Per Jainism, the universe is very vast but of fixed dimensions. The shape of universe resembles somewhat to a man
with arms at angles, hands on waist and legs apart. The universe structure is divided in three tiers. At the top, the
liberated ones are. Above the waist (upper tier), where the heavens are. At the middle tier (at the waist) where all the
humans are. In the lower tier where the hell is. The middle tier which is called the Madhya-lok, where the infinite
concentric worlds are arranged in countless rings. Each ring of land is followed by a ring of water. The central land of
the Madhya-lok is called Jambudvipa. Jambudvipa is surrounded by a ring of water. This water ring is surrounded by a
ring of land and onwards. We live on a section of Jambudvipa, called Bhärat-ksetra. Our earth is a small portion of this
Bhärat-ksetra. The humans are only on Jambudvipa, on the next land ring ( Dhätaki-khanda) and the half of the
following land ring (Pushkarvara). In this 2-1/2 land rings, there are a total of five (Panch) Mahävideh-ksetra, where a
minimum of 20 to a maximum of 160 tirthankars dwell. All the remaining land or water rings do not have human life.
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