THE '^MANDALA." 321 



is girdled externally by an iron wall, 312| niiles^ high and 3,602,625 

 miles in circumference, which shuts in the light of the sun, moon, 

 and stars; outside this wall is perjDetual darkness until another uni- 

 verse is reached. .The primary sup2)ort of each universe is a "warp and 

 woof" of blue air like crossed durjcs, upon nhich rests "the body of the 

 waters " and in this latter ocean are set the " continents " with bases of 

 "solid gold," and underneath the central Mount Meru are the Hells. 

 1'he dimensions are as follow: — Mount Meru towers 80,000 

 p. ^ . miles above the ocean, and it extends for the same 



distance below the waters. Enveloping it is an 

 "enchanted ocean" (rolwai ???tsho) 80,000 miles in width and the 

 same in depth. To this succeeds a wall of golden mountains named 

 the " Track of the Neck- Yoke," 40,000 miles high and the same in 

 width, and beyond this is an enchanted ocean of the same dimensions. 

 Externally to these are consecutive circles of alternating pairs of 

 golden mountains and enchanted oceans of gradually diminishing 

 dimensions as to width, depth, and height, viz. of 20,000, 10,000, 

 5,000, 2,500, 1,250, and 625 respectively, which brings us to the so- 

 called "continents" in the outer ocean. 



These "continents" are really worlds, for under the heading of 

 T,, ^. ^ Jumhuling (Skt. Jamhudwip) is included the whole 



The contineuts. ■, ij u j^i • . i ^ - , , i . , , 



known worJd, both oriental and occidental. All 

 the other "contineuts" specified by the lamas are therefore purely 

 fabulous, as in Hindu mythology. The chief continents are four in 

 number, one being situated exactly in each of the four directions, and 

 each continent has a smaller satellite on either side, 'thus brino-ino- 

 the total up to twelve. 



The description of these continents briefly is : — 



On the East is " Lus-/;pags " (Skt. Videha), or " vast body." This 

 is shaped like the crescent moon, and is white in colour. 

 It is _ 9,000 miles in diameter, and the inhabitants are 

 described as tranquil and mild, and of excellent conduct, 

 and with faces of same shape as this continent, i.e., crescentic 

 like the moon. 

 On the South is " Jambuling " (Skt. Jamhudwip), or our own world. 

 It is shaped like the shoulder-blade of a sheep, and is blue 

 in colour. It is the smallest of all, being only 7,000 miles 

 in diameter. Here are found riches and plenty, but also 

 acts of sin as well as virtue. The inhabitants have faces 

 of the same shape as the continent, i.e., sub-triangular. 



.r.r.11^^ Tibetan measure is a " rfpag-tshad " which, according to Csoma deKoios, equals 

 4,000 fathoms, and hence a geographical mile. But it seems to correspond to the same Indian 

 unit of measure which is translated in the Ceylonese scriptures as a Yojana, i.e., a unit of 

 about 4 kos, and therefore over five or six geographical miles. 



