Dear Indologists,

first of all, I hope you are having a happy Christmas. 

While waiting for the Christmas lunch, I am working on the revision of my PhD thesis and have encountered some difficulties concerning the HT (1.7.10-19), particularly its description of the pīṭhas in relation to the bodhisattva bhūmis.

Snellgrove (1959, 1: 68n1) gives us these translations:

pīhas = seats
kestras = fields
melāpakas = meeting-places
śmaśānas = cemeteries
pīlavas = no trans. is given
chandohas = no trans. is given

Snellgrove cit. Blue Annals' translation of  pīlavas (hu-gcod) as "drink and cut" 
However, Snellgrove is skeptical regarding this translation.

He also pointed out the Netravibhaṅga:

chando = a place where "one desires and yearns"
pīlava = a place where "there are no obstructions"

I am wondering if any studies on these terms have been published in recent years, or if someone could help me understand these two terms.

With my best wishes,
Paolo

--
Paolo E. Rosati
PhD in Asian and African Studies
Mobile/Whatsapp: (+39) 338 73 83 472