Bhagavati-sutra (Viyaha-pannatti)
by K. C. Lalwani | 1973 | 185,989 words
The English translation of the Bhagavati-sutra which is the fifth Jaina Agama (canonical literature). It is a large encyclopedic work in the form of a dialogue where Mahavira replies to various question. The present form of the Sutra dates to the fifth century A.D. Abhayadeva Suri wrote a vritti (commentary) on the Bhagavati in A.D. 1071. In his J...
Part 2 - Measure of day and night
Q. 4. Bhante! When in the south of the isle named Jambūdvīpa, the maximum span of the day is 18 muhūrtas (18x48 minutes), then in the north also, is the maximum span of the day 18 muhūrtas, and when in the north the maximum span of the day is 18 muhūrtas, then in the east and the west of Mount Meru in the isle named Jambūdvīpa, is the maximum span of the night 12 muhūrtas2?
A. 4. Yes, Gautama, when in the south of the isle named Jambūdvīpa,...till the maximum span of the night is 12 muhūrtas.
Q. 5. Bhante! When in the east of Mount Meru in the isle named Jambūdvīpa, the maximum span of the day is 18 muhūrtas, then, in the west, too, does the day have a maximum span of 18 muhūrtas? And when in the west, the day has a maximum span of 18 muhūrtas, then, in the north of the isle named Jambūdvīpa, does the night have a maximum span of 12 muhūrtas?
A. 5. Gautama! It is so,...till the night has a maximum span of 12 muhūrtas.
Q. 6. Bhante! When in the south of the isle named Jambūdvīpa, the day has a span of less than 18 muhūrtas, then, in the north, too, does the day have a span of 18 muhūrtas? And when in the north of the isle named Jambūdvīpa, the day has a span of less than 18 muhūrtas, then, in the east and the west of Mount Meru in the isle named Jambūdvīpa, does the night have a span which is more than 12 muhūrtas?
A. 6. Gautama, when in the south of the isle named Jambūdvīpa,...till the span of the night is more than 12 muhūrtas.
A. 7. Bhante! When in the east of Mount Meru in the isle named Jumbūdvīpa, the day has a span which is less than 18 muhūrtas, then, in the west, too, does the day have a span which is less than 18 muhūrtas? And when in the west the day has a span which is less than 18 muhūrtas, then, in the north and the south of Mount Meru in the isle named Jambūdvīpa, does the night have a span of more than 12 muhūrtas?
A. 7. Yes, Gautama, they are so...till more than 12 muhūrtas.
And in this order, (the day) is to be reduced, (and night increased): When the day is 17 muhūrtas, the night is 13 muhūrtas; when the day is less than 17 muhūrtas, the night is more than 13 muhūrtas; when the day is 16 muhūrtas, the night is 14; when the day is less than 16 muhūrtas, the night is more than 14; when the day is 15 muhūrtas, the night is also 15; when the day is less than 15 muhūrtas, the night is more than 15; when the day is 14 muhūrtas, the night is 16; when the day is less than 14 muhūrtas, the night is more than 16; when the day is 13 muhūrtas, the night is 17; and when the day is less than 13 muhūrtas, the night is more than 17.
Q. 8. Bhante! When in the south of the isle named Jambūdvīpa, the maximum span of the day is 12 muhūrtas, then, is it so in the north too? And when it is so in the north, then, in the east and the west of Mount Meru in the isle named Jambūdvīpa, does the night have a maximum span of 18 muhūrtas?
A. 8. Yes, Gautama, it is so, and like this is to be stated,...till the night has a maximum span of 18 muhūrtas
Q. 9. Bhante! When in the east of Mount Meru, the day has a maximum span of 12 muhūrtas, then, in the west, too, is it so? And when in the west, too, it is so, then, in the north and the south of Mount Meru in the isle named Jambūdvīpa does the night have a miximum [maximum?] span of 18 muhūrtas?
Notes (based on commentary of Abhayadeva Sūri):
2. The sun has in all 184 maṇḍalas of which 65 are in Jambū-dvīpa and 119 in the Salt Sea. When the sun is wholly in the innermost maṇḍala, then in the north and the south, the day has a maximum span of 18 muhūrtas, and in the east and the west, the night has a maximum span of 12 muhūrtas, total 30 muhūrtas (24 hours). As the sun moves out from the innermost maṇḍala, for each maṇḍala traversed by the sun, the day loses a fraction of its span, as the night gains it. The day loses by 2/61 of a muhūrta from the 18 muhūrtas, and the process repeats each time as the sun crosses a maṇḍala, till the position is totally reversed when the sun is wholly in the outer-most maṇḍala. The process has been called aṣṭādaśa-muhūrtāntara. To be precise, when the sun is wholly in the outer-most maṇḍala, then in the north and the south, the day has a maximum span of 12 muhūrtas and the night has of 18 muhūrtas.