Eight subcontinents
Tibetan Buddhist Encyclopedia is now 14 years old
Our Encyclopedia recently received a wonderful opportunity for a major renewal on its 14th birthday . After many years of growing our Encyclopedia had become bit slow and sometimes even decided not to answer when people knocked on the door.
A very big thank you and blessings to Dmytro Rudiy (rudiy.nl) for his great work in upgrading the server, website and all of the infrastructure and helping make TBE fast and reliable again for everyone!
We kindly ask our readers to help us cover the cost of this important upgrade and also help with the ongoing costs of keeping the Encyclopedia alive and freely available.
or card![]()
Every little donation helps and every one is deeply appreciated. 🙏🙏🙏
OM AH HUM VAJRA GURU PADMA SIDDHI HUM 🙏🙏🙏
May blessings shower down on all of yous 🙏🙏🙏

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.