Refers to Encircled by a Thousand Houses in Ornament of the Mind.

An Indian paṇḍita involved in translating this sūtra.

The Buddha’s teachings regarding subjects such as wisdom, psychology, metaphysics, and cosmology.

A mountain near the asura city Double Pleasure.

A city in Godānīya.

An ancient title given to ascetics, monks, hermits, and saints, namely, those who have attained the realization of a truth through their own contemplation and not by divine revelation. Here also used as a specific epithet of the buddhas.

A pool in Dwelling on the Disk.

The four abodes of Brahmā are love, compassion, joy, and equanimity.

An ocean far beyond Jambudvīpa.

A mountain in the sea south of Jambudvīpa.

A mountain between Godānīya and Videha.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

An island in the sea west of Jambudvīpa.

King at the second level of the asuras.

A conditioned factor that according to Sarvāstivāda Abhidharma is responsible for the ripening of karmic actions subsequent to their having been performed. See also n.­35.

A forest in Dwelling in Forests.

A realm of the triple-lute-bearer gods.

Indian paṇḍita referred to in the sūtra’s colophon

A forest of the asuras.

A previous ruler of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

A mountain in Shining in Manifold Ways.

An emanated mountain on the trunk of Airāvaṇa.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Hell of Ultimate Torment.

Literally “pain,” “torment,” or “affliction.” In Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit it literally means “impurity” or “depravity.” In its technical use in Buddhism it means any negative quality in the mind that causes continued existence in saṃsāra. There are the 84,000 variations of mental disturbances for which the 84,000 categories of the Buddha’s teachings serve as the antidote. These mental disturbances can be subsumed into the three or five poisons of attachment, aversion, and ignorance plus arrogance and jealousy.

In the context of this sūtra, this appears to refer to the “age of perfection.”

The first of the four ages of human life in Jambudvīpa. Humans in this age enjoy good qualities such as long lifespans free from disease (see 5.­238). Over the course of the four ages humans will lose a quarter of these qualities between each age.

The last of the four ages of human life in Jambudvīpa. In this age humans are endowed with only one remaining quarter of the good qualities that they had during the age of perfection.

The second of the four ages of human life in Jambudvīpa. In this age humans are endowed with three quarters of the good qualities that they had during the age of perfection.

The third of the four ages of human life in Jambudvīpa. In this age humans are endowed with two quarters, or half of the good qualities that they had during the age of perfection.

The five psycho-physical components of personal experience: form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness.

A bird that we have been unable to identify.

A righteous nāga king.

Śakra’s elephant.

A realm that neighbors the Hell of Intense Heat.

A forest upon Mount Playful in Sudharma.

A town in Videha.

A summit in Ornament of the Mind.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

The sharing of merit as food, drink, etc. is offered to members of the saṅgha.

(1) A forest of the asuras. (2) A grove in Lateral.

(1) A park in Sustained by Fruition (rtag tu dga’ ba). (2) A pleasure grove in High Conduct (rtag tu dga’ ba). (3) A pond on Equal Peaks (rtag tu mngon par dga’ ba). (4) A forest of the asuras (tin di kun dga’).

A major śrāvaka disciple and personal attendant of the Buddha Śākyamuni during the last twenty-five years of his life. He was a cousin of the Buddha (according to the Mahāvastu, he was a son of Śuklodana, one of the brothers of King Śuddhodana, which means he was a brother of Devadatta; other sources say he was a son of Amṛtodana, another brother of King Śuddhodana, which means he would have been a brother of Aniruddha).Ānanda, having always been in the Buddha’s presence, is said to have memorized all the teachings he heard and is celebrated for having recited all the Buddha’s teachings by memory at the first council of the Buddhist saṅgha, thus preserving the teachings after the Buddha’s parinirvāṇa. The phrase “Thus did I hear at one time,” found at the beginning of the sūtras, usually stands for his recitation of the teachings. He became a patriarch after the passing of Mahākāśyapa.

A lake near Mount Sumeru.

Unidentified region of India.

A land in the east of Jambudvīpa.

One of the five or six classes of sentient beings, who suffer from gross ignorance or bewilderment (gti mug, moha). They inhabit the realm of desire along with human beings.

A city in Godānīya.

A land in the east of Jambudvīpa.

A mountain in the east of Jambudvīpa.

A lake on Equal Peaks.

A mountain in the sea west of Jambudvīpa.

A lake on Equal Peaks.

A land to the north of Jambudvīpa.

Saraca asoca. The aromatic blossoms of this plant are clustered together as orange, yellow, and red bunches of petals.

A type of nonhuman being whose precise status is subject to different views, but is included as one of the six classes of beings in the sixfold classification of realms of rebirth. In the Buddhist context, asuras are powerful beings said to be dominated by envy, ambition, and hostility. They are also known in the pre-Buddhist and pre-Vedic mythologies of India and Iran, and feature prominently in Vedic and post-Vedic Brahmanical mythology, as well as in the Buddhist tradition. In these traditions, asuras are often described as being engaged in interminable conflict with the devas (gods).

A female asura.

An unvirtuous nāga king.

A realm inhabited by garland-bearer gods.

A realm inhabited by garland-bearer gods.

A realm of the vessel-bearer gods.

A realm of the vessel-bearer gods.

A realm of the triple-lute-bearer gods.

A city in Godānīya.

A god who taught Musulundha the Dharma.

A previous ruler of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

A king of the swans.

A river on Upward Ocean.

A town in Videha.

A land to the north of Jambudvīpa.

The people of the Balkh region, or Bactrians.

The Mimusops elengi, also known as the bulletwood tree.

A lake on Equal Peaks.

A lake on Equal Peaks.

A lake on Equal Peaks.

A land to the north of Jambudvīpa.

A river in the south of Jambudvīpa.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Hell of Ultimate Torment.

A grove in Dwelling on the Disk.

A forest on Heap in the Stream.

A forest on Heap in the Stream.

The horse that pulls the chariot of the sun.

(1) A city at the fourth asura level, Immovable . (2) A lake on Equal Peaks. (3) A pond on Lofty Mound (rnam par mdzes pa). (3) Refers to Dwelling in Beauty (rnam mdzes).

A pond on Equal Peaks.

A town in Videha.

A forest in White Body.

A river at Radiant Streams.

A virtuous nāga king.

A mountain off Videha.

An island beyond Videha.

A town in Videha.

A river on Great Slope.

A lake on Equal Peaks.

An island in the vicinity of Jambudvīpa.

(1) An area in Kuru (nag po gsus pa). 2. One of sixteen realms that surround the Hell of Ultimate Torment. (lto gnag), also called Raven’s Belly.

One of the eight hot hells.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Reviving Hell.

A river in the hell called Raven Mouths.

