2.41. Earth Resting on Water (T1670B2.41)

The king asked Nāgasena again, “Your people say that the earth rests on water, that water rests on air, and that air rests on space. These words, I cannot believe.”

Then the elder Nāgasena took the writing ink(?) of the king and held the pot of writing ink upside down with three fingers and asked the king, “Is the water in this pot supported by atmosphere?”

The king said, “Yes, it is supported by the atmosphere.”

“So is the water supported by air.”

“Excellent, Nāgasena.”

Nāgasena Bhikṣu Sūtra, translated by Venerable Guang Xing. Buddha’s Light Edition English Sutra Translation Series, 2008. This publication is part of translation program of the Woodenfish Project.

The full text, with detailed notes, textual and historical discussion, and comparison between Pali and Chinese texts, is available for download in two separate files, Translation and Notes.

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Used with kind permission of Buddha’s Light Publishing.

This SuttaCentral edition was prepared by Bhikkhu Sujato.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Bhikkhu Sujato.