Jambudvipa
/ˌdʒʌm.buːˈdviː.pə/noun
A cosmological continent or world-region in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain traditions, traditionally associated with the human realm.
Did you know?In Buddhist and Jain cosmology, Jambudvipa is the realm where humans live and where spiritual liberation is especially possible, while Hindu traditions place Mount Meru at its center.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dwoh
“Two; the ancestral root behind Sanskrit dvi and English two.”
Vedic Sanskrit
Sanskrit
jambū
“The rose-apple tree or its fruit, commonly identified with Syzygium cumini.”
Vedic/Classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit
dvīpa
“Island or continent; traditionally analyzed as a landmass surrounded by water.”
Classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Jambūdvīpa
“The rose-apple island or continent, a major region in Indian cosmological geography.”
Early Buddhist period
Pali
Jambudīpa
“The human world or southern continent in Buddhist cosmology.”
Modern English
English
Jambudvipa
“A transliterated name for the cosmological continent or human realm described in Indian religions.”