Khaṇa
Khaṇa，1 （m．） [Derivation unknown．It has been suggested that khaṇa and the Sk．kshaṇa are derived from īkshaṇa （seeing） by process of contraction．This seems very forced； and both words are，in all probability，other than the word from which this hypothesis would derive them．] 1．（1） a （short），moment，wink of time； in phrase khaṇen’eva “in no time” PvA．38．117； Sdhp．584 （etc．）．Sdhp．584； khaṇo ve mā upaccagā “let not the slightest time be wasted” Sn．333=Dh．315； cf．Th．II．5 （cp．khaṇâtīta）； n’atthi so kh° vā layo vā muhutto vā yaṁ （nadī） āramati “there is no moment，no inkling，no particle of time that the river stops flowing” A．IV，137 （as simile of eternal flow of happening，of unbroken continuity of change）； Vism．238 （jīvita°），473； （khaṇa-vasena uppād’‹-› ādi-khaṇa-ttaya，viz．uppāda，ṭhiti，bhaṅga，cp．p．431）； J．IV，128； aṭṭha-kkhaṇa-vinimmutto kh° paramadullabho：one opportunity out of eight，very difficult to be obtained Sdhp．4，16； cp．45，46．-- 2．moment as coincidence of two events：“at the same moment，” esp．in phrase taṁ khaṇaṁ yeva “all at once，” simultaneously，with which syn．ṭhānaso J．I，167，253； III，276，PvA．19； PvA．27，35； tasmiṁ khaṇe J．II，154； PvA．67； Sdhp．17．‹-› 3．the moment as something expected or appointed （cp．kairόs），therefore the right moment，or the proper time．So with ref．to birth，rebirth，fruit of action，attainment of Arahantship，presence on earth of a Buddha，etc．，in cpds．：cuti-kkhaṇo Bdhd 106； paṭisandhi° Ps．II，72 sq．； Bdhd 59，77，78； uppatti° Vbh．411 sq．； sotāpattimagga° Ps．II，3； phala° Ps．I，26，Bdhd 80； nikanti° Ps．II，72 sq．； upacāra° Bdhd 94； citta° id．38，95．--khaṇe khaṇe from time to time Dh．239 （=okāse okāse DhA．III，340，but cp．Comp．161，n．5），Buddhuppāda°，Th．II，A，12．akkhaṇa see sep．Also akkhaṇavedhin．--akkhaṇe at the wrong time，in‹-› opportune Pv IV．140 （=akāle）．On kh．laya，muhutta cp．Points of Contr．296，n．5．
--âtīta having missed the opportunity Sn．333=Dh．315 （=DhA．III，489）； --ññū knowing，realizing the opportunity Sn．325 （cp．SnA 333）．--paccuppanna arisen at the moment or momentarily Vism．431 （one of the 3 kinds of paccuppanna：kh°．，santati°，addhā°）．--paritta small as a moment Vism．238．（Page 231）