Bhattacharyya 1969.pdf

8/14/2019 Bhattacharyya 1969.pdf

1/12

NoticeThis m t c r i ~ l i'nay e protectedby copyright law.(Title 17 U.S. CodeBrahmanicaI Buddhist and Jain Cosmography

BYDR, N. N. BHATl ACHARYYA, M.A., D.Phil.

I t became, indeed, in the absence of a regular tradition ofcosmographical science, a usual thing for ancient writers to insertcosm:ographical disquisitions into their works. But their know-ledge was limited both in extent and in degree. Lack of objecti-vity and inclination towards superficial imagination guided themall through. This holds good not only in the case '0 India butin that of Other countries also. The Homeric literature as wellas the Theogony of Hesiod afford examples of this. Because oftheir visionary character, the B rahmanical, Buddhist and Jain cos-mography also became, as if an article of faith. The generalbelief in it was not shaken even by the introduction of scientificcosmography. The detailed knowledge of the structure ofthe universe was generally believed to have been reached bycontemplation.Vedic Cosmogro phy

The basis of the cosmographical speculations, in the Vedicperiod was not a generally adopted theory. Widely differing ideasabout t is problem seem to have been current. When the idea,of Universe was to be expressed, the phrase most commonly usedin the ~ g v e d was heaven and earth . These two parts were con-ceived as circular like wheels at the two ends of the axle represent-ing the Intervening space.l Later on, this intervening space alsobecame a constituent of the universe. Each of these constituentswas regarded as having three strata, so that there were either sixunits of three earths and three heavens, according to the formerconception, or nine units of three earths, three atmospheres andthree heavens, according to the latter conception.2 Also a fourthconstituent of the universe, namely, the world of light or the vault

1 RV X. 89.4.2. Macdonell, VM 9


2/12

44 JOURNAL OF INDIAN HISTORYof the sky, is mentioned in the Yajurveda3 and the Atharvaveda The heaven was regarded as lying beyond ,the visible space whichwas the abode of the gods and of light.s The hemispherical vaultof the sky led to the' conception of the heaven and the earth astwo great bowls turned towards e c ~ other.6 The earth was denoted by such terms as mahi (the great), prthivi, prthvi, urvi(the extended), apiirii (the boundless), etc.7 The distance betweenthe earth and the sky is given in the AitCreya Briinma1J-a8 and theAtharvaveda as 1000 days' journey for a horse, while the Pancavi1 lsa Briihma1J-aIO considers the altitude coverable by 1000 cowsstanding one upon another.

But the aforesaid constituents were later incorporated into alarger and more mythical scheme of the universe. In the u ~ a -siikta of the ~ g v e d a , 1 1 which recurs, with variations in the Atharva-veda,12 the Yajurvedap and the Taittiriya Ara1J-Yaka 14 we havethe universe conceived in the form of a human being P u T U ~ a )like the frost-giant Yimer of the Teutons whose head was the skyand whose naval region and feet represented the air and theearth respectively.IS In the Brahma:I}a literature the universe isconceived in the form of an egg. In the $atapatha Briihma1J-a itis stated that it was Prajapati who divided the cosmic egg. S Heuttered bhur, which b ~ a m e this earth; bhuvalJ, which became thisfirmament; and svar which became that sky.''17 .In the ChandogyaUpani{ladlB the following is s t a t ~ d : "The egg broke open. The

3. VS, XVII, 67.4. AV IV, 14.3.5. Macdonell. VM, 10.6. RV, VI. 55.20.7. Sircar, CGEIL, 9.8. II, 17, 8.9. X, 8, 18.

10. XVI, 8, 6; XXI, I, I.11. X, 90.12. XIX,6.13. VS XXXI.14. ill,12.15. Muir" OST, V, 368 f.16. XI, I, 6.17. Muir, OST, IV, 25.18. ill, 19.

BRAHMANICALJ BUDDHIST JAIN COSMOGRAPIiY 45two halves were one of. silver, the other of gold. The silver one~ c m e this earth, the golden one the sky, the thick membrane(of the white) the mountains, the thin membrane (of the yolk)the mist with clouds, the small veins the rivers, the fluid the sea."l

It is not at alI difficult to understand why the egg was sosignificant in ancient Cosmogonical and cosmographical speculations. The Egyptians believed that Ra, the god of brightness firstappeared a shining egg which floated upon the water's breast.He rose from the primordial waters as the sun-egg. The godPtah also came from the egg which, according to 'one myth, wasproduced by the chaos goose, and to anather, issued from themouth of Khnumu.19a In the Rhapsodist Cosmogony Of ancientGreece we also find thE idea of the cosmic-egg, and Zeller pointsout that the said idea is directly borrowed by the Greeks fromthe Phoenicians.20 But as we have already seen, exactly the same. idea is found in Indian literature. The idea that life remainslatent in egg was quite in accordance with primitive empiriCism,and hence '."e find similar legends in different parts 'Of the world.The l.lgvedic conception of Golden-Germ or H i r ~ y a g a r t h a emanating from the primeval waters afterwards developed into thatof the world egg. 21 In later literature, as for example, in theM a h l i b h i i r a t a ~ we come across the idea of the cosmic egg, whileManu holds that the seed of the Supreme Being became the cosmice g g . ~ In the Puriil,las we also come across the conception of theworld egg.24

