All of the structures of the
earth, Sumeru and the rest, extend downward to a depth of 80,000 yojanas below
sea level – the same as the height of Sumeru above sea level. Below this is a
layer of "golden earth", a substance compact and firm enough to
support the weight of Sumeru. Thus the
picture developed in the Buddhist cosmology defines an infinite number of being
in infinite number of dimensions. Distributed over the three dhatus
(substances) and are determined by the karma of each jiva. These are not
spatial dimensions or material beings. Those that are of immaterial bodies are
the angels in our modern terminology. Even though they have no bodies,
they do interact with humans and with the rest of the cosmic being through
common dimensional extensions. It is the choices that each jiva
makes that decide their future until it escapes the cycle of existence in the
various realms.
The universe exists as a
series of layers, both heavens and hells. It had no beginning and will have no
ending. It consists of:
- Siddhaśilā (the abode
of siddhas, ‘liberated souls’): this is located at the top of the universe.
- ūrdva-loka
(the Upper World): 30 heavens where
celestial beings live
- Madya-loka (‘Middle
World’): the earth and the rest of the universe with humans and animals
- Adho-loka (‘Lower
World’): 7 hells (narakas) with various levels of misery and punishments
with Hellish beings
- Lokākāśa: cosmic
space
- Alokākāśa: trans-cosmic
space
Jiva
The Jiva (sentient being) possess
five senses in all, namely those of touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing. Different
types of Jivas possess one or more of these senses. Based upon the
number of senses and mobility, Jivas are classified as follows:
Immobile and Single
Sensed
- Earth bodied
- Water bodied
- Fire bodied
- Air bodied
- Plant bodied
Mobile (Trasjivas,
multi sensed beings, bahu indriya jiva):
These two, three, four or five
sensed beings are divided into the following categories:
- Beindriya Jiva (‘two sensed beings’): two sensed beings have the
senses of touch, and taste. E.g. shells, worms, insects, microbes in stale
food, termites, etc.
- Treindriya Jiva (‘three sensed beings’): three sensed beings have the
senses of touch, taste, and smell, e.g. bugs, lice, white ants, moths and
insects in wheat and other grains, centipedes, etc.
- Chaurindriya Jiva (‘four sensed beings’): four sensed beings have
the senses of touch, taste, smell and sight, e.g. scorpions, crickets, spiders,
beetles, locusts, flies, etc.
- Panchendriya Jiva (‘five sensed beings’): Five sensed beings have
all the five senses of touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing e.g. human
beings, cow, lions, fish, birds, etc. The following are four sub-categories of
the Panchendriya Jivas:
- Naraki: Jivas living in hell
- Non-human beings: i.e. elephants, lions, birds, fish
- Devas: celestial / heavenly beings,
- Manuśa: human beings.
Among the five sensed beings some have minds, while others do not. The
concept of life forms extents over to dimensions of Celestial and of Hell and across
all possible dimensions in matter and space, Spiritual and Material.
Reference: Padmanabh S. Jaini: 'Victorious Ones', pp. 71-88.
