kusen hakkei-ishi　九山八海石

KEY WORD :　architecture / gardens

Lit. stone(s) from the nine mountains and eight seas. A single stone or group of stones placed around another stone meant to symbolize Mt. Sumeru (Jp; *Shumisen 須弥山). The stone(s) represent the manifest world of mountains and water, form and void, arranged around the axis mundi of Mt. Sumeru. The eight mountains, in order from closest to Mt. Sumeru to most distant, are Yukendarasen 踰健達羅山, Isadarasen 伊沙駄羅山, Kechirakasen 竭地洛迦山, Sodarishanasen 蘇達梨舎那山, Ashibakanasen 額湿縛羯拏山, Binatakasen 毘那怛迦山, Nimindarasen 尼民達羅山 and Tetsurinisen 鉄輪囲山. The seven oceans between the first eight mountains are called the "fragrant water oceans" or Kousuikai 香水海, while the ocean between the eight and ninth mountains is called the "great salt-water ocean" or Daikan suikai 大鹹水海.

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