what are the odds of keval-jnan happening in our current 5th āra
In our current time (5th āra in Bharat kṣetra of this avasarpinī), the odds of new keval‑jñān happening here are, according to Jain śāstra, zero.
Why?
Very briefly, Jain time‑cycle teaching says:
- In one half‑cycle (avasarpinī or utsarpinī) there are 6 ārās.
- Tīrthaṅkaras and new kevalīs normally arise only in the 3rd and 4th ārās.
- We are now in the 5th ārā of avasarpinī in Bharat kṣetra.
- According to both Digambar and Śvetāmbara traditions:
So for our region & time:
> New keval‑jñān will not occur in Bharat kṣetra in the present 5th ārā.
But keval‑jñān does exist right now – where?
Jain cosmology also says:
- In Mahāvideh kṣetra (another human region in Jambudvīp),
- Souls who take human birth in those suitable regions, with the right spiritual maturity, can attain keval‑jñān even “today” (in cosmic terms).
So:
- Here (Bharat, 5th ārā): no new keval‑jñān in this half‑cycle.
- Elsewhere (e.g. Mahāvideh): keval‑jñān is still possible and actually present.
Digambar / Śvetāmbara note
- Both agree on these key points:
- They differ in some historical details (like the exact count and sequence of later Ācāryas), but the conclusion about keval‑jñān in today’s 5th ārā is the same.
So, in simple words: For us, in this world and time, the chance of someone newly getting keval‑jñān is none; but in other suitable parts of the Jain universe, keval‑jñān is still happening.