Antarakappa

antarakappa : (m.) intermediatory kappa.

Definition of Kappa or Aeon

What is called Kambhā in Myanmar is Kappa in Pāli. Therefore, it is said in the text of the Buddhavaṃsa: “kappe ca satasahasse, caturo ca asankhiye” etc.

The duration of a kappa cannot be calculated by the number of years. It is known only by inference. Suppose there is a big granary which is one yojana each in length, breath and height and which is full of tiny mustard seeds. You throw out just one seed each century. When all the mustard seeds have been thrown out, the period called kappa have not come to an end yet. (From this, it is to be inferred that the word kappa in Pāli or the word kambhā in Myanmar is an extremely long time. But, nowadays, the word kambhā exactly means such a period is forgotten, and the word is used in the sense of the mass of the earth as in the expression kambā-mye-pyin (earth surface), kambā-mye-lone (the globe), etc.