Sushama is the second of the six ara of the avasarpini, the descending half of the beginningless Jain cosmic time cycle, a happy age, favorable but already a step down from the supreme happiness of Sushama-sushama before it. Jain cosmology describes each ara of the avasarpini as worse than the one before it in human stature, lifespan and happiness. This entry names its position in the cross traditional cycle of world ages this atlas already tracks; the doctrine page elsewhere in this atlas carries the fuller treatment of the avasarpini and utsarpini cycle itself.
Facts
Dating
Proposed DatingMeasured in sagaropama, an inconceivably large unit of cosmic time, at three crore of crore sagaropama by Jain reckoning, one crore of crore less than the ara before it. No source in the tradition attempts a calendar conversion, and the atlas does not invent one. 1 Identity
SymbolNo individual glyph marks the age on its own; Jain tradition instead pictures all twelve ara of the avasarpini and utsarpini together as spokes on a single wheel of time, kalachakra, with Sushama occupying the second spoke of the descending half. 1 Attributions
TraditionJain cosmological texts including the Tattvartha Sutra and its commentaries, which set out the avasarpini's six ara. 1 Connections
Belongs to Tradition
The second of the six ara of the avasarpini, the descending half of Jain cosmic time.
Source Cycles of Time (Jainpedia)No individual author named; content credited to Professor Nalini Balbir
Related To
Succeeded By
Successor Of
Sources
1. Cycles of Time (Jainpedia)
No individual author named; content credited to Professor Nalini Balbir, Institute of Jainology, 2026the avasarpini half-cycle table, second ara (sushama), Jainpedia Cycles of TimeQuote, the avasarpini half-cycle table, second ara (sushama), Jainpedia Cycles of Time
3 crore of crore of sagaropama
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