314 OBSERVATIONS ON 



tlenominated Sagara, or ocean. But I understand it 

 to be an extravagant estimate of the time, which 

 would elapse, before a vast cavity, filled with chop- 

 ped hairs, could be emptied, at the rate of one piece 

 of hair in a century : the time requisite to empty 

 such a cavity, measured by a i/ojana every way, is a 

 Palya ; and that repeated ten cotis of cotis of times *, 

 is a Sagara, 



Each of the periods, above-mentioned, is stated 

 hy He'machandra, as comprizing six Aras ; the 

 names and duration of which agree with the inform- 

 ation communicated to Major Mackenzie : In the 

 one, or the declining period, they pass from extreme 

 felicity (ecautasuhcha) through intermediate grada- 

 tions, to extreme misery (ecanta duhclia). In the 

 other, or rising period, they ascend, in the same 

 order, from misery to fehcity. During the three 

 first ages of one period, mortals lived for one, two, 

 or three Palyas; their stature was one, two, or three 

 leagues (Gaxyut'is) ; and they subsisted on the fruit 

 of miraculous trees; which yielded spontaneously 

 food, apparel, ornaments, garlands, habitation, nur- 

 ture, liglit, musical instruments, and household uten- 

 sils. In the fourth age, men lived ten millions of 

 years; and their stature was 500 poles (Dhanush): 

 in the fifth age, the life of man is a hundred years : 

 and the limit of his stature, seven cubits : in the 

 sixth, he is reduced to sixteen years, and the height 

 of one cubit. In the next period, this succession of 

 ages is reversed, and afterwards they recommence as 

 before. 



Ifcre we cannot but observe, that the Jainas are 

 still more extravagant in their inventions, than the 



1.000.000.000.000.000 palyas = one sigara, or sagaropama. 



