Cakravāda

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cakravāda [alt. cakravāla] (P. cakkavāḷa; T. 'khor yug ri; C. tiewei shan 鐵圍山). Literally "ring of mountains," or "circle of mountains." Cakravāda has the followings:

  1. The name of the ring of mountains that surround the world system of the sensuous realm (kāmaloka), according to Buddhist cosmology.[1][2]
  2. The name of the eight mountain ranges of a world system (the seven inner ranges that surround Mount Meru and the outermost range).[3]
  3. In a more general sense, the term is used to refer to an entire "world system," consisting of Mount Meru at the center, surrounded by mountain ranges, seas, and continents. In Buddhist cosmology, there are an inconceivable number of world systems with a similar structure. Each world system is the domain of a specific buddha.[3]

See also: buddhakṣetra

Notes