[117] Bhikkhus, there are these eight wonderful and marvellous qualities (acchariyā abbhūtadhammā) in the great ocean, seeing which again and again the asuras delight in the great ocean. What are the eight?
1. Bhikkhus, the great ocean slants gradually, slopes gradually, and inclines gradually, with no abrupt precipice. That the great ocean slants gradually, slopes gradually, and inclines gradually, with no abrupt precipice — this, bhikkhus, is the first wonderful and marvellous quality in the great ocean, seeing which again and again the asuras delight in the great ocean.
2. Furthermore, bhikkhus, the great ocean is stable in nature: it does not overflow its boundary. That the great ocean is stable in nature and does not overflow its boundary — this too, bhikkhus, is the second wonderful and marvellous quality in the great ocean, seeing which again and again the asuras delight in the great ocean.
3. Furthermore, bhikkhus, the great ocean does not abide together with a dead carcass: whatever dead carcass there is in the great ocean, it quickly carries to the shore and casts up onto dry land. That the great ocean does not abide together with a dead carcass — that whatever dead carcass there is in the great ocean, it quickly carries to the shore and casts up onto dry land — this too, bhikkhus, is the third wonderful and marvellous quality in the great ocean, seeing which again and again the asuras delight in the great ocean.
4. Furthermore, bhikkhus, whatever great rivers there are — namely, the Gaṅgā, the Yamunā, the Aciravatī, the Sarabhū, and the Mahī — on reaching the great ocean, these abandon their former names and lineages and are reckoned simply as "the great ocean." That whatever great rivers there are — namely, the Gaṅgā, the Yamunā, the Aciravatī, the Sarabhū, and the Mahī — on reaching the great ocean, abandon their former names and lineages and are reckoned simply as "the great ocean" — this too, bhikkhus, is the fourth wonderful and marvellous quality in the great ocean, seeing which again and again the asuras delight in the great ocean.
5. Furthermore, bhikkhus, whatever streams in the world flow into the great ocean, and whatever showers fall from the sky, neither a lessening nor a filling up of the great ocean is discerned on that account. That whatever streams in the world flow into the great ocean, and whatever showers fall from the sky, neither a lessening nor a filling up of the great ocean is discerned on that account — this too, bhikkhus, is the fifth wonderful and marvellous quality in the great ocean, seeing which again and again the asuras delight in the great ocean.
6. Furthermore, bhikkhus, the great ocean has one taste, the taste of salt. That the great ocean has one taste, the taste of salt — this too, bhikkhus, is the sixth wonderful and marvellous quality in the great ocean, seeing which again and again the asuras delight in the great ocean.
7. Furthermore, bhikkhus, the great ocean contains many treasures, manifold treasures. Therein are these treasures, namely: pearls, gems, beryl, conch shells, quartz, coral, silver, gold, rubies, and cat's-eye. That the great ocean contains many treasures, manifold treasures — therein being these treasures, namely: pearls, gems, beryl, conch shells, quartz, coral, silver, gold, rubies, and cat's-eye — this too, bhikkhus, is the seventh wonderful and marvellous quality in the great ocean, seeing which again and again the asuras delight in the great ocean.
8. Furthermore, bhikkhus, the great ocean is the abode of great beings. Therein are these beings: the timi, the timiṅgala, the timitimiṅgala, asuras, nāgas, and gandhabbas; and there are in the great ocean individual beings (attabhāvā) a hundred yojanas in extent, individual beings two hundred yojanas in extent, individual beings three hundred yojanas in extent, individual beings four hundred yojanas in extent, and individual beings five hundred yojanas in extent. That the great ocean is the abode of great beings — that therein are these beings: the timi, the timiṅgala, the timitimiṅgala, asuras, nāgas, and gandhabbas; and that there are in the great ocean individual beings a hundred yojanas in extent, individual beings two hundred yojanas in extent, individual beings three hundred yojanas in extent, individual beings four hundred yojanas in extent, and individual beings five hundred yojanas in extent — this too, bhikkhus, is the eighth wonderful and marvellous quality in the great ocean, seeing which again and again the asuras delight in the great ocean.
These, bhikkhus, are the eight wonderful and marvellous qualities in the great ocean, seeing which again and again the asuras delight in the great ocean.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.