We have 'already seen that in the period of the Brahmanasand U p a I } ~ a d s the universe is frequently spoken of as tripartite:earth, air and sky, symbolised in the three great utterances(VYiihrtis) of Prajapati-tbhur', tbhuvalJ,', 'svar'. A differentaccount is found in the Aitareya Ara1J-yaka where it is stated that~ h e self sent forth the worlds of Ambhas, 'Marichi, Mara and Ap.That Ambhas (waters) is above the heaven, and it is heaven,19. SBE, I, 54 f.19.a Erman, HER. 26 if20. Zeller, PSP, I, 102 if21. X,121.22. XII, 309.7 if.23. I, 5 f.24. Cf. Vis 'u, J, 2, 37 if.


3/12

46 JOURNAL OF INDI N HISTORYtne support. The Marichis (the lights) are the sky. The Mara(ID'?rtal) is the earth, and the waters under the earth are the Apworld."25 In course of time the three-fold conception of the universe became sevenfold, and the process of such newer developments is found, in the TaittiTiya Ara:7].yaka in which the following

.constituents of the universe are mentioned: bhur. bh'lJ,va'l}, mahar,janas, tapas and satyam.25 Now, as the three first symbolicallydenoted the three worlds (earth, air, sky), so the four added became names of still higher worlds. In the BrkadaTa7 -yaka Upani ad the C"Onstituents of the universe were further increased andwe have the worlds of water, air, ganclharvas, sun, moon, stars,gods, Indra, Prajapati and B'rahman; each of these worlds iswoven into the next higher one 'like warp and woof.'21Cosmography in Post-vedic Literat'lJ,re. The Mahiibharata adds little to the old stock of cosmographicldeas, except a detailed description of the earth and some particulars about the hells.28 The Laws of Manu29 maintain the cosmic-egg theory of the BrahmalJ.a literature: The diVine one resided in that egg during the whole year, then he himself by histhought (alone) divided it into two halves; and out of those twohalves he formed heaven and earth, between them the middlesphere, the eight points of the horiz-on and the eternal abode ofwaters.''30 ' 'he same work mentions 21 hells: Tanusra, Andhatamisra, Maharaurava, KaIasiitra, Mahanaraka, Safijivana, Mahavichi, Tapana, Sampratapana, Sru:p.ghata, Kakola, Ku(;lnala, Putimrttik1l, LohaSaD.ku, ~ j ~ a Salmali, Panthano, VaitaranI, Asipatravana and Lauhadaraka.3l

The authors of the Purfu:\as succeeded better in delineating aplan of the universe. The system is practically the same in allPurfufas.3 In the Vi$1Ju PUrii1Ja it is stated how, in the beginning

25. II, 4, 1.'26. X, 27-28.

27. III, 6.l8. VI, 5 fi; XII, 309; etc

29. I, 12-13.:10: SBE XXV, 2 fi31. IV, 87-90.32. For discrepancies in details in other PuraJ;las see Wilson's VP, II,215 and Hall s note to that passage.

13RAHMANICAL 13tJDD1IIST & J m COSMOGRAPHY 41of a Kalpa, NarayalJ.8, in the shape of a boar, raised the earth frombeneath the waters and created the four lower spheres--earth,

~ k y heaven and Maharloka.33 The area lighted by the rays of thesun and the moon is known as Prthivi or earth. The breadth andcircumference of BhurLoka or the earth-region are same as thoseof the second loka called bhuva'l}. The region (loka) of the sunis situated 100,000 Yojanas above the earth, that of the mO'on100,000 Yojanas above the sun, that of the stars 100,000 Yojanasabove the moon, that of the Budha (Mercury) 200,000 Y5 janasabove the stars, that of the sukra (Venus) 20U,000 YOjanas abovethe Budha, that of the Marigala (Mars) 200,000 YOjanas abovethe Sukra, that of the Brhaspati (Jupiter) 200;000 Yojanas abovethe Marigala. that of the Sani (Saturn) 200,000 Yojanas above theBrhaspati, that of the S a p t a ~ i (Great Bear) 100,000 YOjanasabove the Sani and that of the Dhruva (Pole Star) 100,000 Yojanasabove the Saptar. ?i.34 The region called Janas is situated 20 millionYojanas above the Polar region (Dhruvaloka), that called Tapas80 million Yojanas above the Janas-region and that ~ l l e d SatyaJ: .lor Brahma or BaikUI).tha 120 Yojanas above the Tapas region.3sThe area between the earth and the sun, inhabited by them'lJ,nis and siddhas, is called Bhuvarloka or the second region.The area between the Dhruva and the sun, which is 1,400,000 Yojanas in extent, is known as Svar. The first three Zakas or regions,Bhiir, Bhuval}. and Svar, are collectively known as Krtak and thelast three, Janas, Tapas and Satyru:p., as akrtak, while t h ~ fourth,i.e., Maharloka, is called krtiikrtak.36 Like the seven upper worldswe have also the conception of seven lower worlds called Atala,Vitala,' NitaIa, Gavastimat, M a h ~ t a l a Patiila and Sutala.37 According to their merits they are also known as Sukla, ~ a Arutta,Pita, Sarkara, Saili and Kii.ficani. These underworlds are inhabitedby the Danavas, Daityas. Y and Nagas.38 The whole universeis like an egg enveloped by water, fire, air and sky.39

33. 1, 4.34. n, 7, 3-10.35. II 7, 12-15.36. II 16-20.g7. Elsewhere the nether worlds I1'e called Atala, Piitala, Vitala, Sutala,Rasiitala, Mahiitala and Taliitala.38. II, 5, 2-4.39. II 7, 22-24.


