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Jambudvipa
It is 10,000 yojanas in extent A representation of our world system with Jambudvipa pictured at the bottom
centre of the image.
(Vibhajyavāda tradition) or has a
perimeter of 6,000 yojanas
(Sarvāstivāda tradition) to which can be added the southern coast of only 3
1⁄2 yojanas' length.
The continent takes its name from a giant Jambu tree (Syzygium cumini),
100 yojanas tall, which grows in the middle of the continent.
The people here are five to six feet tall and their length of life varies
between 10 to power 140 years (Asankya Aayu) and 10 years.
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However, legend says that only one jambu tree exists, which is not visible
to ordinary persons but only to enlightened beings.”[1]
Alternative Translations
the Rose-Apple Continent
Continent/Island of Jambu
Footnotes
1. Myriad Worlds, footnote 16, page 266.
Further Reading
Jamgön Kongtrul, Myriad Worlds (Ithaca: Snow Lion, 1995), pages
112-113 & 131-134
Source
RigpaWiki:Jambudvipa
Jambudvipa
The shape of Jambudvipa is that of an almost equilateral triangle (precisely, a trapezoid whose southern end is far
narrower than its northern end).
That is, the northern part of the continent is broad, tapering to a very narrow breadth in the south, a shape that suggests
the Indian subcontinent.
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In the northern part of Jambudvipa are the Snow Mountains, and to the
north of the Snow Mountains lies Heat-Free Lake (also known as
Anavatapta Lake).
The four great rivers of the Ganga, Sindhu, Vakshu, and Shitaoriginate
from Heat-Free Lake and nurture the soil on Jambudvipa.
Within Jambudvipa, there are sixteen great states, five hundred middle-
sized states, and a hundred thousand small states (ten thousand small
states according to another source).
The joys of Jambudvipa are fewer than those of the other three continents,
for this continent is populated with people of bad karma.
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Source
sgilibrary.org (http://www.sgilibrary.org/search_dict.php?id=1092)
The Wonderland
At that time, Jambudvipa with all its [area of] ten thousand yojanas (a
measurement approximately equal to seven miles) will be similar to the
kingdom of Ketumati, being as prosperous as a Wedding house in season.
In these kingdoms, men and women will wash and bathe in ponds with
banks of white sands upon which stairs made of the seven types of gems
lead down.
These ponds will be frequented by swans and other birds and will always
be covered by five types of water lilies.
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People will wear heavenly scents and creams, wreaths of divine Flowers, selected ornaments and adorn themselves with
garments and Clothes freely given by the Kalpa v.rk.sas (heavenly wishing trees which appear during the first phases of a
Kalpa during the time of an Enlightened Buddha that provide for all human material wants).
They will enjoy the taste of heavenly-scented rice, sit and lie on comfortable beds with heavenly bedspreads, sleep while
listening to music and watch the Dancing of artists who resemble the artists in Heaven.
They will awaken from sleep hearing music and see their Wealth and comforts by the Light of lamps burning with scented
oil.
They will be especially happy when they see their great Wealth of cash, grains, Elephants, horses, servants and labourers.
As their minds will be full of Happiness, they will enjoy this Life full of luxury and comfort.
None of them will suffer from the ninety-eight or ninety-nine types of illness nor from the two hundred and three
accidents.
They will always be happy and gay, peaceful in Mind, enjoying the five types of comforts, adorning their bodies with
various ornaments which, devoid of all ailments, will shine like the bodies of the gods.
Source
web.singnet.com.sg/~alankhoo (http://web.singnet.com.sg/~alankhoo/Maitreya.htm)
This is where humans live and notably is the only location where a being may become Enlightened.
It is a fortunate Rebirth that brings us to this human Body, that brings us to ~ Jambudvipa ~.
It is here that we may receive the gift of Dhamma, come to understand and know The Four Noble Truths,
The Eightfold Path, realize Liberation from the Wheel of Wandering On...
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Source
movies.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Jambudvipa (https://movies.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Jambudvipa/info)
Jambudvipa,
Plaksadvipa,
Salmalidvipa,
Kushadvipa,
Krounchadvipa,
Shakdvipa, and
Pushkaradvipa.
Seven intermediate oceans consist of salt-water, sugarcane juice, wine, ghee, curd, milk and water respectively.
Continent Jambudvipa (Indian Blackberry Island), also known as Sudarshanadvipa, forms the innermost concentric island
in the above scheme.
Its name is said to derive from a Jambu tree (another name for the Indian Blackberry, a kind of black plum).
The fruits of the Jambu tree are said to be as large as Elephants and when they become rotten and fall upon the crest of the
mountains, a river of juice is formed from their expressed juice.
The river so formed is called Jambunadi (Jambu river) and flows through Jambudvipa, whose inhabitants drink its waters.
Insular continent Jambudvipa is said to comprise nine varsas (zones) and eight significant mountains.
