Note:

This article was written by me back in 2004 and published in the Italian book “Libri Feroci”, which you can find in our library[1] and store at isvara.org.

Many years have passed and more studies have occurred, and this article could be expanded. But for the moment, I am reporting only the original article, which in my opinion contains interesting initial ideas.

Question:

Surely the number 108 is of fundamental importance in spirituality, in fact 108 are the Upanisads, and 108 are the main queens of Krishna.

108 is also the number of Maha-Mantra repetitions which are used to chant a complete round of japamala, which in fact represents the queens of Krishna, but 108 are also the beads of the jazu, the Buddhist crown.

Another analogy is the Christian rosary, made up of 54 beads, but which become 108 after two turns.

In short, I believe that they are not mere coincidences, but precisely that 108 is endowed with particular powers, or spiritual influences.

Can you describe its glories to me?

Answer:

The question “why is the number 108 so important?” has been posted to me numerous times. The answers I have given have always been quite short because they involve rather complex concepts that take time and mathematical skill, which is not part of my field of study.

The point is that the principles of Absolute Truth can be expressed with a variety of languages, including the numerical one. Philosophical concepts can be expressed with words, but also with music, with sensations, and can also be described by numbers. In general, we are accustomed to describing them in words. But mathematics is a philosophical science.

The number 108 is the numerical description of creation. It is also a map of the reality we perceive. But it’s hard to understand this unless you have done extensive studies.

The ancient Vedic sages were expert mathematicians. Our science comes from theirs. According to them, the number 108 is the number that most of all describes the completeness of the Lord’s creation.

I’ll say something here.

* The number 9 represents completeness. The internal numbers of 108, added together, give 9, 1 + 0 + 8 = 9

* If you multiply any number by 9, the internal sum of the figure that will come out will always be 9. Try the test:

2 x 9 = 18, 1 + 8 = 9

285 x 9 = 2565, 2 + 5 + 6 + 5 = 18, 1 + 8 = 9

8543 x 9 = 76887, 7 + 6 + 8 + 8 + 7 = 36, 3 + 6 = 9

16 (rounds) x 108 (beads) = 1728, 1 + 7 + 2 + 8 = 18, 1 + 8 = 9

This means that no matter what the Lord does, He always remains complete and never disappears in his creation[2].

* The nine planets that travel through the 12 signs of the zodiac make up the whole existence. 9 x 12 = 108

* The 27 nakshatra, and the lunar constellations spread in all directions, which are 4. 27 x 4 = 108

* In some parts of Srimad-Bhagavatam, it is said that the directions are 10. 27 x 10 = 270, 2 + 7 = 9

* Consider the powers of the numbers 1, 2, and 3 in mathematics.

The number 1 raised to its power is 1. The 2 raised to its power is 4. The 3 raised to its power is 27. 1 x 4 x 27 is 108.

The philosophical importance of the numbers 1, 2 and 3 are well known.

* According to some ancient texts the universe is made up of 108 elements.

* The diameter of the Sun is 108 times greater than the diameter of the earth. The distance of the Sun from the earth is 108 times the diameter of the Sun.

* The average distance between the Moon and the Sun is 108 times the diameter of the Moon.

* In the Sanskrit alphabet there are 54 letters, each having its own masculine and feminine forms. 54 x 2 = 108

* In astrology there are 12 houses and 9 planets. 12 x 9 = 108

* The angle formed by two adjacent lines in a pentagon is equivalent to 108 degrees.

* In astrology, silver is said to represent the moon, and its atomic weight is 108.

* The Gopis are 108. The spiritual master is awarded the numerical title 108 because he is their representative.

* Some traditions state that there are 108 earthly desires, 108 lies, and 108 forms of ignorance.

* In yoga, there are 108 lines of energy that converge to form the heart cakra.

* In yoga it is said that if one is so calm as to have only 108 breaths in one day, one will gain enlightenment.

* There are 108 Upanishads.

* The tantras estimate that the average number of breaths that humans take daily is 21,600, of which 10,800 are solar energy and 10,800 are lunar energy. The two numbers are multiples of 9, and 108 is present.

* Some religious traditions have malas made of 54, 36, 27 or 9 balls, all multiples of 9 and derivatives of 108.

* Each deity has 108 names.

* In Islam, the number 108 is used to refer to God.

* In the Jaina religion, 108 is the sum of the five categories of virtues, which are 12, 8, 36, 25, and 27.

* Sikhs, instead of a mala, have 108 knots in a rope made of wool.

* The number 108 is particularly auspicious in the Buddhist religion.

* In astrology, the number 108 occurs all the time.

* 108 symbolizes the union of Shiva and Shakti, the creation of the world.

* When the ocean of milk was smoothed, there were 54 devas on one side and 54 demons on the other to obtain amrita. The sun in a year passes 10 navamsa-pada. The 54 demons are in the southern part of Solo (dakshinayana) and the 54 devas are in the northern part of the sun (uttarayana).

* According to the Muktikopanishad, there are 108 Upanishads.

* Traditionally there are 108 holy places for the Vaishnavas.

[1] Store.isvara.org

[2] See Sri Isopanisad, invocation

This is a section of the book “On a Silver Platter”.

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