250 September, 1873.] LASSEN ON liar manner the geographical system of tho Brahmans. As it would lead too far if I wero here to enter into a comparison of the cosmo¬ graphy of the Jaina* with that handed down in the Jfahdbhdrata and the Purdnas, I shall confine myself to an outline of tho cosmography of this sect. According to their opinion, tho wotld, which is eternal, is compared to a 6pindle resting on part of another.* Other authors of tho Jainas compare tho world to three cups, the nethermost whereof is turned upside down, and the uppermost, with tho middle one, touch each other at their circumferences. Lastly, others describe the world as a woman sitting with folded arms. Her body, or, according to tho second representation, the middle cup, is the earth. The uppermost cup, or the upper body of the woman, answers to heaven, and is the habitation of the gods. The nether spindle, tho lowest cup, or lastly the inferior portion of the woman, represents in this cosmographical system the subterranean regions. The world is en¬ closed on its outermost circumference by the Lokfiloka mountains, and the earth consists of seven dvipas or islands separated from each other by oceans, the centre whereof consists of Jambudvipa.f This island, as is well known, has obtained its name from the Jambu- tree, which botanists call Eugenia Jambolana. In the Jambudvipa, Bharatvarsha forms the innermost and chief portion of the world, and has a circumference of 100,000 yo¬ janas ; the six remaining portions of the world have either received other names among the Jainas than among the Brahmans, or appear among the latter in another order than among-
- Colebrooke, Mine. Essays, II. p. 194 and p. 220. Tho
writing consulted by bun are the Sangrahaniratna and the LokanathasQ.tra, both in Prakrit. f Some Remarks on the Relation that subsists be* tween the Jaina and Brahmanical systems of Geography. By the Rev. J. Stevenson, I).D. in the J>>vr. of the B<>. B. of the R. As. ,S. II. p. 410 seqq. with a map. Tho numbers communicated by him arc tho following, wherein it is to bo observed that Mount Moru forms the centre also in this system, and that Suvarnab humi is the ox- tremest country and the playground of the gods Radius of the circle enclosing the d ctpas 25,350.000 Extent of Sucantabh(lmi 15,750,000 Extent of Lukdloka 125,000,000 100.100.000 yojanas. Subtracting this from the radius of the whole 250,000,000 Remain 83,900,tKM) yojanas. THE JAINS. the former.J According to the Jaina view, the earth consists of two and a half parts of the •world and of two seas; the former are called Dhattikak hail da,Jambudvipa, and Andrapusbka; the latter are tho sweet- water ocean and the salt ocean.§ Of the re¬ maining geographical notions only one more deserves to be pointed out here, namely that B h a r a t a, A i r a v a 11 a , and V i d e h a with the exception of Kura, are countries noticed in their works. || The prominence of the coun¬ try Videha above other Indian countries might be explainable from the circumstance that it is specially particularised in the older history of tho Buddhist religion.^ The system of the gods of the Jainas is a creation peculiar to this sect, and departs from that of the Bauddhas as •well as from that of the Brahmans, although they have, as the Buddhists before them, appointed a subordinate station in their Pantheon to the Brahmanic, deities.* The higher part of the world, or, according to their expression, the uppermost spindle, is the habitation of the Jinas ; after them follow five regions called vinidua, by which name, as is •well known, the Brahmans designate the chariots of their gods ; the centre is formed by the region Sarvarthasiddha, and the re¬ gions are called Aparajita, Jayanta, Vaijayanta, and Vijaya, all of which names intimate that the inhabitants of these regions have acquired these habitations by the highest cognition and by the most perfect virtue. Beneath these regions follow nine worlds like steps, arranged in terraces, inhabited by divine beings and bearing the following names :— Aditya, Prithukarma, Saumunasa. For Lokakalaka I read Lokdlnka, because this name de¬ signates, according to my remarks in Z. f. d. K. d. M. VII. p. 325, a mountain surrounding the outermost of the oceans and funning the boundary of the world. As this mountain is named in the i'ueumis, the Jainas have borrowed this idea from them. X These differences, which are of little consequence here, have been collected by A. Weber in his Satniitjayamn- hutmya, pp, 19, 20. § According to J. Stevenson’s note to the Kalpasntra, 91. These three names are adduced also by Colebrooke. isr.. Essays, 11. p. 222, and to this division also, according to A. Weber’s remarks (ut sup. p. 90), the expression rri- khcmja relutes, which occurs several times in tho &itruu* jayainu.lt “itinya. || Hemachandra, IV. v. 940, p. JG. Airftvata is the name of a varsha or ]>art of tho world, and its mention hero is not clear, nor is that of the name Kuru. According to A. Weber, ut sup. p. 90.
- Colebrooke, ilisc. Essays, II. p. 221 seqq. On the
Buddhist system of the gods sec Lul. Alt. ill. p. 387 •
