Northern Continent of Ominous Sound
to the north, Uttarakuru
Uttarakuru; the country of the nothern Kurus; the northern [continent of] Unpleasant Sound Comment: In Buddhist cosmology there are four large continents, each of which has two smaller continents (gling phran brgyad) next to it: In the center, is the monarch of mountains, ri rab (meru). The four continents and eight smaller continents are (1) shar lus 'phags po (videha), the eastern continent ""land of [those with] superior/large bodies"" with lus (deha) and lus 'phags (videha); (2) lho 'dzam bu gling (jambudvīpa), the southern continent ""Jambu-tree land"" with rnga yab (cāmara) and rnga yab gzhan (aparacāmara); (3) nub ba blang spyod (godanīya) the western continent ""land of using cattle"" with g.yo ldan (sāthā) and lam mchog 'gro (uttaramantriṇa); (4) byang sgra mi snyan (kuru), the northern continent ""land of unpleasant sound"" with sgra mi snyan (kurava) and sgra mi snyan kyi zla (kaurava). Surrounding all of these is an outer rim of iron mountains.