A river to the south of Jambudvīpa.

(1) An ocean far off the coast of Jambudvīpa. (2) A river on Forest Garlands.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Hell of Ultimate Torment.

A mountain in the eastern sea beyond Jambudvīpa.

A realm in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

In Buddhist literature, this is an epithet applied to buddhas, most often to Śākyamuni. The Sanskrit term generally means “possessing fortune,” but in specifically Buddhist contexts it implies that a buddha is in possession of six auspicious qualities (bhaga) associated with complete awakening. The Tibetan term‍—where bcom is said to refer to “subduing” the four māras, ldan to “possessing” the great qualities of buddhahood, and ’das to “going beyond” saṃsāra and nirvāṇa‍—possibly reflects the commentarial tradition where the Sanskrit bhagavat is interpreted, in addition, as “one who destroys the four māras.” This is achieved either by reading bhagavat as bhagnavat (“one who broke”), or by tracing the word bhaga to the root √bhañj (“to break”).

One of sixteen realms that surround the Great Howling Hell.

A previous ruler of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

A forest on Upward Ocean.

A lotus pond on the fifth minor mountain on Lofty Summit.

An ocean off Jambudvīpa.

A mountain by Lake Expansive .

A forest on Saṅkāśa.

A river on Flocking Peacocks.

An ocean far off the coast of Jambudvīpa.

A previous ruler of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Reviving Hell.

The mountain between Videha and Jambudvīpa.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Howling Hell.

A realm of the triple-lute-bearer gods.

A realm of the triple-lute-bearer gods.

An area in Kuru.

An area in Kuru.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Great Howling Hell.

A mountain in the sea west of Jambudvīpa.

A high-ranking deity presiding over a divine world; he is also considered to be the lord of the Sahā world (our universe). Though not considered a creator god in Buddhism, Brahmā occupies an important place as one of two gods (the other being Indra/Śakra) said to have first exhorted the Buddha Śākyamuni to teach the Dharma. The particular heavens found in the form realm over which Brahmā rules are often some of the most sought-after realms of higher rebirth in Buddhist literature. Since there are many universes or world systems, there are also multiple Brahmās presiding over them. His most frequent epithets are “Lord of the Sahā World” (sahāṃpati) and Great Brahmā (mahābrahman).

The lower realm within the first concentration.

A member of the brahmin caste.

A rākṣasī.

A vidyādhara site on Kālaka.

A pool upon one of Airāvaṇa’s ears.

A mountain in Total Pleasure.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

An ocean far off the coast of Jambudvīpa.

One of the seven golden mountains that surround Mount Sumeru.

A town in Videha.

A mountain range in the Heaven Free from Strife.

A forest in Continuous Movement.

(1) A land in the east of Jambudvīpa. (2) A river in the land known as Aṅga.

A mountain range surrounding the hell of Embers Within.

One of the sixteen realms that surround the Hell of Heat .

One of sixteen realms that surround the Howling Hell.

A realm that neighbors the Hell of Intense Heat.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Crushing Hell.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Crushing Hell.

The famous compiler of the Kangyur (1290–1364).

(1) A forest on the eastern face of Sumeru. (2) Śakra’s arsenal.

(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).

(1) A forest on Encircled by White Clouds (ngang ngur rnams kyis rjes su bsgrags par byed pa). (2) A river on Saṅkāśa (ngang pa kun sgra ’byin pa).

Refers to the meditative practice of calming the mind to rest free from the disturbance of thought. One of the two basic forms of Buddhist meditation, the other being special insight (vipaśyanā, lhag mthong).

A land in the east of Jambudvīpa.

A mansion in Supreme Strength.

A river on Great Slope.

Heedful attention to virtuous qualities.

A forest in Endowed with Increasing Bliss.

Disregard for virtuous qualities.

A park in Delighting in Flower Garlands.

A forest in Total Pleasure.

A land in Godānīya.

River in the hell known as Bursting Like Great Lotuses.

A cave on the mountain called Closed Eye .

A minor mountain on Lofty Peak .

A city in Videha.

A park in Blazing Splendor.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Crushing Hell.

The fourth among the four misdeeds of speech.

A forest in the south of Jambudvīpa.

A class of asuras ruled by Overjoyed .

A land to the north of Jambudvīpa.

A forest on Forest Garlands.

A lake on Equal Peaks.

A lake on Equal Peaks.

A lake on Equal Peaks.

An ocean beyond Videha.

A city in Videha.

(1) A lake on Equal Peaks. (2) A river on Saṅkāśa.

A lake on Utterly Delightful to Behold.

A forest in Moving Mind.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

A pond in Dwelling on Forest Riverbanks in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

A mountain to the north of Jambudvīpa.

A mountain on the continent of Kuru.

King Sudarśana’s elephant.

A forest of the asuras.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

A class of vidyādharas.

(1) A forest in Draped with Jewels. (2) A forest on Flocking Peacocks.

A lotus pool in Lateral.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

A forest in Dwelling on Summits.

The first level of the fourth concentration.

One of the four kinds of food.

(1) A grove in Lateral (sna tshogs). (2) A forest at Sudharma (bkra ba).

A lotus pond in Shining in Manifold Ways.

A river in Moving in Vast Environments.

Generally one of the synonyms for meditation, referring to a state of mental stability. The specific four concentrations are four successively subtler states of meditation that are said to lead to rebirth into the corresponding four levels of the form realm. One of the six perfections.

An island in the vicinity of Jambudvīpa.

A pond on Equal Peaks.

An ocean between Kuru and Godānīya.

A town in Videha.

A river on Deer Abode.

A “ruler of the world” who belongs to the class of the māras.

A lake on Equal Peaks.

A lake in Enraptured by and Attached to Song.

A previous ruler of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

One of the twenty-seven realms of the Heaven Free from Strife.

A realm that neighbors the Hell of Intense Heat.

A class of vidyādharas.

A forest on the lower level of Living on the Peak.

A pond in Continuous Movement.

A bird that lives on the banks of the River of Carelessness.

(1) A peak on Sumeru (rtag dga’). (2) A realm of the ever-infatuated gods (brtan dga’).

A forest on Flocking Peacocks.

A pond on Equal Peaks.

A pleasure garden in Pair of Śāla Trees.

A class of vidyādharas.

A realm that neighbors the Hell of Intense Heat.

A river in the hell of the Borderland of the Lord of Death.

A forest in Dwelling on Summits.

(1) A lake on Equal Peaks. (2) A pond on Equal Peaks. (3) A lotus pond on the fifth minor mountain on Lofty Summit (brtan pa’i chu).

A park in Sustained by Fruition.

A forest in Dwelling on Summits.

Alternative name for Consuming Blood and Marrow, which is one of sixteen realms that surround the Great Howling Hell.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Great Howling Hell.

