In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Jainism

Ratnāvalivarāvabhāsasamudra (रत्नावलिवरावभाससमुद्र) is the name of an ocean (samudra) surrouding the continent of Ratnāvalivarāvabhāsadvīpa (or simply Ratnāvalivarāvabhāsa), according to Jain cosmology. The Ratnāvalivarāvabhāsasamudra and Ratnāvalivarāvabhāsadvīpa are situated in the middle-world (madhyaloka), which contains innumerable concentric continents (dvīpa), each surrounded by their own ocean. The middle-world, as opposed to the upper-world (adhaloka) and the lower-world (ūrdhvaloka), is the only world where humans can be born. Ratnāvalivarāvabhāsasamudra is also known as plainly Ratnāvalivarāvabhāsa.

Ratnāvalivarāvabhāsasamudra is recorded in ancient Jaina canonical texts dealing with cosmology and geography of the universe. Examples of such texts are the Saṃgrahaṇīratna in the Śvetāmbara tradition or the Tiloyapannatti and the Trilokasāra in the Digambara tradition.

context information

Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance’) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Ratnavalivaravabhasa, Samudra.

Full-text: Ratnavalivaravabhasadvipa.

Relevant text

No search results for Ratnavalivaravabhasasamudra, Ratnavalivaravabhasa-samudra, Ratnāvalivarāvabhāsa-samudra, Ratnāvalivarāvabhāsasamudra; (plurals include: Ratnavalivaravabhasasamudras, samudras, Ratnāvalivarāvabhāsasamudras) in any book or story.