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CHAPTER IV
LIFE-DURATION OF LIVING BEINGS
This Pada gives an account of life-duration of the different classes of living beings.1 This Pada is given the name Sthitipada because it tells us as to how much time a living being can live in different classes when born in them. Living being as substance is eternal. But the modes like infernal, celestial, sub-human, human which it assumes are non-eternal. That is, these modes come into existence and go out of existence at some time. So, the need arises to discuss the duration of various kinds of modes. Such a discussion is met with in this Pada. Maximum and minimum life-durations of each and every mode or class of living beings are pointed out. Life-duration is possible in the case of transmigratory living beings only. Hence while discussing the topic of life-duration, the classes of transmigratory living beings only are taken into consideration. About liberated living beings it is stated that they have beginning but no end (sadiyā apajjavasitā—p. 78 line 14 sū. 211). So, the question of their life-duration does not arise. This is the reason why it is not taken up for discussion in this Pada. Again, this Pada does not give an account of the lifeduration' of the modes of non-living substances. It is so because different varieties of the modes of non-living substances could not have the fixed maximum and minimum limits of their existence.
In this Pada an account of life-durations of the classes of living beings is given in the following order. Life-durations of general classes are given first and only afterwards those of their sub-classes, viz. paryāpta and aparyāpta, are given. To illustrate, the life-duration of the general class of infernal beings is stated first, and afterwards the life-durations of its two sub-classes, viz. paryåpta and aparyāpta, are stated. This very order is followed in giving an account of life-durations of other classes of living beings.
In the table given below life-durations of general classes are given. Here sub-classes, viz. paryāpta and apar yapta are not taken into account. Moreover, the question of the life-duration of the classes of living beings is discussed with a view to indicating the
1. Satkhandagama too discusses this topic under the heading of 'kälānu
gama' (Book VII, pp. 114 and 462). The speciality of Şaskhandagama account is that it expounds the topic through 14 dvāras keeping in view first a single member of this or that class of living beings and then the members of this or that class all taken together. This Şațkhandāgama account is worth comparing with the Uttaradhyayana (36.80 ff.) account of kala given from the standpoint of santati (continuum).
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