2.70. Long Bone (T1670B2.70)

The king asked Nāgasena again, “Your sramanas say that there are bones as long as four thousand li. What kind of animal would have bones four thousand li long?”

Nāgasena said, “Have you, O great king, heard that in the sea, there is a kind of large fish called a zhi, whose body is 28,000 li long?”

“Yes, I have heard of such fish.”

“Yes, if there is a kind of fish whose body is about 28,000 li long, then its ribs are four thousand li long. Are you, great king, still surprised?”

“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.