[Buddha-l] 9. Attadiipaa Sutta (Joy Vriens)

[Joy Vriens]

> All the instances you cite make a great deal of sense to me when 'dīpa' is interpreted as island.

Here are the different meanings of the Tibetan word "gling", which
translates "dvīpa" :

gling - (JH-SKT, YOGA) dvIpa
(JH-SKT) {LCh,C}*
(JH-ENG, JV, IW, RB) continent
(JH-ENG) *; island; location [as of a monastery]
(JH-OE) {C}island
(YOGA) dvIpaka
(JV) sacred grass, island, isolated place, limb, part of the globe,
division of lands, *, large monastery, mansion, flute
(IW) 1) dry place great or small surrounded by water; 2) piece,
fragment; 3) large monestery; 4) 7 (met) [from the 7 gling around mt
meru [zla ba, 'od dkar, ku sha, mi'am ci, khrung khrung, drag po'i
gling, 'dzam gling chen po] is[land], place, sanctuary, *, monastery,
temple complex, mansion, part, a district in Tibet

"Continent", "island", "division of lands" and "isolated place" are
some of the meanings of "gling". Many names of Tibetan buddhist
centres end on Ling "gling". Few of them are islands. Isn't one of the
first meanings of sacred "isolated", "shielded from the world"?. The
Tibetan word for dvīpa also has the following meanings: "dry place
great or small surrounded by water", "large monastery", "sanctuary",
"temple complex" with more sacred connotations. Conclusion, the
translation "island" emptied out of all sacred connotations and
functions does not render "dvīpa" properly.

Joy