an8.20:9.1 In the same way, seeing eight incredible and amazing things, monks, the mendicants love this teaching and training.
an8.20:9.2 What eight?
an8.20:9.3 The ocean gradually slants, slopes, and inclines, with no abrupt precipice.
an8.20:9.4 In the same way in this teaching and training the penetration to enlightenment comes from gradual training, progress, and practice, not abruptly.
an8.20:9.6 This is the first thing the mendicants love about this teaching and training. …
an8.20:9.7 Many great beings live in the ocean, such as leviathans, leviathan-gulpers, leviathan-gulper-gulpers, titans, dragons, and centaurs. In the ocean there are life-forms a hundred leagues long, or even two hundred, three hundred, four hundred, or five hundred leagues long.
an8.20:9.8 In the same way, great beings live in this teaching and training, and these are those beings. The stream-enterer and the one practicing to realize the fruit of stream-entry. The once-returner and the one practicing to realize the fruit of once-return. The non-returner and the one practicing to realize the fruit of non-return. The perfected one, and the one practicing for perfection.
an8.20:9.10 This is the eighth thing the mendicants love about this teaching and training.
an8.20:9.11 Seeing these eight incredible and amazing things, the mendicants love this teaching and training.”