4/12

JOURNAL OF INDIAN HISTORYThe above account is found with some variations in all theP i i r ~ a s . One thing which should be noted here is that, in theP u r ~ a s the planetary system is brought in connection with thecosmographic ideas. This is a significant depar ture from the previous Vedic line. t is difficult to say whe ther t he ~ g v e d i c Aryanshad any definite knowledge of the planets, although 'the sevenAdityas,' 'the five Advaryus' and 'the five ~ i l 1 ; 1 a l ; l are regardedby some scholars as p l a n e t s . ~ o The Taittiriya Satp,hita41 regardsBrhaspati as the regent of T ~ y a while the Taittiriya AraTJ-yaka42seems to use the expression sapta-siirya1].43 (Seven suns) for theplanets. Stars were of course well known to them but they couldnot pro bably distinguish them with the planets. So naturally theycould not conceive of the planetary regions. In later works theconception of numerous planetary regions formed an essential partof the cosmographical speculations. As for example in the cosmography of the Siirya Siddhanta t is stated that "the Brahma-eggis hollow; within it is the universe consisting of earth, sky, etc., ithas th.e form of a sphere, like a receptacle made of a pair of caldrons. A circle with in the Brahma-egg is styled the. orbit of theether (Vyomiin); within that is the revolution of the asterismsboo); and likewise in order, one below the other revolve Saturn,Jupiter, Mars, the sun, Venus, Mercury and the moon; helow insuccession, the Perforated' (siddha), the Possessors of Knowledge(Vidyadhara) and the clouds."45

In a work of seventh century called the YogathiiJ}ya, ascribedto Vyasa, it is stated that the entire universe contained in theworld-egg copsists of seven regions (bhfuni) , one above the other.The lowest is B rGrloka which extends from the lowest hell to thetop of mount Meru. At its bottom are the seven hells, one abovethe other, the llames being Avi.ci, Ghana, Salila, Anala, Anila,Akas and TamaQ.pratistha. Above the hells are the seven Piitiilascalled Mahatala. Rasatala, Atala, Sutala, Vitala, TaIatala andpatala . Above the Piitiilas is Vasumati (the earth) with its seven

4(). VI, 1, 243.41. IV, 4, 10, 1.42. 1, 7.43. 1lV, V, 59, 13; X, 64-8; X, 85; 7'aitt. S., tt, 3, 5, 1-3; Kath. S., XI, 3; etc .M. xn,29-3645. Burgess's tr. in lAOS VI, 245,

13MHMANICAt SUDD1iIST & JAIN COSMOGRAPHY 4f1continents. The Bhfttloka, thus consisting of three strata, is in -habited by Asuras, Gandharvas, Kinnaras, K i I p . p u r ~ Y a ~ s

R a k ~ a s a s , Bhiitas, Pretas, Apasmarakas, Apsaras, B r a h m a r ~ a s: K u s m a . t . l ~ a s , Vinayakas, men and gods. The second region, whichis Bh Uvarloko. in the PurB:r;las, is called A n t a r i ~ a Z o k a and it is theabode of the celestial bodies. The third region which is inha bitedby six classes of gods (Tridas.as, A ~ v a t a s Yfunyas, T ~ i t a sAparinirmitavaSavartins and ParinirmitavaSavartins) is calledSvar - or Mahendraloka. The fourth region Galled Mahar - orPrajiipatyaloka is inhabited by five classes of gods: Kumudas,Rlbhus, Pratardanas, Aiijanabhas and Prachitabhas. The fifthregion which is called Janaloka is the abode of four classes of godsknown as Brahmapurohitas, Srahmakayikas, Brahmamahakayikasand Amaras. In the sixth. region called Tapaloka reside threeclasses of gods known as Abhiisvaras, Mahlibhasvaras and Satyamahabhlisvaras and in the seventh region called Satyaloka, fourclasses known as Acyutas, suddhanivlisas, Satyabhas and Srupjiiasmpjiiins.46 I t appears from the above description that the authorof the said text has mixed up some principles of the cosmographyof the BuddhistS with those of the Purfutas. The conception of theseven lokas or regions is directly adopted from the P u r ~ but sofar as the classes of gods residing therein are concerned, they areall borrowed from the Buddhist literature,Bv.ddhist Cosmography