Markandeya Purana portrays Jambudvipa as being depressed on its south and north and elevated and broad in the middle.
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At the center of Ila-vrta lies the golden Mount Meru, the king of mountains and the support of the planet Earth.
On the summit of Mount Meru is the vast city of Lord Brahma, known as Brahmapuri.
Surrounding Brahmapuri are the cities of Lord Indra and of seven other devatas or demigods.
The varsas of
are said to lie on the north, those of Hari, Kimpurusha and Bharata on the south and of Ketumala and Bhadrasva on the
west and east sides of Mount Meru respectively.
The mountains named Nishada, Hemakuta and Himavan (Himalaya) lie on the south, mountains Nila, Sveta and
Sringavan on the north, those of Malayavat and Gandhamadana on the west and east direction of Mount Meru respectively.
The geographical description of the Jambudvipa is given in great detail in Bhishmaparva of the Mahabharata and several
{{Wiki|Puranas]].
Markandeya Purana and Brahmanda Purana divide Jambudvipa into four vast regions shaped like four petals of a Lotus
with Mount Meru being located at the center like a pericarp.
The city of Brahmapuri is said to be enclosed by the river Ganga, known as Akash Ganga.
River Ganga is said to issue forth from the foot of Lord Vishnu and after washing the lunar region falls “through the skies”
and after encircling the Brahmapuri “splits up into four mighty streams”, which are said to flow in four opposite directions
from the landscape of Mount Meru and irrigate the vast lands of Jambudvipa.
River Sita irrigates the Bhadrasva varsa, river Jambunadi streams through the Ketumala varsa, river Alakananda flows
through the Bharata varsa and river Bhadra washes the lands of the Uttara-Kuru varsa.
The Vayu Purana furnishes some details of the mountain ranges, valleys
and river systems of the geographical region of Jambudvipa making it
possible to identify some of their geographical features.
Mount Meru (or Sumeru) is identified with the vast Nagard Sarovar in the center of the modern Pamir mountain range.
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The Padma Purana identifies the river Jambunadi with the river Chaksu (Amu Darya).
The river Sita (Sito of Hiuen Tsiang) corresponds to the Yarkand River.
Bhadrasva varsa probably corresponds to the major part of Xinjiang province of China and the region lying to its east.
Uttara-Kuru varsa is the region to the north of the Pamirs. It probably includes the north-western parts of Xinjiang
province of China, the Tien Shan region, and most parts of Kyrgyzstan.
Ketumala varsa is said to be the region spanned by the Amu Darya, and therefore may correspond to western
Turkmenistan, north-west Afghanistan (ancient Bactria) and north-east Iran.
Ila-Vrta varsa (Meruvarsa) is the mountainous region around the central point of Meru. It probably includes the Pamirs,
Badakshan, parts of Kashmir, North-West Frontier region and north-east Afghanistan, etc.
The author of Vayu Purana uses the name Kumuda-dvipa for Kusha-
dvipa.
In anterior Epic Age Kumuda was the name given to high table-land of the
Tartary located to north of the Himalaya range.
Some scholars connect this Kumuda (the Komdei of Ptolemy, probably Kamdesh from Kamboj-desh?) with ancient Iranian
Kambojas.
The river Kurumu (modern Kuram) on south of river Kubha (Kabol) is stated to be flowing through the Plaksa-dvipa of
the Puranic accounts.
Hence the Plaksa-dvipa may have been the region lying to west of the Indus River probably comprising territories of Iran,
middle and southern Afghanistan and parts of Pakistan, etc.
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The Pushkaradvipa has been identified by some as the region lying between China and Mangala (perhaps China and
Mongolia) based on the evidence of medieval era Muslim scholar Al-Biruni.
There has been an attempt to plot the concentric continents on solar system.[6] Their identification is difficult since,
according to Matsya Purana, they are of super-Human nature.
The common names of the dviipa-s, having their vars.a-s (9 for Jambu-dviipa, 7 for the other dviipa-s) with a mountain
and a river in each vars.a, is given in several Puraan.a-s .
In Buddhism
The Buddhist cosmology divides the bhuma??ala (circle of the Earth) into three separate levels:
In the Kamadhatu is located Mount Sumeru which is said to be surrounded by four island-continents.
The other three continents of Buddhist accounts around Sumeru are not accessible to humans from Jambudvipa.
In its center is a gigantic Jambu tree (rose-apple) from which the continent takes its name, meaning “Jambu Island”.
Jambudvipa is the region where the humans live and is the only place where a being may become Enlightened by being
born as a human being.
It is in Jambudvipa that one may receive the gift of Dharma and come to understand The Four Noble Truths, the Noble
Eightfold Path and ultimately realize the Liberation from the cycle of Life and Death.
Another reference is from the Buddhist text Mahavamsa, where the emperor Ashoka‘s son Mahinda introduces himself to
the Sri Lankan kind Devanampiyatissa as from Jambudvipa, referring to what is now the Indian mainland.
