Science In Jainism: [05.05] Concept Of The Eight Point Centre In Jain Cosmology: A Critique - Time

According to Jain cosmology, the universe is beginningless and endless with respect to time. We have noted that the universe is finite in relation to space but its time dimension is infinite in terms of both past and future.

It was stated earlier that there is a change in mass density with time due to the shift of equilibrium between mass and massless forms of matter. This shift of equilibrium with time will certainly shift the geometric centre of the universe.

Very recently STEPHEN HAWKING (A brief history of time, 1988) has proposed a finite universe with no boundaries without beginning of time. It is a new concept based on the combination of quantum mechanics and general relativity, which holds good for Jain concept of space and time.

The Jains postulate six fundamental substances, which constitute this universe.

1. Medium of motion
2. Medium of rest
3. Space
4. Matter
5. Soul
6. Time

Jain described that the shape of the medium of motion and the medium of rest is the shape of the universe. The universe is completely self-contained and self-described. Hence the Jain universe may be regarded as being of a closed shape with no specific boundary of its own because the directions move out of the Loka (Cosmic Universe) to Aloka (acosmic universe).