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Message: <blockquote data-quote="humanoid" data-source="post: 8089938" data-attributes="member: 301119">Creation and cosmologyMain article: <a href="http://www.elakiri.com/wiki/Jain_Cosmology" target="_blank">Jain Cosmology</a><a href="http://www.elakiri.com/wiki/File:Jain_Universe.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c7/Jain_Universe.jpg/300px-Jain_Universe.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></a> <a href="http://www.elakiri.com/wiki/File:Jain_Universe.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://bits.wikimedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></a>Structure of Universe as per the Jain Scriptures.According to Jain beliefs, the <a href="http://www.elakiri.com/wiki/Universe" target="_blank">universe</a> was never created, nor will it ever cease to exist. Therefore, it is shaswat (infinite). It has no beginning or end, but time is cyclical with progressive and regressive spirituality phases.Jainism divide time into Utsarpinis (Progressive Time Cycle) and Avsarpinis (Regressive Time Cycle). An Utsarpini and an Avsarpini constitute one Time Cycle (Kalchakra). Every Utsarpini and Avsarpini is divided into six unequal periods known as Aras. During the Utsarpini half cycle, humanity develops from its worst to its best: ethics, progress, happiness, strength, health, and religion each start the cycle at their worst, before eventually completing the cycle at their best and starting the process again. During the Avsarpini half-cycle, these notions deteriorate from the best to the worst. Jains believe we are currently in the fifth Ara of the Avsarpini phase.During the first and last two Aras, the knowledge and practice of dharma lapse among humanity and then reappear through the teachings of enlightened humans, those who have reached liberation from their karma, during the third and fourth Aras. Traditionally, in our universe and in this time cycle, <a href="http://www.elakiri.com/wiki/Rishabhadeva" target="_blank">Rishabh</a> (ऋषभ) is regarded as the first to realize the truth. Mahavira (Vardhamana) was the last (24th) Tirthankara to attain enlightenment (599–527 BC).According to Jainism, the universe consists of infinite amount of Jiva (life force or souls), and infinite amount of Ajiva (lifeless objects). The shape of the Universe as described in Jainism is shown alongside. Please note that unlike the current convention of using North direction as the top of map, this uses South as the top. The pure souls (who reached Siddha status) reside at the very south end of the Universe. They are referred to in Tamil literature as தென்புலத்தார் (<a href="http://www.elakiri.com/wiki/Kural" target="_blank">Kural</a> 43).The Deva Loka (Heavens) are at the symbolic "chest" , where all devas, souls enjoying the positive karmic effects reside. Similarly, beneath the "waist" are the Narka Loka (Hell). There are seven Narka Lokas, each for a varying degree suffering a soul has to go through to face the consequences of its negative karmic effects. From the first to the seventh hell, the degree of suffering increases and light reaching it decreases (with no light in the seventh hell). Human, animal, insect, plant and microscopic life forms reside on the middle.</blockquote>

Verification: Awruddata maasa keeyada?

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