A lake in Godānīya.

A forest in Draped with Jewels.

One of the twenty-seven realms of the Heaven Free from Strife, possibly the same as Moving in Mixed Environments (rab tu rnam par ’dres pa’i khor yug na rgyu ba).

A lotus pond in Delighting in Flower Garlands.

One of the twenty-seven realms of the Heaven Free from Strife.

A pond at the forest Joyous in Sudharma.

A realm of the ever-infatuated gods.

A pool in Special Joy.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Crushing Hell.

One of the sixteen realms that surround the Hell of Heat .

An island far off the coast of Jambudvīpa.

A mountain to the north of Jambudvīpa.

A rākṣasī on the island called Copper Holder.

A pleasure grove in White Body.

A piśāca.

An area in Kuru.

An ocean to the south of Jambudvīpa.

A lotus pond on the fifth minor mountain on Lofty Summit.

A river on Forest Garlands.

The first among the three mental misdeeds.

A realm that neighbors the Hell of Intense Heat.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Crushing Hell.

Location visited for pleasure by Śakra and his entourage.

A realm of the vessel-bearer gods.

A class of vidyādharas.

One of the eight hot hells.

A lake on Equal Peaks.

A forest in Activity .

A class of asuras.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

A river in Godānīya.

The cycle of birth and death driven by mental afflictions and karmic actions.

A grove in the forest known as Incomparable .

A river in the south of Jambudvīpa.

A land to the north of Jambudvīpa.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Reviving Hell.

One among the twelve sections of scripture.

A forest in Engaging in Clarification.

(1) A pool upon one of Airāvaṇa’s ears (zab pa). (2) A lotus pond on the fifth minor mountain on Lofty Summit (zab pa). (3) A forest on Saṅkāśa (zab mo).

A lake on Equal Peaks.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

A mountain on Videha.

A class of vidyādharas.

A pleasure grove in Promotion

(1) A forest on Encircled by White Clouds. (2) A mountain in Kuru.

A queen of Rāhu, king of asuras.

A river on Deer Abode.

A city in Godānīya.

One of the seven golden mountains that surround Mount Sumeru.

A forest in Part of the Assembly.

(1) A lotus pool in Lateral. (2) A pond on Equal Peaks (rnam par mthong bas dga’ ba).

A mountain near the asura city Double Pleasure.

(1) A forest in Dwelling in Excellent View. (2) A pond in Continuous Movement.

A lotus pond in Pair of Śāla Trees.

A realm of the vessel-bearer gods.

A realm of the ever-infatuated gods.

A pond on Equal Peaks.

An emanated forest created upon the shoulders of Airāvaṇa.

A city in the asura realm called Moon Garland.

A cousin of the Buddha Śākyamuni who broke with him and established his own community. His tradition was still continuing during the first millennium ᴄᴇ. He is portrayed as engendering evil schemes against the Buddha and even succeeding in wounding him. He is usually identified with wicked beings in accounts of previous lifetimes.

The Indian king who established Vikramaśīla.

One of the twenty-seven realms in the Heaven Free from Strife.

A nāga who visits Saṅkāśa Mountain.

An early term to denote the Buddha’s teaching. “Dharma” refers to the sūtras and “Vinaya” to the rules of discipline.

A mountain in the eastern sea beyond Jambudvīpa.

One among the Four Great Kings, guardian of the east.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

A realm in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

A “ruler of the world” who belongs to the class of the māras.

A forest in Continuous Movement.

(1) A realm of the ever-infatuated gods. (2) A river in Dwelling on Summits.

Superknowledge achieved by the power of meditative absorption.

A forest on Forest Garlands.

The second among the four verbal misdeeds.

The city of the asura king Kaṇṭhamāla.

(1) A country of the Deccan region of India. (2) A kingdom in southern India.

A mountain in the eastern sea beyond Jambudvīpa.

A realm in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

A rākṣasī on Sumeru Rival.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Great Howling Hell.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

A forest on Encircled by White Clouds.

A realm of the ever-infatuated gods.

A pond on Equal Peaks.

A lake on Equal Peaks.

A realm in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

A realm in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

A realm in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

A realm in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

A realm in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

A realm in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

A realm in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

A realm in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

One of the twenty-seven realms in the Heaven Free from Strife.

A realm in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

A realm in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

A realm in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

A realm in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

A realm in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

A realm in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

A lotus pool in Lateral.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Hell of Ultimate Torment.

A class of asuras.

A forest on Tamer of Deer Enemies.

Hoping for happiness, fame, praise and gain and fearing suffering, insignificance, blame and loss.

See 2.­4.

The objects, sense faculties, and forms of consciousness that are associated with form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and mental phenomena. See also “element.”

Eighteen special features of a buddha’s behavior, realization, activity, and wisdom that are not shared by other beings.

Eight factors constituting the path of cultivation, namely: right view, right intention, right speech, right activity, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right absorption.. These are further explained in this text, see 4.B.­1101–4.B.­1102.

One among the twelve sections of scripture.

In the context of Buddhist philosophy, one way to describe experience and the world is in terms of eighteen elements (eye, form, and eye consciousness; ear, sound, and ear consciousness; nose, smell, and nose consciousness; tongue, taste, and tongue consciousness; body, touch, and body consciousness; mind, mental phenomena, and mind consciousness).The elements also refer to the elements of the physical world, which are the four main elements: earth, water, fire, and wind. Sometimes two extra elements are added to this list: space and consciousness.

A class of vidyādharas.

A forest on Flocking Peacocks.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Great Howling Hell.

A land in the east of Jambudvīpa.

A previous ruler of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

One of the twenty-seven realms of the Heaven Free from Strife.

A realm in the Heaven Free from Strife.

A realm that neighbors the Hell of Intense Heat.

A rākṣasī who lives in Black Waters

A summit in Ornament of the Mind.

A lake on Equal Peaks.

A mountain in Kuru, the same as White Cloud Keeper.

A pool in Shaded by Garlands.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Crushing Hell.

A lotus lake on Endowed with Lotuses.

A river in Jambudvīpa.

An area in Kuru.

An island beyond Videha.

A nāga realm.

The pleasure garden where Śakra’s elephant roams.

A previous ruler of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

A forest on Tamer of Deer Enemies.

One of the twenty-seven realms of the Heaven Free from Strife.

A mountain in the eastern sea beyond Jambudvīpa.

A mountain in Kuru.

One of the twenty-seven realms in the Heaven Free from Strife.

One of the twenty-seven realms in the Heaven Free from Strife.

A land in the east of Jambudvīpa.

A land in the south of Jambudvīpa.

A mountain to the north of Jambudvīpa.

