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Gatha 146
Gati-Margana/17
"After the mere passage of time, the living beings are again found to be born in the aparyaptas (incompletely developed beings) according to the rule."
The minimum difference between the Sasadana-samyagdrsti (the right faith attained through descent) and the Samyag-mithyadrsti (the mixed right and wrong faith) is one samaya (the smallest unit of time), because there is no contradiction to the minimum difference of one samaya between the Sasadana-samyaktva (the right faith attained through descent) and the Samyag-mithyadrsti guna-sthanas (stages of spiritual development).
The maximum difference is up to the asankhyatavein (innumerable) part of a palyopama (an immeasurably long period of time), although the maximum duration of the existence of the Samyag-mithyadrstis is also only the asankhyatavein part of a palyopama, yet their period of absence is prasankhyata (innumerable) times more than that, but still it is the asankhyatavein part of a palyopama, because the asankhyatavein part of a palyopama is of many types.
The maximum difference between the Prathamopasama-samyagdrstis (those with the first stage of subsidence of passions) in the Viratavirati (partially restrained and unrestrained) named fifth gunasthana (stage of spiritual development) is fourteen days, and the maximum difference for the Viratis (the restrained ones), i.e., the Samyatas, is fifteen days. It is also said:
"In the Sammattas (those with right faith), the Virataviratis are of fourteen (days), and the Viratis, the period of absence is to be known as not more than fifteen."
In the Upasama-samyaktva (the right faith with subsidence of passions), it should be known that the minimum difference is one samaya, and the maximum difference is seven days; in the Upasama-samyaktva with Virataviratis, i.e., the Desavratas, it is fourteen days; and in the Viratis, i.e., the Pramatta-apramatta Mahavratas, it is fifteen days.
The minimum difference between the Upasama-samyagdrstis in the Sayatasayyatas (partially restrained and unrestrained) is one samaya, and the maximum difference is fourteen days. The minimum difference between the Upasama-samyagdrstis in the Pramatta-samyatas (restrained with passions) and the Apramatta-samyatas (unrestrained without passions) is one samaya, and the maximum difference is fifteen days.
These gathas also reveal that there is no difference in the rest of the Marganas (spiritual stages), they are continuous. Although "no difference" and "continuous" both indicate the absence of difference, "no difference" is the predominant expression, so this is a Prasajya-pratisedha (absolute negation) relationship. "Continuous" establishes their existence along with the absence of difference, so this is a Paryudasa-pratisedha (exclusive negation) relationship.
6. In the Gati-Margana-adhikara (chapter on the stages of spiritual development), the etymological meaning of the word "Gati" and the types of Gati are: "Gaiuddayaparyaya, Caturgatigamana, and Marana are the causes and effects of Gati. The four types of Gati are Tiryanc (animal), Manusya (human), Deva (divine), and Naraka (infernal)."