The Buddha did not encourage speculations on the universe,which, according to him, were nothing but foolish questions.41 Butit appears that he was acquainted with the existing Brahmanicaltheories. When Ananda ' 1 a n ~ to know of him how the earthquakes were caused, Buddha replied as follows: "This greatearth, Ananda, is established on water, the water .on wind, andthe wind rests upon space. And at such a t ~ e handa, as themighty winds blow, 'the' ~ a t e r is shaken, and by the moving waterthe earth is shaken."48 In another place the Buddha said that theearth rests on the circle on water, the water on the wind, the windon the ether and the ether on nothing.49 One should not fail to

46. m,26.47. Dighu, 1, 215; Rhys-Davids, DB, , 280; C. Milinda (SBE, XXXVI, 153).48. Digoo, II, 1()7 (SBE, XI 45), Anguttara IV, 312; Beal, CBS; 47.49. SBE, XXXV, 100. .iT 7


5/12

50 JOURNAL OF iNDIAN 1tIS 1 ORYrecall in this connection the significant passage of the Brhadiirar],ya,Vpani$ad50 according to which the sky rests on the air, the air onthe earth, the earth on the' wate "s, the waters on the reality, thereality on the brahman and the b T ~ h m a n on the tapas (creativefervour).

But in course of time the Buddhists developed a systematiccosmographical outlook. The most systematic work on Buddhistcosmography is undoubtedly the second treatise of the Abkidharmaof the Sarvastiv1idin school, entitled Prajfiaptisiira the first sectionof which is called Lokaprajfiapti.51 On this section is based theAbhidharmakoSa of Vasubandhu in which we find ; a description oftwo worlds loka)-the Bh


6/12

52 JOURNAL O INDIAN HISTORY(rivel') G6a There are also eight cold heIls; Ata1a, Hahava, Huhuva,Utpala, Padma, Arbuda, Nirarbuda and Mahapadma. They areplaced in the 'dark region' m.entioned above.61 Of course there issome ambiguity regarding the conception of the hells. Moreover;there are s'Ome hells about which we know nothing but the names.In course of time the names are multiplied. .

Acoording to the Buddhist conception there are s x Kamadhatus or abodes of higher beings. On the fourth terrace of Meruis the abode of Catur-mahariijakiiyikas, rulers of the cardinalpoints and on its summit is that of the T r i i y a s t r i ~ a s . 160,00Yojanas above Jamhudvipa is the abode of the Yamas then comeone after another the' regions inhabite d by the T u ~ i t ~ , Nirmii1}lL-ratis and ParanirmitavaSQvartins.es Heavens of the material ~ o r l dare called Rupadhiitu. They are seventeen in number dividedinto four groups. The first group consisting of the abodes of the

B r a h m a p i i r ~ a d y a s , the BTahmapurohitas and the MahabrahmiiTlaSis situated 2.580,000 Y


7/12

JOURNAL OF INDiAN HISTORYof a standIng mrdanga (a kind of tabor) and the upper one thatof a mrdanga.75 This has been explained as follows: ThreePyramids with rectangular base but with tops chopped off are putone above another, the smaller faces of the lower and middleones and the bigger faces of the upper and middle ones touching

t o g ~ t h e r . 7 6 In the hip or according to another scheme at thevibratory place of the spindle the disc of the earth is placed. Belowthe earth are the hells and above it are the upper regions.According to the Jain tradition the length of the universe variesfrom point to point, but its height and breadth are respectively 14

and 7 rajjus. The rajju is a linear astrophysical measure whichdenotes the expanse which the gods traverse in six months, theirspeed being 2,057,152 Yojanas in one moment The legs of thehuman-shaped universe are 7 rajjus the waist 1 rajju the u.pperportion 5 rajjus and the head 1 rajju and all these measuresconstitute 14 rajjus the proposed measure of the height.71 Theentire area of the universe is 343 cubic rajjus.78 .The world fromth,P ground level to the hells below, rests on a layer 'of hard water

w i ~ a ~ a i n rests on a layer of thick air and so on, 20,000 Yo;anasthick. The Svetiimbara and Digambara traditions are not, however, same in regard to the description 'of the universe, but they~ r ~ more or less similar.

Below the earth-disc are seven lower regions, containing millions of hells, one below the other. These are Ratnaprabha,Sarkaraprabha. Valukaprabhii, Pailkaprabha, Dhumaprabha,'famal,lprabha and Mahatamahprabhii. They are 'otherwise calledDharma, 'VamSa, Saila, Afijana, Aristii, Madhavya and Miidhavi.Above these seven regIons is the disc of the earth with its numerous continents in concentric circles separated by rings of oceans.Above the earth are situated the heavenly regions styled Vimanasconsis'ting of twelve kaZpas viz., Saudharma , AiSana, Sanatkuma ra,Mahendra. Brahmal.oka, Lantaka, MahaSukra, Sahasriira, Anata,Prfu;tata, Arro,.a and Acyuta, the nine graiveyakas, i.e., the heavens

