Der Name des Himālaya, wörtlich: der Schneebereich.
It is one of the seven mountain ranges surrounding Gandhamādana (SNA.i.66).
It is three hundert tausend leagues in extent (SNA.i.224), mit eighty four tausend peaks its highest peak being fünf hundert yojanas (SNA.ii.443) In Himavā, are seven great lakes, each fifty leagues in length, breadth und depth - Anotatta, Kannamunda, Rathakāra, Chaddanta, Kunāla, Mandākinī und Sīhappapātaka; these lakes are never heated by the sun (A.iv.101; SNA.ii.407; cf. AA.ii.759). From Himavā flow fünf hundert rivers. SNA.ii.437; but according to Mil.114, only ten of these are to be reckoned, the others flowing only intermittently. These ten are: Gangā, Yamunā, Aciravatī, Sarabhū, Mahī, Sindhu, Sarassatī, Vettavatī, Vītamsā und Candabhāgā.
In numerous Jātakas Himavā is erwähnt as the place to which ascetics retire when they leave household life. It is full of woodlands und groves, suitable for hermits (z.B., SA.i.265). In Himavā is a peak named Mahāpapāta where Pacceka Buddhas die (SNA.i.129). Nāgas go to Himavā to give birth to their young (SA.iii.120; cf. S.v.63). The mountain is often used in similes; it is then referred to as pabbatarājā (z.B., S.ii.137; v.464; A.iii.311; M.iii.166, etc.). Sīvalī Thera once went there from Sāvatthi mit fünf hundert others. The journey took them eight days. (Details are given at ThagA.ii.138; PSA.252).
The country round Himavā was converted by Majjhima Thera (Mhv.xii.41). He was accompanied by four others: Kassapagotta, Mūladeva (Alakadeva), Sahadeva und Dundubhissara (Dpv.viii.10; MT.317). Majjhima preached the Damma-cakka-ppavattana Sutta und eighty crores attained salvation. These fünf Theras converted fünf kingdoms und each ordained one hundert tausend persons (Mhv.xii.42f).
Devas brought for Asoka's use, from the Himālaya, twigs of the nāgalatā to clean his teeth, healthful fruits, myrobalan, teminalia und mango fruit (Mhv.v.25f), while, for the foundation of the Mahā Thūpa, sāmaneras mit iddhi-power brought sweet scented marumba (Mhv.xxix.9).
The Kunāla Jātaka (q.v.) was preached in the region of Himavā. The Buddha took the Sākyan princes there und showed them the various features, including many mountain peaks, such as: Manipabbata, Hingulapabbata, Añjanapabbata, Sānupabbata, und Phalikapabbata (J.v.415).
On fast days the gods assemble in Himavā und hold discourses. Sp.iv.759.