འཁོར་ཡུག | Glossary of Terms

“Circular mass.” In this sūtra it is the name of the outer ring of mountains at the edge of the flat disk that is the world, with Sumeru in the center. However, it is also used to mean the entire disk and the paradises above it. There is also a system where it is the eighth mountain range encircling Sumeru within the ocean.

Means “Periphery.” Name of mountain range that surrounds the world according to Buddhist cosmology.

Name of a mountain range in Buddhist cosmology.

A mountain range.

The name of a mountain range.

A mountain in this sūtra and many others; but, in systematized Buddhist cosmology, the name of the ring of mountains that surrounds the world.

God personifying the ring of mountains surrounding the ocean that encompasses the four continents; the horizontal edge of the world in traditional Buddhist cosmology.

(1) A mountain in the sea west of Jambudvīpa (tsakra bA Do). (2) Eight consecutive rings of mountains that surround the world ocean (ri khor yug).

“Circular Mass.” There are at least four interpretations of what this name refers to. In the Kṣiti­garbha Sūtra it is a mountain that contains the hells. It is also equivalent to the Vaḍaba submarine mountain of fire, which is also said to be the entrance to the hells. The term cakravāla is also used to mean “the entire disk of a world,” including Meru and the paradises above it. More commonly, as in this sūtra, it is the name of the outer ring of mountains at the edge of the flat disk of a world, with Sumeru in the center. Yet it is has the nature of heat, like the Mountain Vaḍaba, in that the heat of the ring of mountains evaporates the ocean so that it does not overflow. Also called Cakravāḍa.

In Buddhist cosmology this mountain range forms an outer ring at the edge of the flat disk that is the world. These mountains prevent the ocean from overflowing. In other contexts this name can refer to the entire disk of the world, the paradises above it, or, as in the Kṣiti­garbha Sūtra, to a mountain that contains the hells, also known as the Vaḍaba submarine mountain of fire.

“Circular mass.” There are at least three interpretations of what this name refers to. In the Kṣitigarbha Sutra it is a mountain that contains the hells, in which case it is equivalent to the Vaḍaba submarine mountain of fire, also said to be the entrance to the hells. More commonly it is the name of the outer ring of mountains at the edge of the flat disk that is the world, with Sumeru in the center. This is also equated with Vaḍaba, the heat of which evaporates the ocean so that it does not overflow. Jambudvīpa, the world of humans is in this sea to Sumeru’s south. However, it is also used to mean the entire disk, including Sumeru and the paradises above it.

Means “Periphery.” Name of mountain range that surrounds the world according to Buddhist cosmology.

In Buddhist cosmology, a ring of iron mountains said to exist at the periphery of a world system.

Name of a mountain range in Buddhist cosmology.

In Buddhist cosmology, this is commonly described as the outer ring of mountains at the edge of the flat disk that is the world, with Mount Sumeru in the center.

Unidentified mountain, probably synonymous with Cakravaḍa, which sometimes refers to the mountain that leads to hell.