A previous ruler of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

One of the twenty-seven realms in the Heaven Free from Strife.

Alternative name for the realm of Retinue .

A realm in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

A land to the west of Jambudvīpa.

A previous ruler of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

A realm of the vessel-bearer gods. Also known as Movement of Wind.

A realm of the ever-infatuated gods.

(1) A lake on Equal Peaks (longs spyod du gyur ba). (2) Refers to Dwelling in Enjoyment (dga’ ba).

A forest in Continuous Movement.

A realm of the triple-lute-bearer gods.

A lake near Sudharma.

A realm in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

A realm of the vessel-bearer gods.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Hell of Ultimate Torment.

A mountain in Kuru.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

Refers to Dwelling in Essence of Jewels.

One among the twelve sections of scripture.

An emanated city on the back of Airāvaṇa.

Brahmin who was reborn as Airāvaṇa.

An ocean between Godānīya and Videha.

A class of gods associated with the Four Great Kings.

A forest in Special Joy.

A class of gods associated with the Four Great Kings.

A lotus pool in Lateral.

A previous ruler of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

A class of asuras that live on the third level, Excellent Abode.

A lake near Sudharma.

See “Māra.”

A mountain to the north of Jambudvīpa.

A river on Flocking Peacocks.

Third level of the asuras.

An island in the vicinity of Jambudvīpa.

A ruler of the Heaven Free from Strife.

An island in the vicinity of Jambudvīpa.

A god from whom Śakra heard the Dharma in a previous life.

A previous ruler of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

A city in Videha.

A lake on Equal Peaks.

A city in the realm Dwelling in Excellent View.

(1) A river in the Swan Forest (shis pa’i chu). (2) A river in Godānīya (chu bzang).

A previous ruler of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Reviving Hell.

One of the sixteen realms that surround the Hell of Heat .

A virtuous nāga king.

A lake in Constant Bliss .

A realm inhabited by garland-bearer gods.

A city in Godānīya.

A forest in Fine Complexion and Large Body.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Great Howling Hell.

One of the seven golden mountains that surround Mount Sumeru.

A mountain on Videha.

A land on the northern continent of Kuru.

An ocean between Kuru and Godānīya.

A land in the east of Jambudvīpa.

The term “faculties,” depending on the context, can refer to the five senses (sight, smell, touch, hearing, taste) plus the mental faculty, totaling six, but also to spiritual “faculties.” See “five faculties.”

One of sixteen realms that surround the Hell of Ultimate Torment.

Inhabitants of the Equal Peaks mountain in Kuru.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Hell of Ultimate Torment.

A river in the Hell of Intense Heat.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

An island in the vicinity of Jambudvīpa.

A ring of mountains at the end of the sea.

A mountain in Moving in the Wink of an Eye.

Factors (such as Buddha, Dharma, Saṅgha, one’s parents, the sick, and the poor) which when treated with due care serve to engender merit.

A mountain in Godānīya.

A river in the Crushing Hell.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

A realm in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

Forest on the third asura level, Excellent Abode.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Crushing Hell.

An asura king.

A land to the north of Jambudvīpa.

A lake on Equal Peaks.

A class of asuras.

Abstaining from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and intoxication.

These comprise gods and humans of the higher realms within cyclic existence, along with animals, starving spirits, and the hell dwellers, whose abodes are identified with the lower realms. It is also common to divide the god realm in two, the gods and the asuras, making up six realms or classes of beings (’gro ba drug, ṣaḍgati or rigs drug, ṣaṭkula).

A traditional Indian classification of musical instruments enumerates non-membranous percussion, membranous percussion, wind-blown, plucked string, and bowed string.

(1) The five sense “faculties” corresponding to the five physical senses. (2) The five spiritual “faculties” or capacities to be developed: faith (śraddhā), diligence (vīrya), mindfulness (smṛti), absorption (samādhi), and insight (prajña). These are included in the thirty-seven factors of awakening.

An island in the vicinity of Jambudvīpa.

A park in Born in a Tank.

See “five types of musical instruments.”

See “five classes of beings.”

A lake on Equal Peaks.

A pleasure garden in Moving Like the Moon.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Howling Hell.

A forest in Moving Mind.

A mountain on Videha.

A forest on Saṅkāśa.

A part of Mountainous Garland.

A river at Radiant Streams.

A river at Radiant Streams.

A river in the realm of the Four Great Kings.

One of the sixteen realms that surround the Hell of Heat .

A river in Supreme Splendor.

A part of the Forest of Joy.

A class of vidyādharas.

A forest in Dwelling on Summits.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

Sustenance obtained through consciousness being in contact with an object; one of the four kinds of food.

One of the four kinds of food.

One of the four kinds of food.

A river on Great Slope.

One of the sixteen realms that surround the Hell of Heat .

A mountain on Videha.

A city in Videha.

(1) A forest in Continuous Movement. (2) A forest in Moving in the Stream.

Where the gods receive their armor before battle.

A forest on Great Slope.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Great Howling Hell.

A forest in Happiness .

A forest in Moving in Mixed Environments.

Another name for the Forest of Amusements in Moving in the Stream.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Howling Hell.

A part of the forest known as Incomparable .

Alternative name for Forest of Music.

A forest in Emanation of Light Rays.

A forest on Vast Garlands of Bliss.

A forest in Dwelling in One Direction.

A park in Tamer of Madness.

A forest in Attached to Sound.

A forest in Moving on Springy Ground.

Part of the Forest of Joy.

A forest in Supreme Strength.

A forest in Supreme Strength.

A forest in Moving in Mixed Environments.

A pleasure grove in Shaded by Garlands.

Four ages of human life in Jambudvīpa including the age of perfection, age of threefold endowment, age of twofold endowment, and age of strife.

The four levels of the realm of form.

Taking what is impermanent to be permanent, what is painful to be delightful, what is unclean to be clean, and what is no self to be a self.

The four results of the hearer’s path.

The divine kings who rule the four directions: Vaiśravaṇa (who in this text appears under his alternative name Kubera), Virūḍhaka, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and Virūpākṣa.

This seems to refer to the four continents around Mount Meru.

The four types of food on which beings subsist: coarse food, the food of contact, the food of volition, and the food of joy.

The first teaching of the Buddha covering suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path to the cessation of suffering.

Fearlessness in declaring that one has (1) awakened, (2) ceased all illusions, (3) taught the obstacles to awakening, and (4) shown the way to liberation.

A grove in Lateral.

A lotus pond on the fifth minor mountain on Lofty Summit.

A forest in Moving Mind.

An island in the vicinity of Jambudvīpa.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

A city in Godānīya.

A nāga who visits Saṅkāśa Mountain.

A lake on Equal Peaks.

A pond on Equal Peaks.

A mansion in the forest Endowed with Everything.

