Twelve abodes of human beings
Twelve abodes of human beings — the four continents and eight subcontinents.
Four continents
Four continents (Wyl. gling bzhi) — the four island-continents (Skt. dvīpa; Wyl. gling) which surround Mount Meru according to the cosmology of the Abhidharma. They are:
- Purvavideha (Skt. Pūrvavideha; Tib. Lüpakpo; Wyl. lus 'phags po; Eng. 'Surpassing the Body') in the East, which is semi-circular and white in colour;
- Jambudvipa (Skt. Jambudvīpa; Tib. Dzambuling; Wyl. ‘dzam bu gling; Eng. 'Rose-Apple Continent') in the South, which is trapezoidal and blue (this is the continent we human beings live in);
- Aparagodaniya (Skt.; Tib. Balangchö; Wyl. ba lang spyod; Eng. 'Enjoyer of Cattle') in the West, which is circular and ruby red; and
- Uttarakuru (Skt.; Tib. Draminyen; Wyl. sgra mi snyan; Eng. 'Unpleasant Sound') in the North, which is square and green.
Each of the four continents is flanked by two subcontinents (Skt. kṣudradvīpāni; Wyl. gling phreng) of the same shape
Eight subcontinents
Eight subcontinents (Tib. ling tren gyé; Wyl. gling phran brgyad) — there are two subcontinents for each of the four continents which surround Mount Meru according to the cosmology of the Abhidharma. The subcontinents are of identical shape to the continent they surround, but of half its size. The eight subcontinents are:
which surround Purvavideha;
- 3. Chamara (Skt. Cāmara; Tib. Ngayab; Wyl. rnga yab) and
- 4. Aparachamara (Skt. Aparacāmara; Tib. Ngayabshyen; Wyl. rnga yab gzhan)
which surround Jambudvipa;
- 5. Shatha (Skt. Śāthā; Tib. Yoden; Wyl. g.yo ldan) and
- 6. Uttaramantrina (Skt. Uttaramantriṇa; Tib. Lamchokdro; Wyl. lam mchog 'gro)
which surround Aparagodaniya; and
- 7. Kurava (Skt.; Tib. Draminyen; Wyl. sgra mi snyan) and
- 8. Kaurava (Skt.; Tib. Draminyen gyi da; Wyl. sgra mi snyan gyi zla)
which surround Uttarakuru.
