set of mantra counting has 108

beads. 108 has been a sacred number in the Indian Subcontinent for a

very long time. This number is explained in many different ways.

 

The ancient Indians were excellent mathematicians and 108 may be the

product of a precise mathematical operation (e.g. 1 power 1 x 2

power 2 x 3 power 3 = 108) which was thought to have special

numerological significance.

 

Powers of 1, 2, and 3 in math: 1 to 1st power=1; 2 to 2nd power=4

(2x2); 3 to 3rd power=27 (3x3x3). 1x4x27=108

 

Sanskrit alphabet: There are 54 letters in the Sanskrit alphabet.

Each has masculine and feminine, shiva and shakti. 54 times 2 is 108.

 

Sri Yantra: On the Sri Yantra there are marmas where three lines

intersect, and there are 54 such intersections. Each intersections

has masculine and feminine, shiva and shakti qualities. 54 x 2

equals 108. Thus, there are 108 points that define the Sri Yantra as

well as the human body.

 

9 times 12: Both of these numbers have been said to have spiritual

significance in many traditions. 9 times 12 is 108. Also, 1 plus 8

equals 9. That 9 times 12 equals 108.

 

Heart Chakra: The chakras are the intersections of energy lines, and

there are said to be a total of 108 energy lines converging to form

the heart chakra. One of them, sushumna leads to the crown chakra,

and is said to be the path to Self-realization.

 

Marmas: Marmas or marmastanas are like energy intersections called

chakras, except have fewer energy lines converging to form them.

There are said to be 108 marmas in the subtle body.

 

Time: Some say there are 108 feelings, with 36 related to the past,

36 related to the present, and 36 related to the future.

 

Astrology: There are 12 constellations, and 9 arc segments called

namshas or chandrakalas. 9 times 12 equals 108. Chandra is moon, and

kalas are the divisions within a whole.

 

Planets and Houses: In astrology, there are 12 houses and 9 planets.

12 times 9 equals 108.

 

Gopis of Krishna: In the Krishna tradition, there were said to be

108 gopis or maid servants of Krishna.

 

1, 0, and 8: 1 stands for God or higher Truth, 0 stands for

emptiness or completeness in spiritual practice, and 8 stands for

infinity or eternity.

 

Sun and Earth: The diameter of the sun is 108 times the diameter of

the Earth.

 

Numerical scale: The 1 of 108, and the 8 of 108, when added together

equals 9, which is the number of the numerical scale, i.e. 1, 2,

3 ... 10, etc., where 0 is not a number.

 

Smaller divisions: The number 108 is divided, such as in half,

third, quarter, or twelfth, so that some malas have 54, 36, 27, or 9

beads.

 

Islam: The number 108 is used in Islam to refer to God.

 

Jain: In the Jain religion, 108 are the combined virtues of five

categories of holy ones, including 12, 8, 36, 25, and 27 virtues

respectively.

 

Sikh: The Sikh tradition has a mala of 108 knots tied in a string of

wool, rather than beads.

 

Chinese: The Chinese Buddhists and Taoists use a 108 bead mala,

which is called su-chu, and has three dividing beads, so the mala is

divided into three parts of 36 each.

 

Stages of the soul: Said that Atman, the human soul or center goes

through 108 stages on the journey.

 

Meru: This is a larger bead, not part of the 108. It is not tied in

the sequence of the other beads. It is the quiding bead, the one

that marks the beginning and end of the mala.

 

Dance: There are 108 forms of dance in the Indian traditions.

 

Pythagorean: The nine is the limit of all numbers, all others

existing and coming from the same. ie: 0 to 9 is all one needs to

make up an infinite amount of numbers.

 

We have listed below 108 Upanishads as per the list contained in the

Muktikopanishad . We have arranged them in four categories according

to the particular Veda to which each of them belong.

 

Rigveda(10): Aitareya , Atmabodha, Kaushitaki, Mudgala, Nirvana,

Nadabindu, Akshamaya, Tripura, Bahvruka, Saubhagyalakshmi.

 

Yajurveda(50): Katha, Taittiriya , Isavasya , Brihadaranyaka, Akshi,

Ekakshara, Garbha, Prnagnihotra, Svetasvatara, Sariraka,

Sukarahasya, Skanda, Sarvasara, Adhyatma, Niralamba, Paingala,

Mantrika, Muktika, Subala, Avadhuta, Katharudra, Brahma, Jabala,

Turiyatita, Paramahamsa, Bhikshuka, Yajnavalkya, Satyayani,

Amrtanada, Amrtabindu, Kshurika, Tejobindu, Dhyanabindu,

Brahmavidya, YogakundalinI, Yogatattva, Yogasikha, Varaha,

Advayataraka, Trisikhibrahmana, mandalabrahmana, Hamsa,

Kalisantaraaa, Narayana, Tarasara, Kalagnirudra, Dakshinamurti,

Pancabrahma, Rudrahrdaya, SarasvatIrahasya.

 

SamaVeda(16): Kena, Chandogya, Mahat, Maitrayani, Vajrasuci,

Savitri, Aruneya, Kundika, Maitreyi, Samnyasa, Jabaladarsana,

Yogacudaman, Avyakta, Vasudevai, Jabali, Rudrakshajabala.

 

Atharvaveda(32): Prasna , Mandukya, Mundaka, Atma, Surya, Narada-

Parivrajakas, Parabrahma, Paramahamsa-Parivrajakas, Pasupatha-

Brahma, Mahavakya, Sandilya, Krishna, Garuda, Gopalatapani,

Tripadavibhuti-mahnarayana, Dattatreya, Kaivalya, NrsimhatapanI,

Ramatapani, Ramarahasya, HayagrIva, Atharvasikha, Atharvasira,

Ganapati, Brhajjabala, Bhasmajabala, Sarabha, Annapurna,

TripuratapanI, Devi, Bhavana, SIta.