A pond on Equal Peaks.

A forest of the asuras.

(1) A lake near Sudharma (bsams ’gro). (2) A lotus pool in Lateral (yid bzhin sna tshogs).

A lake on Equal Peaks.

A lotus pond on the fifth minor mountain on Lofty Summit.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Crushing Hell.

A virtuous nāga king.

A lake in Godānīya.

A land to the north of Jambudvīpa.

A class of generally benevolent nonhuman beings who inhabit the skies, sometimes said to inhabit fantastic cities in the clouds, and more specifically to dwell on the eastern slopes of Mount Meru, where they are ruled by the Great King Dhṛtarāṣṭra. They are most renowned as celestial musicians who serve the gods. In the Abhidharma, the term is also used to refer to the mental body assumed by sentient beings during the intermediate state between death and rebirth. Gandharvas are said to live on fragrances (gandha) in the desire realm, hence the Tibetan translation dri za, meaning “scent eater.”

A river on Saṅkāśa.

The Gaṅgā, or Ganges in English, is considered to be the most sacred river of India, particularly within the Hindu tradition. It starts in the Himalayas, flows through the northern plains of India, bathing the holy city of Vārāṇasī, and meets the sea at the Bay of Bengal, in Bangladesh. In the sūtras, however, this river is mostly mentioned not for its sacredness but for its abundant sands‍—noticeable still today on its many sandy banks and at its delta‍—which serve as a common metaphor for infinitely large numbers.According to Buddhist cosmology, as explained in the Abhidharmakośa, it is one of the four rivers that flow from Lake Anavatapta and cross the southern continent of Jambudvīpa‍—the known human world or more specifically the Indian subcontinent.

A city in Godānīya.

A park in Born in a Tank.

An area in Kuru.

A lake on Equal Peaks.

Forest on the third asura level, Excellent Abode.

A location in Supreme Strength.

A grove in Dwelling in Essence of Jewels.

A nāga who visits Saṅkāśa Mountain.

Ponds in the Forest of Amusements.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Reviving Hell.

A realm in which Musulundha resides.

A palace visited by King Sudarśana.

One of the seven golden mountains that surround Mount Sumeru.

A mountain in the sea south of Jambudvīpa.

A mountain between Kuru and Godānīya.

A grove in Supreme Strength.

A lotus pool in Lateral.

A realm in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Hell of Ultimate Torment.

A realm that neighbors the Hell of Intense Heat.

A class of gods associated with the Four Great Kings.

A mountain in Kuru.

Part of the Forest of Joy.

A river on Triple Horns.

A sea to the north of Jambudvīpa.

In Indian mythology, the garuḍa is an eagle-like bird that is regarded as the king of all birds, normally depicted with a sharp, owl-like beak, often holding a snake, and with large and powerful wings. They are traditionally enemies of the nāgas. In the Vedas, they are said to have brought nectar from the heavens to earth. Garuḍa can also be used as a proper name for a king of such creatures.

An area in Kuru.

Appellation for the Buddha, primarily used by non-Buddhists.

A river on Uttara Mountain.

A mountain range surrounding the hell of Embers Within.

In the most general sense the devas‍—the term is cognate with the English divine‍—are a class of celestial beings who frequently appear in Buddhist texts, often at the head of the assemblies of nonhuman beings who attend and celebrate the teachings of the Buddha Śākyamuni and other buddhas and bodhisattvas. In Buddhist cosmology the devas occupy the highest of the five or six “destinies” (gati) of saṃsāra among which beings take rebirth. The devas reside in the devalokas, “heavens” that traditionally number between twenty-six and twenty-eight and are divided between the desire realm (kāmadhātu), form realm (rūpadhātu), and formless realm (ārūpyadhātu). A being attains rebirth among the devas either through meritorious deeds (in the desire realm) or the attainment of subtle meditative states (in the form and formless realms). While rebirth among the devas is considered favorable, it is ultimately a transitory state from which beings will fall when the conditions that lead to rebirth there are exhausted. Thus, rebirth in the god realms is regarded as a diversion from the spiritual path.

The continent to the west of Mount Sumeru.

A river in the south of Jambudvīpa.

A river at Radiant Streams.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

Forest on the third asura level, Excellent Abode.

An island in the vicinity of Jambudvīpa.

A park in Sustained by Fruition.

An island in the eastern sea beyond Jambudvīpa.

(1) A river on Cakravāḍa. (2) A sea between Godānīya and Kuru.

A location in Jambudvīpa renowned for soft cotton.

A mountain near the asura city Double Pleasure.

The fourth of five realms associated with the fourth concentration into which only noble beings are born.

A part of Mountainous Garland.

A minor mountain on Lofty Peak .

A river on Saṅkāśa.

A ruler of the Heaven Free from Strife.

A lake near Sudharma.

A mountain off Videha.

The highest level of the first concentration.

A part of Mountainous Garland.

A mountain range in the Heaven Free from Strife.

A hell in the vicinity of Ultimate Torment

A mountain range surrounding the hell of Embers Within.

A lake on Equal Peaks.

The third level of the fourth concentration.

One of the eight hot hells.

A forest in Endowed with Increasing Bliss.

A mountain in the sea beyond Jambudvīpa

A river to the south of Jambudvīpa.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Great Howling Hell.

One of the sixteen realms that surround the Hell of Heat .

A mountain on Videha.

A river in the Hell of Intense Heat.

A mountain in Moving in Vast Environments.

A mountain range surrounding the hell of Embers Within.

(1) A forest in Dwelling in Excellent View (shing chen po). (2) A lotus pond on the fifth minor mountain on Lofty Summit (ljon shing).

A river in Ornament of the Mind.

(1) An ocean far off the coast of Jambudvīpa (rlabs chen po). (2) A river in the south of Jambudvīpa (rlabs chen).

Stage of spiritual maturation or realization on the path to awakening, serving as the ground for the growth of noble qualities.

A park in Sustained by Fruition.

A class of vidyādharas.

A grove in Dwelling on Mixed Riverbanks.

A queen of Rāhu, king of asuras.

A forest in Moving on Springy Ground.

A grove in Mutual Liking.

A grove in Garland of Splendor.

A river in Dwelling on Summits.

This refers to the Four Great Kings.

A subclass of yakṣas.

A mythological poison said to have been produced by demonic forces in their fight against the gods.

A river on Forest Garlands.

A realm of the vessel-bearer gods.

A grove in Lateral.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

(1) A forest in Living by Rājanina (yid dga’). (2) A mountain in the eastern sea between Jambudvīpa and Videha (yid bde ba).

One of sixteen realms that surround the Reviving Hell.

A town in Videha.

The third among the four verbal misdeeds.

A mountain in Living on the Peak.