75. TiIoY4p41l1J4tti, I, 187-38.76. Sircar, CGEIL, 46.77. Kirfel, KI, 21178 Dugar, ABS ill, 22 l fr.

13RAHMAiVICAL, BUDDHIST & JAIN COSMOGllAPHY OSforming the neck of the hu.man-shaped universe, and five Anutta-ras, viz., Vijaya, Vaijuyanta, Jayanta, Aparajita and Servartha-siddha. Thus there are 26. heavens placed one above the other.79Above the highest. heaven called Sarvarthasidclha is situated ~ a t -pragbhara, the place which is the final resort of aU the sottlS.79a

The WorldThe conception of the earth was not quite intelligible everito the authors of the epico-puranic sections on cosmography. tshould ruso be pointed out that the cosmographical sections .espe

cially in the Purfu},as often contain confused and conflicting statements. Thus sometimes in the same work, e.g., in the VayuPurii1J.a, thl: earth is described as consisting of four island-continentsas well as seven such continents.so It appears that originally the earth was conceived as consisting of four-island-continents and this conception was probably based upon the notion ofthe cardinal points. In course of time the seven-continent theoryregarding the composition of the world became m());e popular. ThePuriiI].as conceived of the earth as having its centre on MountMeru or Sumeru as consisting of seven concentric island continents, each surrounded by a sea of equal area and .Being doublethe size of thl: precedi'ng name in the list, the first of them measuring one hundred thousand YOjanas in extent. The names of thesaid seven island-continents (dvipb:) are Jambu, P I ~ SaImali,Kusa, Krauiica, saka and ~ k a r a while they are surrounded respectively by seven seas of salt,. sugarcane juice, wine, clarifiedbutter, curds, milk and water. The second continent is doublethe size of the first continent, the third of the second, the fGUrthof the third, and so forth. But there is diversity in the Purfulictradition in respect of the order of the dvipas and their names,their subdivisions and their extent, and other particulars. As forexample in the MatsyaS1 and Padma Purii:1].fls 82 the dvipas are

79. Jacobi in ZDMG, LX.79a. Utt4riidhyiiY4 11.4, XXXVI, 57-62.80. XXX1II, \ 24, 31; XXXIV 7, 46, 55-56; XLI, 83, 85, 86; XLII 79-aO'Cf. Brahmiil l4a, LIII, 14Q. ._ '81. Cbs. 122-23.82. Svargakha1lija., IV.


8/12

JOtiRlVAL OF INDIAN MiSTOn'Smentioned in the following order: Jambu, Saka, KuSa, K r a u i i c ~ ,Sahnali, Gomeda (for P l a ~ a and Pul;kara. This divergence evenattracted the notice of Al-BirUni83 and Abul Fazl.84

According to the Puranic tradition Priyavrata, son of Vaivasvata Manu allotted the seven island continents to his seven sons.Each of them in: his turn, subdivided the islands and handed themover to his son and thus the subdivisions were all named after thegrandsons of Priyavrata to whom they were allotted.85

The P l a ~ a - d v l p a is double the size of the J ambu which isone hundred thousand Yoja7UL8 in area. t has seven mountainranges-Gomeda, Candra, Narada, Dundubhi, Somaka, Sumanasand V a i b h r a j a ~ n d seven rivers-Anutapta, Sikhl, Vipasa, Tridiva, Krumu, Amrta and Sulqtii. Its population is divided intofour classes, viz. Aryaka, Kuru, VivllpSa and Bhavin. TheSiilmali-dvipa has seven mountain ranges called Kumuda, Unnata,Balabaka, Dro }.a, Kanka, M ~ a and Kakudmat and seven rivers,viz., Yom, Toya, V i ~ J } . a Candra, Sukla, Vimocani and Nivrf;ti.Its population is also divided into four classes viz., Kapila, ArUJ;l.a,Pita a n d ~ The KuSa-dvipa has seven mountain ranges,(Vidurma, HemaSaila, Dyutimat, Pw;;pavat, Ku5ciaya, Hari andMandaracala), seven rivets (Dhiitapapa, Siva, Pavitra, Sammati,Vidyut, Ambha and Mahi) and four types of peoples (Damin,S u ~ Sneha and Mandeha). The Kraunca-dvipa has sevenmountains (Kraunca, Vamana, Andhakaraka, Devavrf;, Pu:Q.


9/12

JOURNAL OF INDI N HISTORYIn the exterior ocean are the four Mahadvipas or island

c O l l t i n ~ n t s , equidistant from one another. The northern amongthem 1S called Uttarakuru, the sou,them Jambudvlpa, the easternP U r v a ~ Videha and the western Apara-G>dana. Moreover, thereare eight Upa-dvipas Deha, Videha, Camara, Apacamara, Satas,Uttaramantrin, Kuru and Kaurava. The Uttarakuru continentwhich is the largest, is situated in the north. It s oblong in s i z ~and 8,000 Yojanas in perimeter. Men live here for 2,000 yearshaving a height of 32 cubits. It is the kingdom of Kuvera orVaiSraval].a with his capital at Alakamanda and citadel at Visana.94Piirva-Videha is 6350 Yojanas in perimeter. It looks like c r ~ s ~ e n tmClon. Here the inhabitants live for 250 years; they are 8 cubitsin height.95 A p a r a ~ G o d a n a means Western Pastuarage. t is c i r ~cular n shape the circumference being 7,500 Yojanas. Here menlive for 500 years and their height is 16 cuhits.9 At sunrise in theJambu-dvJpa it is midnight in Apara-Godana and at sunset in thelatter is midnight n the former; while at sunrise in Apara-Godana

is noon in Jambu-dvipa, sunset n Piirva-Videha and mid-nightn Uttarakuru. The Buddhist conception of Jambudvipa will bediscussed n the next section.

