Jainism: Jain Cosmology
🌀Mapping the Universe Without a Creator God | Sanatana Decode
🪐 Introduction: A Creatorless, Eternal Cosmos
In a world where many religious traditions speak of a creator deity who made the universe, Jainism presents a radically different vision. It describes the universe (Loka) as eternal, uncreated, and self-regulating—with no beginning and no end, and governed solely by the karmic laws of individual souls.
In Jain cosmology:
- The universe is not created by a god, nor is it destroyed by one.
- Every soul is eternal and independent, and karma is the only binding force.
- Time, space, matter, and soul have always existed.
This cosmology, though ancient, is surprisingly modern in its logic, structure, and detail. Let us now unfold the profound Jain vision of the universe—a multi-dimensional cosmos teeming with infinite souls, realms, and paths of liberation.
📏 The Shape and Structure of the Jain Universe (Loka)
Jain cosmology visualizes the Loka (Universe) as having the shape of a cosmic human figure standing akimbo, or more precisely, an hourglass or a standing man with a narrow waist.
It is divided into three primary realms:
| Realm | Sanskrit Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Upper World | Urdhva-loka | Abodes of celestial beings and liberated souls |
| Middle World | Madhya-loka | Human and animal worlds (the only realm for moksha) |
| Lower World | Adho-loka | Infernal realms (seven hells) |
This cosmic form is made of:
- Infinite layers of beings
- Fixed dimensions and geometry
- No outer creator, no expansion or collapse
🪷 The Central Cosmic Diagram – Lokākāśa
The Jain cosmos is precisely measured and is often represented in cosmological diagrams called Lokākāśa, often carved or painted in Jain temples.
🌐 Features of Lokākāśa:
- Height: 14 rajjus
(A rajju is an ancient cosmic unit; even the speed of light wouldn’t cross one rajju in a day!) - Base Width: Broad at both top and bottom; narrow in the middle (where humans live)
- Shape: Like an hourglass or standing man with arms on hips
This visual model shows not only physical geography, but also spiritual geography—how beings rise and fall based on karma.
🏔️ Detailed Realms of the Universe
🔻 Adho-Loka – The Seven Hells
The seven layers of Naraka (hell) are real locations, not metaphors. They are populated by souls suffering due to severe negative karma—but even these realms are temporary.
| Hell Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Ratna Prabha | The uppermost and least painful hell |
| Sharkara Prabha | Slightly more suffering |
| Valuka Prabha | Involves suffering by sand and fire |
| Panka Prabha | Mud and filth-based suffering |
| Dhuma Prabha | Smoke-filled and choking hell |
| Tamaha Prabha | Intense darkness and torture |
| Mahatamaha Prabha | The deepest and most intense of all |
All suffering beings here eventually ascend, based on karmic exhaustion.
🟡 Madhya-Loka – The Human World
This middle realm is where humans, animals, and plants reside, and only here can moksha be attained.
🌏 Structure of Madhya-Loka:
- Contains Jambūdvīpa at the center
- Surrounded by rings of oceans and continents: Lavaṇasamudra, Dhātakīkhaṇḍa, Kalasāgara, etc.
- Has Mount Meru at its spiritual center (the axis mundi)
- Contains 15 karmabhūmis (regions fit for karmic evolution), of which only 5 are active today
💠 Jambūdvīpa – Our Cosmic Island
This is the innermost island and home to:
- Bharata Kṣetra (India’s cosmic counterpart)
- Airāvata Kṣetra
- Mahāvideha Kṣetra (where Tīrthaṅkaras still appear)
Here, humans live among rivers, oceans, and mountain ranges like Mount Meru, Rucaka, and Himavān.
🔺 Urdhva-Loka – The Celestial Worlds
This is where Devas (heavenly beings) live in various pleasure realms. These include:
- Devalokas (Heavens) – 16 levels of celestial bliss
- Kalpas & Anuttara Heavens – Advanced heavens where beings are close to liberation
- Siddha-śilā – The highest realm, located at the tip of the universe, where liberated souls (Siddhas) reside permanently
Unlike theistic heavens, Jain heavens do not guarantee moksha. Devas still possess karma and rebirth.
⏳ The Concept of Time in Jain Cosmology
Time is cyclical, not linear. Each complete cycle is called a Kalachakra, and it is divided into two halves:
| Time Period | Name | Nature |
|---|---|---|
| Ascending Cycle | Utsarpiṇī | Gradual spiritual and moral rise |
| Descending Cycle | Avasarpiṇī | Gradual spiritual and moral fall |
Each half-cycle contains six eras (ārās) ranging from ideal spiritual conditions to total decline.
We currently live in the 5th era (Pañcama ārā) of the Avasarpiṇī cycle—marked by suffering, short life spans, and weak spirituality. No new Tīrthaṅkaras appear in this period.
⚖️ The Doctrine of Karma
Jain cosmology and karmic law go hand in hand.
- Karma is a fine, invisible material substance.
- It attaches to the soul through passions, thoughts, and actions.
- Karma determines your rebirth location, form, and experiences.
- Even Devas and humans can fall if karma binds again.
Thus, the cosmological structure is also a moral map—every plane of existence is a karmic consequence.
🪔 Role of the Soul (Jīva) in the Universe
Jainism recognizes infinite souls (jīvas) scattered throughout Loka:
| Soul Type | Characteristics |
|---|---|
| Siddha (Liberated) | Resides at Siddha-śilā, free from karma |
| Arihant (Omniscient) | Living beings who have realized truth |
| Samsāri (Bound souls) | Transmigrating through various realms |
Even in a leaf or a drop of water, souls dwell, which is why Jainism advocates Ahimsa to the subtlest level.
🔭 Scientific Parallels and Symbolic Interpretations
Modern physicists now speak of multi-dimensional universes, parallel realms, and cyclical time—ideas long embedded in Jain cosmology. While not “scientific” in the Western empirical sense, Jain maps of reality are mathematically sophisticated and spiritually profound.
Jain cosmology isn’t mythology—it’s a spiritual cartography of where we are, where we go, and what determines our movement.
📜 Sanskrit Verse from Jain Canon
लोकाकारं ज्ञातवान् यो जिनेन्द्रो जिनपुंगवः।
कृतार्थानां पथं साक्षात् दर्शयामास लोकवित्॥
Lokākāraṁ jñātavān yo Jinendro Jinapuṅgavaḥ।
Kṛtārthānāṁ pathaṁ sākṣāt darśayāmāsa lokavit॥
“The Supreme Jina, the knower of the cosmos, revealed the structure of the universe and showed the path to the accomplished souls.”
🌿 Learnings & Action Plan for Modern Life
| Jain Cosmology Idea | Modern Life Application |
|---|---|
| Karma is material | Be mindful—every act leaves an imprint |
| No creator God | Take full responsibility for your actions |
| Siddha-śilā as goal | Seek inner liberation, not outer validation |
| Time is cyclical | Don’t be arrogant in success or despair in pain |
| All life has soul | Embrace vegetarianism or reduce harm in choices |
🧘 Final Reflection
The Jain cosmos is not a place, but a moral universe—a vast, interconnected web where every thought, word, and action moves you upward or downward. There is no savior, no shortcut. But there is clarity, logic, and profound hope.
It is a cosmos that doesn’t demand belief, but invites awareness.