NUMBER 108

Number 108….

108 is THE Sacred within Hinduism, Buddhism and yoga and dharma based practices.

Many times it’s very common to see Jap Mala with 108 beads.

108 Surya namaskara and 108 names of the deities.

Also in Bhagavat gita it’s said that Krishna dances with 108 Gopis (cow herd girls). Hare Krishna devotees thus hold 108 as a number of great significance.

Siva Natraja Dances in 108 Poses.

Thus if we have observed number 108 hold a very great significance

Also in Budhinism many Buddhist temples have 108 steps

There are 108 holy temples of Vishnu.

Means 108 number keep recurring many times in many Dharmas and Mythologies.

The question arises is why only number 108 keep on recurring and what is the significance of this number.

Here I am just putting my efforts to understand why this is in such away.

Pranayama: If one is able to be so calm in meditation as to have only 108 breaths in a day, enlightenment will come.

River Ganga: The sacred River Ganga spans a longitude of 12 degrees (79 to 91), and a latitude of 9 degrees (22 to 31). 12 times 9 equals 108.

Silver and the moon: In astrology, the metal silver is said to represent the moon. The atomic weight of silver is 108.

Breath: Tantra estimates the average number of breaths per day at 21,600, of which 10,800 are solar energy, and 10,800 are lunar energy. Multiplying 108 by 100 is 10,800. Multiplying 2 x 10,800 equals 21,600.

Islam: The number 108 is used in Islam to refer to God.

Jain: In the Jain religion, 108 are the combined virtues of five categories of holy ones, including 12, 8, 36, 25, and 27 virtues respectively.

Sikh: The Sikh tradition has a mala of 108 knots tied in a string of wool, rather than beads

Stages of the soul: Said that Atman, the human soul or center goes through 108 stages on the journey.

There are 54 letters in Sanskrit alphabets and Each has masculine and feminine, i.e. shiva and shakti 54 * 2 = 108

Time: Some say there are 108 feelings, with 36 related to the past, 36 related to the present, and 36 related to the future.

Astrology: There are 12 constellations, and 9 arc segments called namshas or chandrakalas. 9 times 12 equals 108. Chandra is moon, and kalas are the divisions within a whole

The diameter of the sun is 108 times the diameter of the Earth.

108 represents (1+0+8) = 9, where 9 represents 9 tattvas

Nine Tattvas (Principles):

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1. Jiva - soul or living being (Consciousness)

2. Ajiva - non-living substances

3. Asrava - cause of the influx of karma

4. Bandh - bondage of karma

5. Punya - virtue

6. Paap - sin

7. Samvara - arrest of the influx of karma

8. Nirjara - exhaustion of the accumulated karma

9. Moksha - total liberation from karma

Again 9 tattvas and 12 months ,multiplication leads to (12 * 9 ) = 108.

Followers use 108 beads in their malas. They implement the following formula:
6 x 3 x 2 x3 = 108
6 senses [sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, thought]
3 aspects of time [past, present, future]
2 condition of heart [pure or impure]
3 possibilties of sentiment [like, dislike, indifference]

Mathematically speaking number 9 stands between 0-8 (i.e. 0 to 8 , total numbers are 9).

Eight represents completeness or totality because it includes the 4 cardinal directions and the 4 ordinal directions

Zero, by contrast, represents nothingness or emptiness. It is geometrically represented by a plain sheet with no marks on it. Thus 8 is everything and 0 is nothing. 9 is the threshold number between 8 and 0. The number 1 which follows 0 represents the beginning , the root of all geometrical patterns, while 8 is the number represents fulfillment or end.

So number 108 represents beginning- nothingness- fulfillment. i.e. nothingness between the beginning and the end. Or we can say 1 stands for beginning and 8 stands for infinity and eternity.

108 Upanishads

Rigveda(10): Aitareya , Atmabodha, Kaushitaki, Mudgala, Nirvana, Nadabindu, Akshamaya, Tripura, Bahvruka, Saubhagyalakshmi.

Yajurveda(50): Katha, Taittiriya , Isavasya , Brihadaranyaka, Akshi, Ekakshara, Garbha, Prnagnihotra, Svetasvatara, Sariraka, Sukarahasya, Skanda, Sarvasara, Adhyatma, Niralamba, Paingala, Mantrika, Muktika, Subala, Avadhuta, Katharudra, Brahma, Jabala, Turiyatita, Paramahamsa, Bhikshuka, Yajnavalkya, Satyayani, Amrtanada, Amrtabindu, Kshurika, Tejobindu, Dhyanabindu, Brahmavidya, YogakundalinI, Yogatattva, Yogasikha, Varaha, Advayataraka, Trisikhibrahmana, mandalabrahmana, Hamsa, Kalisantaraaa, Narayana, Tarasara, Kalagnirudra, Dakshinamurti, Pancabrahma, Rudrahrdaya, SarasvatIrahasya.

SamaVeda(16): Kena, Chandogya, Mahat, Maitrayani, Vajrasuci, Savitri, Aruneya, Kundika, Maitreyi, Samnyasa, Jabaladarsana, Yogacudaman, Avyakta, Vasudevai, Jabali, Rudrakshajabala.

Atharvaveda(32): Prasna , Mandukya, Mundaka, Atma, Surya, Narada-Parivrajakas, Parabrahma, Paramahamsa-Parivrajakas, Pasupatha-Brahma, Mahavakya, Sandilya, Krishna, Garuda, Gopalatapani, Tripadavibhuti-mahnarayana, Dattatreya, Kaivalya, NrsimhatapanI, Ramatapani, Ramarahasya, HayagrIva, Atharvasikha, Atharvasira, Ganapati, Brhajjabala, Bhasmajabala, Sarabha, Annapurna, TripuratapanI, Devi, Bhavana, SIta.

If we go deep in any shastra, ideally each of the shastra some where leads to the number 108.

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