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## Second Chapter: Interval [173]
The interval has been explained, i.e., after leaving the state of being a **napumsaka** (eunuch), how much time elapses before becoming a **napumsaka** again. Generally, while explaining the interval of a **napumsaka**, the Lord says, "Gautama! The interval is from an **antarmūhurta** (a very short time) in the case of the lowest and slightly more than a **sāgaropamashatapṛthaktva** (a hundred times the distance of an ocean) in the case of the highest. Because the duration of **puruṣatva** (masculinity) and **strītvā** (femininity) as obstacles is only this much. As it is said in the **Sangrahaṇīgaṭhā**s, the interval between a woman and a **napumsaka** (in terms of their **sāciṭṭhaṇā** (state of being) is one **samaya** (time) in the case of the lowest and the interval between a man and a **napumsaka** (in terms of their **sāciṭṭhaṇā**) is **sāgarapṛthaktva** (a distance of an ocean) - (by **padakaideśe padasamudāyopachāra** (a general term for a group of words) - **sāgaropamashatapṛthaktva** (a hundred times the distance of an ocean) in the case of the highest."
In the general sense, the lowest interval for a **nairyika** (hell-being) **napumsaka** is **antarmūhurta**. It is called **antarmūhurta** because of the expectation that after emerging from the **saptamanārakapṛthvī** (seventh hell-earth), it will stay in the **tandulamatsya** (rice-fish) etc. **bhavas** (existences) for **antarmūhurta** and then go back to the **saptama** (seventh) **pṛthvīnārak** (hell-earth). The highest interval is **vanaspatikāla** (the time of a plant). This should be understood as the expectation of staying in **nigoda** (a type of hell) for an infinite time after emerging from the **narakabhava** (hell-existence) according to tradition. Similarly, the interval of **napumsakas** in all seven **narakapṛthvī**s should be understood.
In the general sense, the interval for a **tiryakyoṇi** (animal) **napumsaka** is from **antarmūhurta** in the case of the lowest and **sāgaropamashatapṛthaktva** in the case of the highest. The explanation should be known as before. In the specific sense, generally, the interval for a **ekendriya** (one-sensed) **tiryakyoṇi** **napumsaka** is from **antarmūhurta** (because the obstacle of **dvīndriya** (two-sensed) etc. time is only this much) and the highest is two thousand **sāgaropamas** more than a countable number of years, because the duration of **traskāya** (body of suffering) as an obstacle is only this much. After this much obstacle, it becomes **ekendriya** again. The interval for a **pṛthvīkāyika** (earth-bodied) **ekendriya** **napumsaka** is from **antarmūhurta** in the case of the lowest and **vanaspatikāla** in the case of the highest. Similarly, the interval for **apkaayika** (water-bodied), **tejaskaayika** (fire-bodied), and **vāyukāyika** (air-bodied) **ekendriya** **napumsakas** should also be said. The interval for **vanaspatikāyika** (plant-bodied) **ekendriya** **napumsakas** is from **antarmūhurta** in the case of the lowest and **asanख्येय** (uncountable) time in the case of the highest. This **asanख्येय** time is **asanख्येय** **utsarpiṇī** (ascending) and **avasarpiṇī** (descending) forms in terms of time and **asanख्येय** **loka** (world) measure in terms of space. This means that the **asanख्येय** time is the time taken to completely remove all the regions of **asanख्येय** **lokākāśa** (world-space) by removing one region at a time every **samaya**. After leaving the **vanaspatibhavas** (plant-existences), the living being can stay elsewhere for this much time in the case of the highest. After this, the worldly living being is born again in the **vanaspatikāyika** according to the rule. The interval for **dvīndriya** (two-sensed), **trīndriya** (three-sensed), **caturindriya** (four-sensed), and **pañcendriya** (five-sensed) **tiryakyoṇi** **napumsakas**, the interval for **jalacara** (aquatic), **sthalaacara** (terrestrial), and **khecara** (aerial) **pañcendriya** **tiryakyoṇi** **napumsakas**, and generally the interval for a human **napumsaka** is:
1. **Ityinapumsā sāciṭṭhaṇesu purisantarey samayo u / purisanapumsā sāciṭṭhaṇantare sāgarapuhuuttaṃ //**