[INDOLOGY] Auspicious numbers in Hinduism

[Jonathan Duquette]

I like to think of 108 as mathematically auspicious:

108=(1^1)*(2^2)*(3^3)!

Jonathan



On Wed, 9 Feb 2022 at 21:03, Tieken, H.J.H. (Herman) via INDOLOGY <
indology at list.indology.info> wrote:

> Dear Harry,
>
> I do not know about the auspiciousness of 108. However, the 8 in 108 does
> have a special meaning as it does in 18 (books of the Mahābhārata).
> Following upon 7, which makes a finite, closed list (seventh heaven, seven
> generations  in some inscriptions), 8 opens it again (with it the
> speaker/writer indicates that he could easily go on adding to the list).
> Thus, 8 rasas  ("On the Use of Rasa in Studies of Sanskrit Drama, IIJ 43
> (2000), pp. 115-138) and in some Gupta inscriptions the kings are praised
> in 8 stanzas ("Some Literary Embellishments in the Gupta Inscriptions".
> ArOr 74/4 (2006), pp. 451-460.
>
> I vaguely remember that Jan Gonda has written about numbers, but am unable
> to provide a reference.
>
> Kind regards, Herman
>
>
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>
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> Herman Tieken
> Stationsweg 58
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>
> ------------------------------
> *Van:* INDOLOGY <indology-bounces at list.indology.info> namens Jim Ryan via
> INDOLOGY <indology at list.indology.info>
> *Verzonden:* woensdag 9 februari 2022 21:10
> *Aan:* Harry Spier <vasishtha.spier at gmail.com>
> *CC:* indology at list.indology.info <indology at list.indology.info>
> *Onderwerp:* Re: [INDOLOGY] Auspicious numbers in Hinduism
>
> Harry,
>
> Thomas McEvilley in his book, *The Shape of Ancient Thought* discusses a
> theory of how a number of the Indian auspicious numbers (including 108)
> might have been  derived from Sumerian “Processional arithmetic.” This is
> in Chapter 3, I think. Especially beginning on p. 293.
>
> Jim Ryan
> Asian Philosophies and Cultures (Emeritus)
> California Institute of Integral Studies
>
> On Feb 9, 2022, at 11:09 AM, Harry Spier via INDOLOGY <
> indology at list.indology.info> wrote:
>
> Dear list members,
> Can anyone point me to any studies on auspicious numbers in Hinduism
> Thanks,
> Harry Spier
>
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