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## Sixth Transcendental Step: Primary [441]
This step deals with time and the auspicious 24 Muhurtas. Although the duration of the time without rebirth (Upapata-viraha-kal) and the time without liberation (Udvartana-viraha-kal) is not 24 Muhurtas for all species of the four types of beings, the time without rebirth and liberation for the first hell, Ratnaprabha, is indeed 24 Muhurtas. Therefore, considering this as the starting point, this step is named "Twenty-four".
## Third Intermediate Step:
This step explains whether the rebirth and liberation of beings in different species occur continuously or with interruptions. It clarifies from the perspective of Anekanta that except for the earth-bodied and other single-sensed beings, the rebirth and liberation of all other beings occur continuously and also with interruptions.
Although this is discussed in the Antar-anugam-prakaran of the Shatkhandagama, the focus there is on the "interruption" in the sense of when a being, after wandering through different states, returns to the same state. It also considers whether there is an interruption with respect to multiple beings and how long beings can remain in hell, etc., with respect to different beings.
## Fourth Step:
This step explains how many beings are reborn and liberated at a particular time in different species of beings with different levels of intellect. It states that except for the plant-bodied and earth-bodied and other single-sensed beings, the rebirth and liberation of all other beings occur in a single time period in the lowest number of one, two, or three, and in the highest number, in countless numbers. For plant-bodied beings, it is continuously countless in their own place and continuously countless in other places, and for earth-bodied and other beings, it is continuously countless.
## Fifth Step:
This step describes the progress of beings. It determines which beings die and are reborn in which species of the four types of beings. In other words, it determines which beings are capable of being reborn in which places after death.
## Sixth Step:
This step describes the liberation of beings, i.e., their departure. It determines where beings go after death (in which state and womb) and where they are reborn. Although the fifth step, when read in reverse, clarifies the subject of the sixth step, as it explains where beings come from, which in turn clarifies where they go after death, this sixth step is introduced for clear understanding.
## Seventh Step:
This step explains when the lifespan of the future birth (Bhava) is determined for a being. In other words, it explains how much of the current lifespan remains or how much has passed when the lifespan of the future birth is determined. Hell beings, gods, and beings with countless years of lifespan (humans and animals) determine their future lifespan six months in advance, while all other beings determine it...