A peak upon Mount Sumeru.

A mountain off Videha.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Crushing Hell. Alternatively referred to as Metallic Fire (lcags kyi me).

A lake on the mountain called “Excellence of Exquisite Intelligence.”

The term is most simply interpreted as “those who hear” the Buddha’s teaching, i.e. his disciples, but the additional element that they then “make it heard” to others is often present in canonical glosses. In a Mahāyāna context it refers to those disciples of the Buddha who aspire to attain the state of a worthy one (arhat), and not to embark on the path of a bodhisattva (with buddhahood as its ultimate goal).

A realm that neighbors the Hell of Intense Heat.

One of the six heavens of the desire realm.

One of the six heavens of the desire realm.

The second level of the fourth concentration.

Tuṣita (or sometimes Saṃtuṣita), literally “Joyous” or “Contented,” is one of the six heavens of the desire realm (kāmadhātu). In standard classifications, such as the one in the Abhidharmakośa, it is ranked as the fourth of the six counting from below. This god realm is where all future buddhas are said to dwell before taking on their final rebirth prior to awakening. There, the Buddha Śākyamuni lived his preceding life as the bodhisattva Śvetaketu. When departing to take birth in this world, he appointed the bodhisattva Maitreya, who will be the next buddha of this eon, as his Dharma regent in Tuṣita. For an account of the Buddha’s previous life in Tuṣita, see The Play in Full (Toh 95), 2.12, and for an account of Maitreya’s birth in Tuṣita and a description of this realm, see The Sūtra on Maitreya’s Birth in the Heaven of Joy , (Toh 199).

The first level of the third concentration.

The third level within the third concentration.

One of the six heavens of the desire realm.

The second of five realms associated with the fourth concentration into which only noble beings are born.

The second level of the third concentration.

One of the six heavens of the desire realm.

One of the six heavens of the desire realm.

One of the five or six classes of sentient beings, engendered by anger and powerful negative actions. They are dominated by great suffering and said to dwell in different hells with specific characteristics.

A realm that neighbors the Hell of Intense Heat.

One of the eight hot hells.

One of the eight hot hells.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Crushing Hell.

The most severe among the eight hot hells.

A park in Sustained by Fruition.

A forest in Promotion.

The second level of the first among the realms of form.

A realm in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

The intermediate level of the first concentration.

The fifth of five realms associated with the fourth concentration into which only noble beings are born.

A class of asuras.

The Himalayan mountain range

Mountains in the north of Jambudvīpa.

A mountain in Kuru.

A previous ruler of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

A place in Ultimate Torment.

A forest on Saṅkāśa.

One of four parks that surround the city of Radiant .

A river in Enjoyment of Scents.

A forest in Dwelling in One Direction.

A forest on Deer Abode.

A type of kinnara that has a horse face and the body of a horse.

A realm in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

A lotus pool on the banks of Flow of Beauty.

One of the eight hot hells.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Hell of Ultimate Torment.

An unvirtuous nāga king.

A city in Godānīya.

A mountain in Godānīya.

Śākyamuni’s family line.

The second among the three mental misdeeds.

A mountain in Living by Rājanina.

A forest in Shining in Manifold Ways.

A river in the northern continent of Kuru.

A previous ruler of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

The fourth level of the asuras.

A previous ruler of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

Entities, such as vows, that are categorized as form composed of the physical elements yet remain imperceptible.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Howling Hell. Also known as No Death .

A forest in Shining in Manifold Ways.

A river in the realm of the Four Great Kings.

A realm that neigbors the Black Line Hell.(The term Samāhṛtavedana is reading, on the authority of the Tib., samāhūta˚ as samāhṛta˚)

A forest at Sudharma.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Great Howling Hell.

Identifications and discernments that run counter to the actual nature of things.

Another name of Śakra.

One of the twenty-seven realms in the Heaven Free from Strife.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Great Howling Hell.

A river in hell.

One of the sixteen realms that surround the Hell of Heat .

One of sixteen realms that surround the Crushing Hell.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Hell of Ultimate Torment.

A lake in Supreme Strength.

A river in Dwelling on Summits.

Transcendent or discriminating awareness; the mind that sees the ultimate truth. One of the six perfections of the bodhisattva.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Great Howling Hell. Alternatively referred to as Life Isochronous with Death.

A king of the Heaven of Making Use of Others’ Emanations.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Reviving Hell.

A realm that neighbors the Hell of Intense Heat.

A forest in Distinguished in Many Colorful Ways.

A river on Eye Garland.

A mountain near the asura city Double Pleasure.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Hell of Ultimate Torment.

One of the sixteen realms that surround the Hell of Heat .

One of sixteen realms that surround the Howling Hell.

A mountain in the sea far beyond Jambudvīpa

A city in Videha.

Literally “lord,” this term is an epithet for the god Śiva, but functions more generally in Buddhist texts as a generalized “supreme being” to whom the creation of the universe is attributed.

An important Buddhist monastery located in Bengal (modern day Bangladesh), founded by King Rāmapāla (ruled 1077–1120 ᴄᴇ).

An asura.

A river famed for its excellent gold

A peak on Sumeru.

The name of the southern continent in Buddhist cosmology, which can signify either the known human world, or more specifically the Indian subcontinent, literally “the jambu island/continent.” Jambu is the name used for a range of plum-like fruits from trees belonging to the genus Szygium, particularly Szygium jambos and Szygium cumini, and it has commonly been rendered “rose apple,” although “black plum” may be a less misleading term. Among various explanations given for the continent being so named, one (in the Abhidharmakośa) is that a jambu tree grows in its northern mountains beside Lake Anavatapta, mythically considered the source of the four great rivers of India, and that the continent is therefore named from the tree or the fruit. Jambudvīpa has the Vajrāsana at its center and is the only continent upon which buddhas attain awakening.

An island to the north of Jambudvīpa.

A virtuous nāga king.

(1) A forest in Endowed with Migration (nor bu’i nags). (2) A forest on the upper level of Living on the Peak (rin po che’i nags).

A mountain between Kuru and Godānīya.

An ocean off Jambudvīpa.

A lake in Total Pleasure.

An island in the vicinity of Jambudvīpa.

A forest in Supreme Strength.

A bird in the Heaven Free from Strife.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

A lake on Equal Peaks.

A peak on Sumeru.

A pond in Continuous Movement.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Great Howling Hell. Alternatively referred to as No Hope of Joy (kun dga’ la re ba med pa) in the Tibetan text.

A virtuous nāga king.

A forest at Sudharma.

(1) A forest in Continuous Movement (bya rnam par dga’ ba). (2) A pond in Continuous Movement (bya mngon par dga’ ba).

A part of the Forest of Joy.

A river in the Swan Forest.

