Background
The Vaimānika gods live in the Upper World. Their name comes from the Sanskrit word for 'palace' – vimāna. Although they are found in the heavenly upper world, Jain deities can live in any of the three worlds.
Being a deity should not be a goal, because gods are not liberated souls. They have a life of pleasure but this involves attachment to material things and brief enjoyments. Therefore even gods and goddesses are part of the world of births and rebirths.
The Saṃgrahaṇī-ratna belongs to the tradition of Śvetāmbara writings on the Jain universe. The monk Śrīcandra wrote Prakrit verses in the 12th century consolidating previous writings on cosmology. It is called Jewel of Summarised Verses, a phrase which underlines the condensed nature of the work.
Though Saṃgrahaṇī works describe the universe, they are mainly concerned with the beings who live in different parts of the Jain world. They go into detail about their life-duration, karma and spiritual progress much more than the geography.
Cosmological writings have generated numerous commentaries in Sanskrit or the vernacular languages. Teaching and learning cosmology remain an important part of monastic education. A rich pictorial tradition has also grown up round the Saṃgrahaṇī works, as visualisation is part of the transmission of knowledge on the Jain universe and is helpful as a means of understanding.
Pictures in cosmological works are not intended to be merely attractive. Spelling out in visual form the complex explanations found in the writings, cosmological paintings form a long-established tradition of artwork in Jain heritage.
Jain cosmology is complex. Human beings live in the Middle World, which is the smallest of the three worlds that make up world space – loka-ākāśa. In world space all the souls live in the different body-forms they take according to their rebirths in the various worlds. Outside world space is the non‑world space – aloka-ākāśa – which is endless. However, the Middle World is the most important area from the spiritual point of view because it is the only part where human beings can live.
Jains cannot advance spiritually without understanding and meditating upon cosmological theories so understanding them is crucial. Certain key religious concepts run through these theories. These include the notion of a physical soul shedding karma by moving through the cycle of rebirth to eventual omniscience and liberation, along with the cyclical nature of time, the interconnectedness of the universe, and the importance of symmetry, repetition and balance.
Glossary
Description
In three panels, three richly dressed couples sit facing each other in ornate palaces. The men each have four arms and hold flowers.
These are gods and goddesses enjoying the delights of heavenly life. In Jain cosmology there are numerous heavens in the upper tiers of the universe, above the mortal realms in the Middle World and the hells below. The lowest 12 heavens are the paradises – kalpas – in which dwell the Vaimānika gods.
In these 12 paradises, pairs of gods and goddesses enjoy the luxury of a comfortable life and sensual pleasures in their palaces. They look at each other, touch each other, smell a fragrant flower and so on. The higher the heaven, the fewer desires the deities have.
- Source:
The British Library Board
- Shelfmark:
Or. 13454
- Author:
Śrīcandra
- Date of creation:
1644
- Folio number:
17 recto
- Total number of folios:
45
- Place of creation:
Stambhatīrtha (modern Cambay), Gujarat
- Language:
Jaina Māhārāṣṭrī Prākrit in Devanāgarī script
- Medium:
opaque watercolour on paper
- Size:
25 x 11 cms
- Copyright:
CC0 1.0 (Creative Commons Public Domain)
- Image Copyright:
- +
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Description
In three panels, three richly dressed couples sit facing each other in ornate palaces. The men each have four arms and hold flowers.
These are gods and goddesses enjoying the delights of heavenly life. In Jain cosmology there are numerous heavens in the upper tiers of the universe, above the mortal realms in the Middle World and the hells below. The lowest 12 heavens are the paradises – kalpas – in which dwell the Vaimānika gods.
In these 12 paradises, pairs of gods and goddesses enjoy the luxury of a comfortable life and sensual pleasures in their palaces. They look at each other, touch each other, smell a fragrant flower and so on. The higher the heaven, the fewer desires the deities have.