According to Jain cosmology, Jambudvipa (The island of the rose apple tree) is at the centre of Madhyaloka, or the middle
part of The Universe, where the humans reside.
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Mount Meru is at the centre of the world surrounded by Jambūdvīpa, in form of a circle forming a diameter of 100,000
yojans .
Jambūdvīpa continent has 6 mighty mountains, dividing the continent into 7 zones (Ksetra).
Bharat Kshetra
Mahavideh Kshetra
Airavat Kshetra
Ramyak
Hairanyvat Kshetra
Haimava Kshetra
Hari Kshetra
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The three zones i.e. Bharat Kshetra, Mahavideh Kshetra and Airavat Kshetra are also known as Karma bhoomi because
practice of austerities and liberation is possible and the Tirthankaras preach the Jain doctrine.
Ramyak,
Hairanyvat Kshetra,
Hari Kshetra
are known as akarmabhoomi or bhogbhumi as humans live a sinless life of pleasure and no religion or liberation is
possible.
Notes
3. ^ Geographical Data in the Early Puranas. A Critical Study, Dr M. R. Singh: University of Rajasthan/Jaipur. Punthi
Pustak, Calcutta. 1972. p. 5
Source
truthdisclosed.wordpress.com (http://truthdisclosed.wordpress.com/2008/07/19/jambudwipa-india-or-ancient-bharat
a/)
gling bzhi - 1) (shar lus 'phags po). 2) (lto 'dzam bu gling) 3) (nub ba lang spyod) 4) (byang sgra mi snyan)
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Four Continents.
rgya gar rdo rje gdan - (lho 'dzam bu'i gling gi yul gyi dbus rgya gar rdo rje
gdan) the central region is the Vajra Seat at Bodhgaya, at the center of
Jambudvipa, the southern continent [RY]
It is said also that four devas and four gandharvas descended from the sky
and established their dominion in eight places known as the eight Celestial
Abodes (mkha' spyod kyi gnas brgyad).
Likewise, four yakshas and four rakshasas, already on the Earth, made their way to Jambudvipa where they established
themselves in eight Earthly Abodes (sa spyod kyi gnas brgyad), while four Nagas and four Asuras came to Jambudvipa
from beneath the Earth, to settle themselves in eight Underground Abodes (sa 'og gi gnas brgyad).
They invited Bhairava to visit their dwellings, twenty-four in all, but he, instead of coming personally, manifested in each
place as a lingam to which these savage beings would make blood sacrifices.
These demonic forces prevailed from the "golden age" until the beginning of our present "era of strife and conflict."
It was then, the Tantra recounts, that the Blessed One, Vajradhara, knew that the time had come to subdue these
unsuitable beings.
Without his Mind ever wavering from objectless Compassion, he arose in the formidable wrathful display of a Heruka with
four heads and twelve arms.
He danced, and through the Power of the nondual Wisdom of all the Buddhas, trampled down Mahadeva and his consort
together with their retinue, liberating their minds into the absolute expanse and establishing them in great bliss.
The Heruka then blessed each of the twenty-four abodes as a palace of Chakrasamvara and each of the twenty-four lingams
as a Mandala of sixty-two Wisdom deities.
The sixty-two are Chakrasamvara, his consort, and his retinue: the twenty-four male and twenty-four female Bodhisattvas,
and the twelve goddesses. [MR] [RY]
phyogs glang - Dignaga, [Syn (phyogs glang kyi glang po). is, among the Six Ornaments which Beautify Jambudvipa, the
recipient of the transmission of pramana, valid cognition, to bring an end to confusion about meaning [RY]
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'dzam bu gling - Jambudvipa [1of the four continents, to the south of Mount Meru the Rose apple continent, land of
jambu.] [IW]
'dzam bu gling - Continent of the Rose-apple Tree, Jambudvipa, southern continent [RY]
Mount Meru.
The mountain in the center of the World surrounded by four continents of which the southern in our known World,
Jambudvipa [RY]
ri rab lhun po gling bzhi dang bcas pa - Mount Sumeru and the four continents.
The mythological giant mountain at the center of our World-system surrounded by the four continents, where the two
lowest classes of gods of the Desire Realm live.
It is encircled by chains of lesser mountains, lakes, continents, and oceans and is said to rise 84,000 leagues above sea-
level.
Our present World is situated on the southern continent called Jambudvipa [RY]
sa yi lte ba - center of this World; (dzam gling sa yi lte ba) center of this Jambudvipa World [RY]
3) the city of pretas five hundred (dpag tshad) below the Earth of Jambudvipa.
lho rgyal 'dzam gling gi lte ba - the very center of the southern continent, Jambudvipa [RY]
lho yi 'dzam bu'i gling - Southern continent of the Rose-apple Jambudvipa [RY]
Source
RangjungYesheWiki:Jambudvipa
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