A forest on Deer Abode.

A gandharva colony on Mount Sāra.

A lake on Equal Peaks.

A forest on the southern face of Sumeru.

A river that flows between the two Anūna mountains.

Alternative name of the lake Expansive .

A forest in Dwelling on Summits.

A ruler of the Heaven Free from Strife.

A forest on Upward Ocean.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

A forest on Heap in the Stream.

A river on Forest Garlands.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

Pools that surround the summit of All Worlds.

A forest at Sudharma.

A land to the north of Jambudvīpa.

A river in the south of Jambudvīpa.

A forest in Promotion.

A mountain in the north of Jambudvīpa.

A mountain north of Jambudvīpa.

An unvirtuous nāga king.

An island in the sea west of Jambudvīpa.

A deadly poison that originated when the gods and asuras churned the oceans to create the nectar of immortality.

A land to the north of Jambudvīpa, corresponding to the northern Afghanistan

The name of a previous buddha.

King of the “ necklaces ” (a class of asuras).

A bird of a red color whose voice has been described as like thunder or the sound of a drum.

A stone sometimes identified as cat’s eye.

(1284–1339). An important master in the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism (karma bka’ brgyud). He is considered the third master in the lineage to have the title of Karmapa.

One of the three types of karma whose results are experience neither in the present nor the next, but the subsequent lives. The other two types are the “karma that ripens in this life” (dṛṣṭa­dharma­vipāka or dṛṣṭa­dharma­vedanīya) and the “karma that is to be experienced in the immediately following life” (upapadya­vedanīya).

A land in the east of Jambudvīpa.

The grass Saccharum spontaneum, native to Indian subcontinent.

Ancient name for Vārāṇasī, the holy city on the banks of the Gaṅgā, this name can be applied also to the surrounding country or district. It lies in modern day Uttar Pradesh, India.

A previous buddha.

A land to the north of Jambudvīpa.

“One who belongs to the Kuśika lineage.” An epithet of the god Śakra, also known as Indra, the king of the gods in the Trāyastriṃśa heaven. In the Ṛgveda, Indra is addressed by the epithet Kauśika, with the implication that he is associated with the descendants of the Kuśika lineage (gotra) as their aiding deity. In later epic and Purāṇic texts, we find the story that Indra took birth as Gādhi Kauśika, the son of Kuśika and one of the Vedic poet-seers, after the Puru king Kuśika had performed austerities for one thousand years to obtain a son equal to Indra who could not be killed by others. In the Pāli Kusajātaka (Jāt V 141–45), the Buddha, in one of his former bodhisattva lives as a Trāyastriṃśa god, takes birth as the future king Kusa upon the request of Indra, who wishes to help the childless king of the Mallas, Okkaka, and his chief queen Sīlavatī. This story is also referred to by Nāgasena in the Milindapañha.

(1) A river in the east of Jambudvīpa. (2) A river in the ephemeral hell known as Red .

A river on Excellence of Exquisite Intelligence.

A river in Jambudvīpa.

A land to the west of Jambudvīpa.

An island in the vicinity of Jambudvīpa.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

A land in the south of Jambudvīpa.

One among the nine heavenly bodies.

A land to the north of Jambudvīpa.

The first among the three physical misdeeds.

A fruit that is attractive to behold and has a delicious taste, but is poisonous when eaten.

Butea frondosa, also known as flame of the forest; a tree with bright red flowers.

A barbaric people in Jambudvīpa.

A class of nonhuman beings that resemble humans to the degree that their very name‍—which means “is that human?”‍—suggests some confusion as to their divine status. Kinnaras are mythological beings found in both Buddhist and Brahmanical literature, where they are portrayed as creatures half human, half animal. They are often depicted as highly skilled celestial musicians.

A monk who joined Devadatta’s plot against the Buddha.

A land in Godānīya.

An ancient kingdom, northwest of Magadha, abutting Kāśi, whose capital was Śrāvastī. During the Buddha’s time it was ruled by King Prasenajit.

A river in the east of Jambudvīpa.

A land in the east of Jambudvīpa.

A lake on Equal Peaks.

The first buddha of the Fortunate Eon (our current eon).

The ruling caste in the traditional four-caste hierarchy of India, associated with warriors, the aristocracy, and kings.

A river in Jambudvīpa.

A grove in Promotion

Also known as Vaiśravaṇa. One among the Four Great Kings, guardian of the north.

A forest on Forest Garlands.

A rākṣasī living in Ramayo.

Another name for the god Skandha.

Dwarf-like beings.

A river in Dwelling on Summits.

A virtuous nāga king.

A mountain in the sea south of Jambudvīpa.

(1) The continent to the north of Mount Sumeru. (2) A land to the north of Jambudvīpa.

A class of vidyādharas.

A land to the north of Jambudvīpa.

A realm that neighbors the Hell of Intense Heat.

A land to the north of Jambudvīpa.

An island in the vicinity of Jambudvīpa.

A realm inhabited by garland-bearer gods.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Great Howling Hell. Alternatively referred to as Instant Revival Upon Death (shi ma thag tu ’tsho ba) in the Tibetan text.

A forest on the lower level of Living on the Peak.

A forest in Total Pleasure.

One of the twenty-seven realms in the Heaven Free from Strife.

A class of vidyādharas.

A realm that neighbors the Hell of Intense Heat.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Hell of Ultimate Torment.

The lowest level of the form realm’s second concentration.

A river in Delighting in Flower Garlands.

The second level within the form realm’s second concentration.

One of the twenty-seven realms of the Heaven Free from Strife.

A realm inhabited by garland-bearer gods.

An area in Kuru.

An area in Kuru.

One of the twenty-seven realms of the Heaven Free from Strife.

A realm of the ever-infatuated gods.

A forest on Tamer of Deer Enemies.

(1) A peak upon Mount Sumeru. (2) A mountain in Garland of Splendor.

A forest on the lower level of Living on the Peak.

A mountain in Kuru. Also known as Covered by Lotuses (pad ma dmar pos kun tu khyab pa).

A river on Saṅkāśa.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Great Howling Hell.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Hell of Ultimate Torment.

Ruler of the hells.

A forest in Total Pleasure.

A lotus pond in the forest known as Incomparable .

A river in Engaging in Clarification.

A lotus pool in Lateral.

A forest of the asuras.

A queen of Rāhu, king of asuras.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

A forest in Dwelling in Excellent View.

The uppermost level of the second concentration in the form realm.

A previous ruler of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

One of the seven golden mountains that surround Mount Sumeru.

A mountain on Radiant Streams.

The first among the four verbal misdeeds.

A land in the south of Jambudvīpa.

A peak upon Mount Sumeru.

