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Hence these are called the regions of labour. The others are called the regions of enjoyment, as the objects of enjoyment are provided by the ten kinds of desire-fulfilling trees.
LIFETIME OF HUMAN BEINGS
The lifetime of the people in these regions is indicated in the next sutra.
नृस्थिती परापरे त्रिपल्योपमान्तर्मुहूर्ते
Nṛsthiti parapare tripalyopamantarmuhurte
38. The maximum and the minimum periods of lifetime of human beings are three palyas and antarmuhurta.
Those whose lifetime is three palyopamas are tripalyopamas. Those whose lifetime is within one muhurta are antarmuhurtas. These are taken respectively. The maximum lifetime of the people is three palyopamas. The minimum is antarmuhurta. Between these two there are several gradations of lifetime.
Palya is of three kinds, vyavahāra palya, uddhāra palya and addha palya. These are significant terms. The first is called vyavahara palya as it is the basis for the usage of the other two palyas. There is nothing which is measured by this. The second is uddhara palya, as the continents and oceans are numbered by the bits of wool drawn out. The third is addhapalya. Addha means duration of time.
Jain Education International
Now the first palya is described. Three pits of the extent of one yojana (consisting of 2,000 krośas) long, one yojana broad and one yojana deep, based on the measure of pramānangula, are dug out. These are packed with the smallest ends of the wool of rams from one to seven days old, the bits incapable of being further cut by scissors. This is called vyavahara palya. Then the small bits of wool are taken out one by one once in every one hundred years. The time taken for emptying the pits in this manner is called vyavahāra palyopama. Each bit is again cut into so many pieces as there are instants in innumerable crores of years. And (imagine that) with such bits the pits are filled up. This is called uddhāra palya. Then these bits are taken out one by one every instant. The time taken for emptying the pits in this manner is called uddhāra palyopama. Ten erores multiplied by one crore
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॥ ३८ ॥
(38)
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