Uttarakuru s common to both the Buddhist and Puraniclists, and so is also Jambudvipa . We have seen that later Vedicliterature places Uttarakufu beyond the Himavat apparently nthe region of Central Asia. The name Ottorokorha is mentionedin Ptolemy's Geography97 and thus it has a somewhat historicalbasis. The name Piirva-Videha means Eastern Videha which wassituated in North Bihar. The Buddhists horrowed this name probably because the Buddha was born in that region.

According to the Jain tz:adition, above the s e v ~ n lower re gions c o n t a i ~ n g mUlions of hells' is the disc of earth consistingof _seven continents: Jambudvipa, Dhataki, ~ a r a V-aruz;Uvara,~ l r a v a r a Ghrtavara and ~ a u d r a v a r a . These are surrounded respectively by seven oceans: Lavanoda K 10da PusH:_ _ , l , aroaa,V ~ y o d a ~ l r Q d a , Ghrtoda and ~ a u d r o d a . It appears that

94. Ibid. S.v. Uttb:ra kuru.95. Ibid. s.v. Pubbavideha.96. Ibid. s.v. Aparagoda1l4.97. VI, 16, 3.

BRAHMANICAL BUDDHIST J IN COSMOGRAPHY 9originally the Jain authors thought of only seven island continents,the number being gradually increased by later writers. TheTiloyapa T}7]atti98 speaks Of 16 inner and 16 'Outer islands formingthe earth and each of them has an ocean beyond it. B e ~ i d e s theseven isIand-continents mentioned above the following inner islandsare mention,;din the said w o ~ k : NandiSvara, Arult-avara, AruI}abhasa, KUl)..Q.alavara, Sailkhavara, Rucakavara, Bhujagavara, KuSavera and Krauncavara. The last two names are borrowed fromthe PuraI)ic lists. The 16 'Outer islands are Manal;tSila, HaritaIa,Sindfua, Syfuna. Afijahavara. Hiligula, Riipya, Kaficanaka, Vajravara, Vaidur ya, Nii.gavara, Bhiitav ara, Y ~ a v a r a Devavara, Ahindravara, and Svayambhiiramal,la. In later Jain works more nameswere added. ::. Uch as Artll}.a, Artll}.avara, Artll}.avaravabhasa,

K U l J . ~ a l a KUI).1;1alavara, K ~ t ; l a l a v a r a v a b h a s a ~ a i 1 k h a saiJ.khavara,sankhavaravabhii.sa, Rucaka, Rucakavara, Rucakavaravabhasa,Hara, Haravara, Haravaravabhasa, Kanakavali, Kanakavalivara,Kanakavalillaravabhasa, Ratnavali, Ratnavalivara, Ratnavalivaravabhiisa, Mukutavali, Mukutavalivara, Mukutavalivaravabhasa,Ajina, A5inavara. Ajinavaravabhasa, Siirya, Siiryavara, Suryavaravabhasa, Deva Naga, a ~ a Bhuta, Svayambhiirama:r;ta and so on.99Note how the number of the island continents is arbitrarily increased by suffixing the expressions Vara and Varavabhiisa.ambudvipa

According to the Purro;uc c'onception Jambudvipa is one ofthe seven island continents constituting the world. It is the continent in which India s situated.loo Jambudvipa, also calledSudarSanadvlpa, is described as 'low on the south and north andhighly elevated in the middle.'lOl Both the names are derivedfrom a Jambu tree the branches Of which are often said to haveextended over a space of 100 yojanas.102 Sometimes it is supposedto be shaped like a lotus with mount Meru on its Karr].ika orpericarp and the V a T ~ a s entitled BhadrliSva, Bharata, Ketumala

98. V. 11-26.99. Cf. Kirfel, KI 253-61.

100. JambudvIpa is sometimes identified with B h a r a t a v a r ~ a or India proper.101. Miirka 1J4eya LlV, 12 f.1{12. Mat ya CXIV, 74-65; Brahmii7J4a XXXVII, 28-34; L. 25-26; Mbh.VI, 5, 13-16.


