天竺

(天竺國) India; 竹 (zh) zhu is said to have the same sound as 篤 (zh) tu, suggesting a connection with the 度 (zh) tu in 印度 Indu; other forms are 身毒 Sindhu, Scinde; 賢豆 Hindu; and 印持伽羅. The term is explained by 月 moon, which is the meaning of Indu, but it is said to be so called because the sages of India illumine the rest of the world: or because of the half-moon shape of the land, which was supposed to be 90, 000 (zh) li in circumference, and placed among other kingdoms like the moon among the stars. Another name is 因陀羅婆他那 Indravadana, or Indrabhavana, the region where Indra dwells. A hill and monastery near Hangchow.