The way I see it there’s a distinction to be made here between infinity and akålika.
First, consider the following in relation to infinity;
Infinity has some strange properties; It never comes to an end.
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10…
2,4,6,8,10,12,14,16…
The list of even numbers is as long as the list of even plus odd numbers combined even though there appear to be half as many.
So, infinity is effectively temporal, and may be classed as being ‘samsaric’ in nature.
Akålika (as timelessness) on the other hand , is prior to ‘the All’ (Sabba sutta) that, and by extension any amount of monkeying around. Existence for example.
Ultimately the connundrum seems to tie in with the Aggi-Vacchagotta Sutta, and perhaps why the tendency is for the sangha to not talk in terms of the death of the Buddha …
On third thought, I am going to reject my alternatives from earlier. Souls are created all the time by God because they believe in a beginning of human souls, which is when we are born. Whereas the self has been said to undergo so much suffering, the tears we had shed is more than the whole ocean, thus it is not possible to fathom a new self emerging on its own. If there is a new self emerging, then the analogy of having suffered for a long time does not apply to that new self. Thus contradicting the suttas. This implies there is no new self creation, rejecting my third alternative.
Second alternative can be similarly rejected by considering if there is a beginning, then selves are created there. If there was a once creation event why could it not happen again? Answer is there is no creation event.
The most likely scenario remains there is no.beginning, there were infinite past Buddhas, thus infinite beings from the “start”.