10/12

6t JOURNAL OF INDI N HISTORYand Uttarakuru as its four petals.103 The elevated central regionoi the Jambudvipa is styled llavrtaval'{ a or M e r u - v . a l ' { a . 1 ~ Thereare three V a r ~ a s (Ramyaka, HiraI}Ill8ya and Ut tarakuru) to thenorth and thrce (Bharata, i m p u r ~ and Hari) in the south .orthe division called lticru.105 To these seven, two other 'Va-roJas,Bhadrasva to the east and KetumaIa to the west, appear to havebeen added. lOO Jambudvipa is circular in shape so that the northernmost and southernmost var{las, Uttarakuru and Bharata, areeach shaped like a bOW.107

The Ramyaka-var'i'a is also called Ramar).aka108 and Nila1Q9 andit is sometimes placed to the north-west of Meru.110 Hira1,lIIlayawhich is occasionally located to the south-east of Meru is alsocalled H U'aJ;lvat;1l.Z sveta. or Sukla.113 Uttarakuru is also calledSrlJ:gavat1l4 and Airavata1l5 while the names Hima,116 Haimavata1l7 and Ajanabha a r ~ often applied to Bharata. Again Kimp u r u ~ a is likewise called Hemakuta1l8 and Haimavata1l9 and Hanis occasionally mentioned as N a ~ a d h a 1 2 9 and placed to the southwest of Meru.l2l Badrasva is sometimes called MaJ.yavatl22 Piirvadvipa123 or SuparSvaUoi while KetumaIa is given the name Gandha-

103. B r e h m i i ~ a XLIV, 3 5 ~ 41; M a r . k a ~ e y a Lv, 20 f; etc.11)4. Brahm.ii {lda, XXXV, 22; Miirka" 4eya, LX, 7.105. Mataya. CXIII 7, BTahmii1J4a, XXXV, 24-28; Mbh., VI,. 6, 53; etc.106. Matsya, cxrv, 85; Brahmii" 4a, XXXIV, 48; XXXV. 7.107. Mbh., VI, 6, 38; Matsya, cxm, 32; Brahmii" 4a, XXXV, 33.108. Mbh., VI, 2; Ma(sya, Cxm 68.109. Brahmii1J4a. XXXIV, 36.110. Ga'MLda, LV, 3.111. Ibid., LVI, I.112. Mbh., VI, 8, 5; Maf.o.-ya, cxm, 64.113. B r a h m i i " ( t ~ a , XXXIV, 46; Agni CVII, 7.114. Brahmii1J4a, XXXVJr, 47.115. Mbh., VI, 6, 37.116. Brahmii1J4a, LXXXiV, 44 fr.117. Ibid., XXXV, 40.118 Ibid., XXXIV, 44.119. Mbh., VI, 6, 7.120. Brahmii1J4a, XXXIV, 45.121. Garut,ia, LV, 2.122. Brahmii'l.'4a, XXXIV, 47.123. Ibid., XLV, 24.124. Agni Cvm 11.

BR HM NIC Lj Bi,JDDmS{EI J IN COS.MOGRAPHY. Jlladana.lZ5 Mountain range$, ealled V a r ~ a p a r v a t a separate anytwo of the VaT{las lying to the south and north of Meru. Thus theHima'Vat stands between Bharata and KimpUl'Ullla, the Hemakutabetween Kimpurl.l;;a and Hari1 the N ~ a d h a between Had and 1Ia-vrta, the Nila betweell na.vrta and Ramyaka, the 8'Veta betweenRamyaka al1.d Hiral}Inaya and the Srngin or Srnga'Vat between

H i r a ~ a y a and Uttarakuru. l26Accoramg to the Euddhist conception, Jambudvipa, also eall.

ed Jambusm;t9.ha.l27 d&rives its name from the Jambu tree (alsocalled niiga) which grows there. Its trunk is 15 Yojcinas in girth,its outstandii:tg brancheE 50 YOjanas in length and its height 100yojanas. Jambudvipa looks like a chariot. The continent is10,000 Yojanas in extent of which 4,000 are covered by the seaand 3,000 each are occupied by the Himavat range and by humanhabitation. Here men live for 100 years and their height is between 3.50 and 4 cubits. The number of the cities in the Jambu-dvipa during Asc5ka's reign was 84,000, and, in each one of them,he built a monastery. The 13uddhas and Cakrava.rtins are onlyborn in this dvipaY 8

According to the Jain conception the central continent isJambudvipa which covers half of the continental ring. Its dIameteris 100,000 Yojanas, and its total area, 316,227 YOjanas 3 gavyuta., 128dhanus and nearly 14 a'1igulos. JamQudvipa is surrounded by somesort of wall, 8 Y o;anas in height. At the base it is 12 Yojanas wideand' at the pinnacle it is four. t is built by stone slabs. eachlh Yo;ana in height and 500 dhanus in breadth, and decorated bydiamonds. In the middle of the wall there is a lotus-shaped pillar(padmavara-Vedika), * YOjana in height, and 500 dnanus inbreadth. This pillar is made by precious articles. The base ismade of diamond, the supports of Ri{lta, the beams of gold bars,and the bolts of 'rubies. Bey


11/12

62 JOURNAL OF INDIAN HISTORYheight, width and length respectively. The eastern gate Vijayais at the mouth of the river Sita, while Jayanta, the western, at themouth of the sitoda. Each gate is protected by a semi-divine being., : The entire Jambudvipa is divided by six mountains from whichare created seven unequal divisions or zones. The mountains ru:ecalled Varfaparvata or Kulaparvata the designating terms beingsurely adopted from the Brahmanical Pur5J:},as. The land divisions,thus created out of the mountains, are called Varfa or i4etra Thenames of the mountains, stretching from south to north,' areHimavat, ikharin, Mahahimavat, Rukmin, N ~ a d h a and Nlla. TheHimavat and the Siharin are made of gold, the Mahahimavat andthe Rukmin of silver, and ~ a d h a and Nila of Beryle. The breadthand height of these mountains are calculated having taken thesouthernmost zone or Varsa as the measuring unit. The measure-ments are given in d e t i l ~ in the Jambudvipaprajiiapti and in theTrailokyadipika. The southernmost V a r ~ a or zone being the first,the second is its double, the third redouble and so on. The heightof the Himavat being 100 Yojanas that of other mountains shouldbe calculated according to the same process.. Each m01J.ntain range has a number of peaks. The Hlmavatand the Sikharin contain eleven and the rest nine peaks each.

