On Lamps and Islands: The Ambiguity of Dīpa in Indic Languages

Well that’s interesting and strange to see such a difference. I was curious so I did a bit of search on DSBC, and found a few examples that may be relevant, including a Sanskrit parallel of that line.

Mahāparinibbānasutta (DN 16)

Evaṁ kho, ānanda, bhikkhu attadīpo viharati attasaraṇo anaññasaraṇo, dhammadīpo dhammasaraṇo anaññasaraṇo.

Mahāyāna Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtram

evaṃ hi bhikṣur ātmadvīpo bhavaty ātmaśaraṇo dharmadvīpo dharmaśaraṇo 'nanyadvīpo 'nanyaśaraṇaḥ |

This seems to agree with the common interpretation of the Pali.

Śīlapāramitāyāmanarthavarjanaṃ Pañcamaḥ Paricchedaḥ

tatra jambūdvīpaḥ pūritaḥ syādvaiyāpṛtyakarairbodhisattvaiḥ |

jambūdīpapramāṇaiścoddeśasvādhyāyābhiyuktairbodhisattvairekasya pratisaṃlapanābhiyuktasya bodhisattvasyopasthānaparicaryā kartavyā |

It uses both dvīpa and dīpa as part of Jambudvipa?

yathā candrapradīpasūtre kāyasaṃvaramadhye paṭhayate-na hastalolupo bhavati na pādalolupaḥ hastapādasaṃyata iti ||

bodhicittavimalāgnisuprabhaṃ dharmadīpa samujvālayiṣyati ||

Here is dharmadīpa. But in this line, it seems to be connected to fire and light.

Maybe an original double meaning of both seclusion (island), and dhyana / samadhi (light)?

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