12. Question on the Sea 12. Samuddapañha

The king asked: Rājā āha—“Venerable Nāgasena, it is called ‘the sea, the sea’. Why is the water called the sea?” “bhante nāgasena, ‘samuddo samuddo’ti vuccati, kena kāraṇena udakaṁ ‘samuddo’ti vuccatī”ti? The elder replied, Thero āha—“Just as much as there is water, your majesty, so much there is salt. “yattakaṁ, mahārāja, udakaṁ, tattakaṁ loṇaṁ. Just as much as there is salt, so much there is water. Yattakaṁ loṇaṁ, tattakaṁ udakaṁ. Therefore, it is called the ‘sea’.” Tasmā ‘samuddo’ti vuccatī”ti.

“You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena!” “Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti.

Question on the Sea twelfth