An ancient Indian kingdom that lay to the south of the Ganges River in what today is the state of Bihar. Magadha was the largest of the sixteen “great states” (mahājanapada) that flourished between the sixth and third centuries ʙᴄᴇ in northern India. During the life of the Buddha Śākyamuni, it was ruled by King Bimbisāra and later by Bimbisāra's son, Ajātaśatru. Its capital was initially Rājagṛha (modern-day Rajgir) but was later moved to Pāṭaliputra (modern-day Patna). Over the centuries, with the expansion of the Magadha’s might, it became the capital of the vast Mauryan empire and seat of the great King Aśoka.This region is home to many of the most important Buddhist sites, including Bodh Gayā, where the Buddha attained awakening; Vulture Peak (Gṛdhra­kūṭa), where the Buddha bestowed many well-known Mahāyāna sūtras; and the Buddhist university of Nālandā that flourished between the fifth and twelfth centuries ᴄᴇ, among many others.

An epithet of Śiva.

Another name for the god Śiva.

A land to the north of Jambudvīpa.

Literally “great serpents,” mahoragas are supernatural beings depicted as large, subterranean beings with human torsos and heads and the lower bodies of serpents. Their movements are said to cause earthquakes, and they make up a class of subterranean geomantic spirits whose movement through the seasons and months of the year is deemed significant for construction projects.

The bodhisattva Maitreya is an important figure in many Buddhist traditions, where he is unanimously regarded as the buddha of the future era. He is said to currently reside in the heaven of Tuṣita, as Śākyamuni’s regent, where he awaits the proper time to take his final rebirth and become the fifth buddha in the Fortunate Eon, reestablishing the Dharma in this world after the teachings of the current buddha have disappeared. Within the Mahāyāna sūtras, Maitreya is elevated to the same status as other central bodhisattvas such as Mañjuśrī and Avalokiteśvara, and his name appears frequently in sūtras, either as the Buddha’s interlocutor or as a teacher of the Dharma. Maitreya literally means “Loving One.” He is also known as Ajita, meaning “Invincible.”For more information on Maitreya, see, for example, the introduction to Maitreya’s Setting Out (Toh 198).

A forest at Shining Jewel Light.

A place in Ultimate Torment.

A class of vidyādharas.

A mountain in the south of Jambudvīpa.

A class of vidyādharas.

A mountain range in Jambudvīpa.

An island in the vicinity of Jambudvīpa.

A forest on Great Slope.

A rākṣasī living on Ardhamaru.

City in the Heaven of Joy.

A lake in Jambudvīpa.

A forest on Flocking Peacocks.

One of the five trees of Indra’s paradise, its heavenly flowers often rain down in salutation of the buddhas and bodhisattvas and are said to be very bright and aromatic, gladdening the hearts of those who see them. In our world, it is a tree native to India, Erythrina indica or Erythrina variegata, commonly known as the Indian coral tree, mandarava tree, flame tree, and tiger’s claw. In the early spring, before its leaves grow, the tree is fully covered in large flowers, which are rich in nectar and attract many birds. Although the most widespread coral tree has red crimson flowers, the color of the blossoms is not usually mentioned in the sūtras themselves, and it may refer to some other kinds, like the rarer Erythrina indica alba, which boasts white flowers.

A forest in Moving Mind.

A rākṣasī living in Blue Waters .

(1) A powerful king whose good deeds lent splendor to the Pleasure Grove Park. (2) A universal monarch.

A queen of Rāhu, king of asuras.

A mountain range surrounding the hell of Embers Within.

A forest in Living on the Peak.

Mañjuśrī is one of the “eight close sons of the Buddha” and a bodhisattva who embodies wisdom. He is a major figure in the Mahāyāna sūtras, appearing often as an interlocutor of the Buddha. In his most well-known iconographic form, he is portrayed bearing the sword of wisdom in his right hand and a volume of the Prajñā­pāramitā­sūtra in his left. To his name, Mañjuśrī, meaning “Gentle and Glorious One,” is often added the epithet Kumārabhūta, “having a youthful form.” He is also called Mañjughoṣa, Mañjusvara, and Pañcaśikha.

A mansion in Sudharma.

A mansion within one of the trees in Pair of Śāla Trees.

(1) A demonic being often bearing the epithet of the “Evil One” (pāpīyān, sdig can), sometimes said to be the principal deity in Heaven of Making Use of Others’ Emanations, the highest paradise in the desire realm; also one of the names of the god of desire, Kāma in the Vedic tradition. He is portrayed as attempting to prevent the Buddha’s enlightenment. In early soteriological religions, the principal deity in saṃsāra, such as Indra, would attempt to prevent anyone’s realization that would lead to such a liberation.(2) The devas ruled over by Māra and assisting his attempts to prevent the Buddha’s enlightenment; they do not wish any being to escape from saṃsāra. More generally, they are symbolic of the defects within a person that prevent enlightenment. These four personifications are the māra of the sons of gods (devaputramāra, lha’i bu’i bdud), which is the distraction of pleasures; the māra of death (mṛtyumāra, ’chi bdag gi bdud); the māra of the aggregates (skandhamāra, phung po’i bdud), which is the body; and the māra of the afflictions (kleśamāra, nyon mongs pa’i bdud).

One among the twelve sections of scripture.

A river in the realm of the gods in Dwelling on Summits within the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

One of the sixteen realms that surround the Hell of Heat .

A grove in Supreme Splendor.

Śakra’s elephant driver.

A mountain in Jambudvīpa.

A virtuous nāga king.

An island in the vicinity of Jambudvīpa.

A land in the south of Jambudvīpa.

A river on Saṅkāśa.

A location in Mutual Liking.

An ordained Buddhist practitioner. Pairs often with brahmin.

The monastic procedure for confession of misdeeds and the restoration of vows.

A mountain to the north of Jambudvīpa.

A land in Godānīya.

A grove in the forest known as Incomparable .

An area to the west of Jambudvīpa.

One of sixteen realms that surround the Crushing Hell. Alternatively referred to as Heap of Live Coals of Iron-dust (lcags kyi phye ma me ma dag gi ra ba).

A river on Saṅkāśa.

An ocean between Godānīya and Videha.

A sea to the north of Jambudvīpa.

A realm that neighbors the Hell of Intense Heat.

Forest upon Mount Playful in Sudharma.

A lake in the realm of the asuras.

A “ruler of the world” who belongs to the class of the māras.

A place in Ultimate Torment.

A land in Godānīya.

A Buddhist temple in a previous time period.

(1) A forest on the northern face of Sumeru (yongs su ’dres pa). (2) A river in Godānīya (kun tu ’dres pa).

A forest on the third asura level, Excellent Abode.

A river in the ephemeral hell known as Red .

The officer who receives and administers donations on behalf of the Saṅgha.