One of the four great continents into which the earth is divided. It is to the west of Sineru and is seven thousand yojanas in extent. It is surrounded by five hundred islands (SnA.ii.443). According to the Anguttara Nikáya (i.227; v.59), each cakkavála (world-system) has an Aparagoyána. It is inhabited by men (KhA.123), but they have no houses and sleep on the ground (ThagA.ii.187-8). In the centre of the continent is a Kadamba tree, whose trunk is fifteen yojanas in girth and whose trunk and arms are fifty yojanas in length.
This tree stands for a whole kappa (DhsA.298; AA.i.264; Vm.206). When the sun rises in Jambudípa, it is the middle watch of the night in Aparagoyána; sunset in Aparagoyána is midnight in Jambudípa, and sunrise is noon in Jambudípa, sunset in Pubbavideha and midnight in Uttarakuru (DA.iii.868). A cakkavatti-king first conquers Pubbavideha in the east and Jambudípa in the south, and then sets out to win Aparagoyána in the west and Uttarakuru in the north (Mbv.73-4; BuA.113). Thus King Mandhátá, having conquered Jambudípa, journeys on with his retinue to Aparagoyána and conquers it straight away (Dvy.215).
Punnaka, in his play with Dhanańjaya, staked a jewel, by gazing into which the continent of Aparagoyána could be seen. J.vi.278; so also in the necklace mentioned in the Hárapradána Játaka. (Mtu.ii.68).
In this context the name given is Goyániya. So also in the Mahávastu: Aparagodánika, °godániya (ii.159, 378, etc.). In the Dulva it is called Aparagaudani (Rockhill, 84).
Some of the inhabitants came with Mandhátá from Aparagoyána to Jambudípa and settled down there. The country they colonised was called Aparanta. DA.ii.482; MA.i.484.