Suvannabhumi, Suvaṇṇabhūmi, Suvanna-bhumi: 3 definitions

Introduction:

Suvannabhumi means something in Buddhism, Pali, the history of ancient India. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

In Buddhism

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

[«previous next»] — Suvannabhumi in Theravada glossary
Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper Names

A country. At the end of the Third Council, the theras Sona and Uttara visited this country in order to convert it to Buddhism. At that time a female deity of the sea was in the habit of eating every heir born to the king. The arrival of the theras coincided with the birth of a prince. At first the people thought that the monks were the friends of the demon, but later the monks, being told the story, drove away the demon by their iddhi power and erected a bulwark round the country by reciting the Brahmajala Sutta. Sixty thousand people embraced the new faith, while three thousand five hundred young men and fifteen hundred girls of noble family entered the Order. Thenceforth all princes born into the royal family were called Sonuttara (Mhv.xii.6, 44f.; Dpv.viii.12; Sp.i.64).

There seems to have been regular trade between Bharukaccha and Suvannabhumi (See, e.g., J.iii.188), and also between the latter and Benares (Molini), (J.iv.15), Mithila (J.vi.34), Savatthi (PvA.47), and Pataliputta (PvA.271).

The distance between Ceylon and Suvannabhumi was seven hundred leagues, and, with a favourable wind, could be covered in seven days and nights (AA.i.265).

Suvannabhumi is generally identified with Lower Burma, probably the Pagan and Moulmein districts. It probably included the coast from Rangoon to Singapore. The chief place in Suvannabhumi was Sudhammanagara - i.e., Thaton - at the mouth of the Sittaung River (See Sas. Introd., p.4, and n.3). Fleet suggests (J.R.A.S.1910, p.428), however, that it might be the district in Bengal called by Hiouen Thsang Ka lo na su fa la na (Karnasuvarna), or else the country along the river Son in Central India, a tributary of the Ganges, on the right bank of the river which is also called Hiranyavaha. The probability is that there were two Places of the same name, one originally in India itself and the other in Further India. of. Sunaparanta.

context information

Theravāda is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).

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India history and geography

Source: Ancient Buddhist Texts: Geography of Early Buddhism

Suvaṇṇabhūmi (सुवण्णभूमि) is the name of a locality as recorded in the Pāli Buddhist texts (detailing the geography of ancient India as it was known in to Early Buddhism).—The Theras Soṇa and Uttarā are said to have propagated Buddhism in Suvaṇṇabhūmi, which is identical with Lower Burma (Pegu and Moulmein Districts). According to the Sāsanavaṃsa Suvaṇṇabhūmi is Sudhammanagore, that is, Thaton at the mouth of the Sittaung river.

India history book cover
context information

The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.

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Languages of India and abroad

Pali-English dictionary

[«previous next»] — Suvannabhumi in Pali glossary
Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary

Suvaṇṇabhūmi refers to: “gold-land, ” N. of Cambodia Nd1 155.

Note: suvaṇṇabhūmi is a Pali compound consisting of the words suvaṇṇa and bhūmi.

Pali book cover
context information

Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.

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