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Tattvartha Sutra (with commentary)

by Vijay K. Jain | 2018 | 130,587 words | ISBN-10: 8193272625 | ISBN-13: 9788193272626

This page describes the lower world (adholoka) which is verse 3.1 of the English translation of the Tattvartha Sutra which represents the essentials of Jainism and Jain dharma and deals with the basics on Karma, Cosmology, Ethics, Celestial beings and Liberation. The Tattvarthasutra is authorative among both Digambara and Shvetambara. This is verse 1 of the chapter The Lower World and the Middle World and includes an extensive commentary.

Verse 3.1 - The lower world (adholoka)

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Tattvartha ūٰ 3.1:

रत्नशर्करावालुकापंकधूमतमोमहातमःप्रभाभूमय� घनाम्बुवाताकाशप्रतिष्ठाः सप्ताधोऽधः � �.� �

ratnaś첹vālukāpaṃkaūtamomahāٲḥbhūmayo ghanāmbuvātśpratiṣṭhā� saptādho'dha� || 3.1 ||

The lower world consists of seven earths�鲹ٲԲ, Ś첹, ܰ, ʲṅk, ٳū, ղḥp and Ѳٲḥp–one below the other, and surrounded by the three kinds of air and the space (ś). (1)

Hindi Anvayarth:

अन्वयार्�: अधोलोक मे� रत्नप्रभ�, शर्कराप्रभ�, वालुकाप्रभ�, पंकप्रभा, धूमप्रभा, तमप्रभ� और महातमप्रभा-ये सा� भूमिया� है� और क्रम से नीचे-नीचे घनोदधिवातवलय, घनवातवलय, तनुवातवल� तथ� आकाश का आधार है�

Anvayartha: adholoka mem ratnaprabha, sharkaraprabha, valukaprabha, pamkaprabha, dhumaprabha, tamaprabha aura mahatamaprabha-ye sata bhumiyam haim aura krama se nice-nice ghanodadhivatavalaya, ghanavatavalaya, tanuvatavalaya tatha akasha ka adhara hai |

Explanation in English from Ācārya Pūjyapāda’s Sarvārthasiddhi:

The infernal beings () have been mentioned in certain ūٰ, such as 1-21. Who are they? In order to explain this, first their abode, the lower world, is described.

The word �� is taken with each of these earths. As these earths have the lustre of jewels (ratna), etc., these are called 鲹ٲԲ, etc. That which has the lustre of jewels (ratna) is 鲹ٲԲ. That which has the lustre of pebbles (ś첹) is Ś첹. That which has the lustre of sand (ܰ) is ܰ. That which has the lustre of clay or mud (貹ṅk) is ʲṅk. That which has the lustre of smoke (ū) is ٳū. That which has the lustre of darkness (ٲ�) is ղḥp. That which is like thick darkness (mahāٲ�) is Ѳٲḥp. These names are derived in this manner. The word ‘earth� is intended to indicate the particular nature of the substratum which is solid like the earth. The infernal regions are not like the layers of heavens, which rest without any substratum like the earth. But the infernal regions rest on solid earth. The circles of atmosphere are mentioned in order to indicate the support of these earths. All these earths (which comprise the infernal regions) are successively surrounded by the circle of humid atmosphere�󲹲Դǻ岹󾱱ٲⲹ. The sheath of humid atmosphere is supported by the circle of dense air�󲹲Բٲⲹ. The circle of dense air rests in thin air�ٲԳܱٲⲹ, which rests in space (ś). And space rests in itself, as it is itself the support and the supported. Each of these three supports (zones) has the thickness of twenty thousand yojana. The number ‘seven� is intended to exclude any other number; there are only seven earths, neither eight nor nine. The phrase �()�� indicates that these are one below the other and not transverse, parallel or horizontal.

[Figure 1 (right)—The universe (loka) and non-universe (aloka)]Universe and Non-Universe

The space (ś) has two parts, the non-universe-space (alokś) and the universe-space (lokś). (see Fig.-1) The universe-space (lokś) is in the centre of the non-universe-space (alokś). It, the universe-space (lokś), is without a creator�ṛt, without a beginning and an end�徱Ծ󲹲Բ, and comprises six substances (dravya). In the north and the south directions, everywhere, from the bottom to the crest, its extension is seven rajju. In the east and west directions, its extension is seven rajju at the bottom. As we go up to the height of seven rajju, the extension decreases from both sides till it reduces to one rajju. As we go further up to the height of ten rajju, the extension increases from both sides till it reaches five rajju. Then, at the height of fourteen rajju, the extension reduces again from both sides till it reaches one rajju. Viewed from the east to the west, the universe is like the image of a standing man with legs wide-apart, and arms folded with hands resting on the waist. The lower part of the universe is like the cane-stool (Բ), the middle part is like the frill (), and the top part is like the Indian percussion instrument called �ṛdṅg�. The universe-space has three parts: the lower-universe (adholoka), the middle-universe (madhyaloka), and the upper-universe (ū󱹲ǰ첹). Mount Meru is in the centre of the middle-universe (madhyaloka). The height of Mount Meru is one hundred thousand and forty yojana. The part below Mount Meru is the lower-universe (adholoka), the part above is the upper-universe (ū󱹲ǰ첹), and the transverse region is the middle-universe (madhyaloka). Its expanse being transverse, the middle-universe (madhyaloka) is also called the transverse-universe (tiryagloka). The lower-universe (adholoka) is the subject matter of the present ūٰ.

Where are the abodes of infernal beings on these earths? Are these everywhere or in some places only?

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