Viyahapannatti 1.2.30

1.2.30

“Venerable Sir, when viewed from the perspective of past time, how many kinds of duration of abiding in saṃsāra are declared for a jīva?”
“Gautama! Four kinds of duration of abiding in saṃsāra are declared, namely: the duration of abiding in saṃsāra as an inhabitant of hell, the duration of abiding in saṃsāra as an animal, the duration of abiding in saṃsāra as a human, and the duration of abiding in saṃsāra as a deity.”
“Venerable Sir, how many kinds of duration of abiding in saṃsāra as an inhabitant of hell are declared?”
“Gautama! Three kinds are declared, namely: void time, non-void time, and mixed time.”
“Venerable Sir, how many kinds of duration of abiding in saṃsāra as an animal are declared?”
“Gautama! Two kinds are declared, namely: non-void time and mixed time.”
“Venerable Sir, how many kinds of duration of abiding in saṃsāra as a human are declared?”
“Gautama! Three kinds are declared, namely: void time, non-void time, and mixed time.”
“Venerable Sir, how many kinds of duration of abiding in saṃsāra as a deity are declared?”
“Gautama! Three kinds are declared, namely: void time, non-void time, and mixed time.”
“Among these, Venerable Sir—of the duration of abiding in saṃsāra as an inhabitant of hell: void time, non-void time, and mixed time—which is less, or more, or equal, or specifically greater than which?”
“Gautama! The non-void time is least of all; the mixed time is infinitely greater; the void time is infinitely greater [than that].”
“For animals: the non-void time is least of all; the mixed time is infinitely greater.”
“And for humans and deities: the non-void time is least of all; the mixed time is infinitely greater; the void time is infinitely greater [than that].”
“Among these, Venerable Sir—of the duration of abiding in saṃsāra as an inhabitant of hell, the duration of abiding in saṃsāra as an animal, the duration of abiding in saṃsāra as a human, and the duration of abiding in saṃsāra as a deity—which is less, or more, or equal, or specifically greater than which?”
“Gautama! The duration of abiding in saṃsāra as a human is least of all; the duration of abiding in saṃsāra as an inhabitant of hell is innumerably greater; the duration of abiding in saṃsāra as a deity is innumerably greater; the duration of abiding in saṃsāra as an animal is infinitely greater.”