Every mountain has at itS first or eastern summit a temple knownas Siddhiiyatana or Siddhakuta and that of the Himavat is50 YOjanas long, 50,broad and 35 high, and taking this as the unitof measurement the area of other Siddhayatanas can easily becalculated according the process mentioned above. Every mountain has in its middle a vast lake and that which lies in the middleof the Hiinavat is know as Pauma or Padma. Its length is 100Yojanas breadth 500 and depth 10, the banks being made of silver,the ,surrQunding wall, of diamond-decked stone, and the bottom ofgold. fu the middle of the lake rises up a big lotus,' one Yojanain diameter, which is the abode of the goddess sri. Around itthere are several lotus rings.

The JambudvIpa is watered by 14 big rivers. Of these theGanga, the Sindhu and the Rohita flow from the aforesaid, Padmalake on the mount Himavat, the RohitfupSii and the Harikrantiifrom the Mahiipadma lake on the Mahahimavat, the Harita and thesitodii from the Tmgiccha lake on the N ~ a d h a the Slta and theNari from the Kesarin lake on the Nila, the Narakanta ri the

BRAHMANICAL BUDDHIST & .tAIN COSMOGR pHY 6Rupyakiila from the Mahilpu1J4arika lake on the Rukmin, and thesuvarnakiila, the Raktii and the Raktoda from the PuWaTika lakeon the Sikharin. The courses of all the rivers are similar.1Z l TheJain writers who apparently depended on the Puranic conceptionof Jambudvipa held that it was divided into seven V a T ~ a s whichwere Bharata (not Bharata), Airavata, Haimavata, Hari, H i r r u j y a ~vata, Ramyaka and Videha, Airavata, the central town of whichis Vidyadhara and which is watered by the Raktii and Raktoda,stands next to Bharata, i f viewed from the southern corner of theJambudvipa. Haimavata, watered by the Rohita and R o h i t ~lies to the north of Himavat. Its central mountain is called Sabdiipatio HairalJ.yavata, the central mountain of which is Malayavator MaIavanta and which is watered by the SuvanJ,akUla and Riipyakiila, lies to the south of the Sikharin. Harivan;a also contains amountain called Vikatapati and it is watered by the Harita andHarikranta. Likewise in the centre of the Ramyaka V a ~ a ssituated the mountain called Gandhiipati and it is watered by theNarakanta and Niiri,130 The middle most and the biggest V a r ~ ais Videha at the centre of which stands Mount Meru or Mandara,which has 16 names. In the north of Meru, between the Gandha-madana 1U1d Malayavat is the Uttarakuru country and in the south,between the Saumanasa and Vidyutprabha is Devakuru. In theeast of Meru lies PUrva-videha and, in the west, Aparavideha.These four divisions contain a number of provinces, each havinga town, a number of mountains and a few rivers.131 Bharatavar.j laor India proper lies to the south of Himavat.

AAABSAIAVCBSCGEIT.,

ABBREVIATIONS= A'in-i-Akbari.= Aclirya ~ Smrtigrantha,= Al-Birtini'$ India,Atharvaveda.Catena of Buddhist Scriptures.Cosmography and Geography n Early Indian Literature.

129. Kirfel, XI 214-21.130. Four mountain ranges issu from Mountain Meru: Saumanasa (S,E.),Gandhamadana (N.W.), Ma}ayavat (N.E.) and Vidyutprabha (S.W.).131. Kirfel, Kl 229 42.


12/12

14 JOURN L O iNDi N HISTORY1m = -Dialogu-es of Buddha.DPt. = Dictionary of Pall Language.DPFNGAMHERJAOSJPTSKIL l1B'OSTPSPSIAVIVSVSMRSVPmMG

Dictionary of Pall Proper Names.= Geography of Ancient and Medieval India.=.: Handbook of Egyptian Religion.=.: Journal of American Oriental Society.= : Journal of Pali Tripitaka Society. 0= Kasmographic der Inder.=.: Legends and Theories of the BuddhiBts.= Original Sanskrit Texts.= Pre-Socratic Philosophy.= Studies in Indian Antiquities.= Vedic Index.= : Vajasaneyi SaIphita.= Vaishnavism S a i ~ m and Minor Religious Systems.= : V i J ; m i u r ~ a .= Zeitschrift der Deutschesn Morgen.landischen Gesellschaft.

Documents

Bhattacharyya 1969.pdf