The Buddha compared 8 amazing attributes of the ocean with similar 8 marvellous qualites of his teaching:

1. Like the ocean gets deeper incrementally; so our training and progress in Dhamma is gradual
2. As the ocean is bound by the shoreline; so the Buddha's disciples are restraint by the precepts, which they will not transgress even for the sake of their lifes
3. As the ocean will not keep a corpse, but wash it onto the shore; similarly the sangha will not tolerate an evil monk or nun, but expell them from their community
4. Like all the great rivers like Ganges, Yang Tse, Mekong, Nile, Kongo, Amazon, Mississippi, Murray and Wolga loose all distinctions once they merge into the ocean; similarly once a person ordains they loose all previous distinctions by class, caste, race, nationality or ethnicity
5. Although all the rivers constanly flow into the ocean, the ocean does not become fuller from that; likewise, although many attain Nibbāna, the Nibbāna element does not manifest any increase or growth
6. As the whole ocean is permeated by only one unique taste, the taste of salt; so the Dhamma is suffused with only one flavour, the flavour of release
7. As there are numerous valuable resources in the ocean like pearls, conches, gold, oil and gas; similarly there are manifold valuables in the dhamma like the 4 foundations of mindfulness, 4 right efforts, 4 iddhipādā, 5 faculties, 5 powers, 7 bojjhangas and Noble 8fold Path
8. As there are giant being in the ocean like whales, giant squids, dragons and nāgas; so there are giant beings in the Dhamma, like stream enterers, once returners, non returners and arahants

• (Udāna 5.5)

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