I’ll explain the “timeline” in two ways:

1. As per Jain scriptures (with traditional Jain time‑units).
2. As approximate human dates (BCE/CE), used by many modern Jain authors.

In both Digambar and Shvetambar traditions, the basic structure is the same.

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1. Where are we right now?

• We are in Avasarpani (Avasarpiṇī) – the descending half of the time‑cycle.
• Within Avasarpani, we are in the 5th era (pañcham ārā), called duṣamā – “unhappy era”.

This 5th era began a little after Bhagwān Mahāvīr’s Nirvāṇa and lasts for 21,000 human years.

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2. Six eras of Avasarpani – with durations

In Avasarpani, conditions go from best to worst in six steps:

1. Suṣamā‑suṣamā – extremely happy

- Duration: 4 kroḍ‑kroḍ (4 × 10¹⁴) sāgaropama

1. Suṣamā – happy

- Duration: 3 kroḍ‑kroḍ sāgaropama

1. Suṣamā‑duṣamā – more happy than unhappy

- Duration: 2 kroḍ‑kroḍ sāgaropama

1. Duṣamā‑suṣamā – more unhappy than happy

- Duration: 1 kroḍ‑kroḍ sāgaropama – 42,000 years

1. Duṣamā – unhappy (our present era)

- Duration: 21,000 years

1. Duṣamā‑duṣamā – extremely unhappy

- Duration: 21,000 years

Here, sāgaropama is an unimaginably huge Jain time‑unit (far beyond trillions of years).

Both Digambar and Shvetambar accept this basic scheme; differences are only in some details or descriptions, not in the structure.

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3. Same Avasarpani shown with approximate CE/BCE dates

Many modern Jain authors convert this into a rough human timeline. Commonly used (approximate) dates:

• 4th era (duṣamā‑suṣamā)

- Ended: around 525–527 BCE

• 5th era (duṣamā) – current era

- Starts: about 525 BCE (just after Mahāvīr’s Nirvāṇa in 527 BCE) - Total length: 21,000 years - So it runs approx. 525 BCE → 20,476 CE - As of year 2025 CE, we are only about 2,500 years into this 21,000‑year era.

• 6th era (duṣamā‑duṣamā) – future extremely unhappy era

- Approx.: 20,476 CE → 41,476 CE, also 21,000 years

Remember:

• These BCE/CE numbers are not in the Agamas; they are later calculations to help us relate scriptural times to modern calendars.
• The scriptural truth is simply: 5th ara of Avasarpani, length 21,000 years, currently running.

You can read a simple explanation of Avasarpini/Utsarpini here

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4. Timeline of the next Utsarpani after this Avasarpani

After the end of the 6th era of Avasarpani, a new Utsarpani (Utsarpiṇī) begins. In Utsarpani, the same six eras appear again, but in reverse order, and conditions improve:

Eras of Utsarpani (ascending half)

1. Duṣamā‑duṣamā – extremely unhappy

- Duration: 21,000 years

1. Duṣamā – unhappy

- Duration: 21,000 years

1. Duṣamā‑suṣamā – more unhappy than happy

- Duration: 1 kroḍ‑kroḍ sāgaropama

1. Suṣamā‑duṣamā – more happy than unhappy

- Duration: 2 kroḍ‑kroḍ sāgaropama

1. Suṣamā – happy

- Duration: 3 kroḍ‑kroḍ sāgaropama

1. Suṣamā‑suṣamā – extremely happy

- Duration: 4 kroḍ‑kroḍ sāgaropama

So, in brief “timeline” language:

• Now:

- 5th era of Avasarpani (duṣamā), 21,000‑year period, we are very early in it.

• Next:

- 6th era of Avasarpani (duṣamā‑duṣamā), 21,000 years.

• Then:

- Avasarpani ends, Utsarpani starts with its own 6 eras (beginning again from duṣamā‑duṣamā but improving step‑by‑step up to suṣamā‑suṣamā).

This rising and falling of conditions continues endlessly; one kalachakra (time‑wheel) is completed after one Avasarpani + one Utsarpani, and then another similar cycle begins, without start or end.

For a very simple description of Utsarpini itself, you can also see