Significance of Sea
Synonyms: Ocean, Water, Marine, Wave, Brine, Saltwater, Body of water, Coast, Shore
In Italian: Mare; In Spanish: Mar; In Portugese: Mar; In German: Meer; In Swedish: Hav; In Finnish: Meri; In French: Mer; In Dutch: Zee; In Malay: Laut; In Polish: Morze
The below excerpts are indicatory and do represent direct quotations or translations. It is your responsibility to fact check each reference.
Buddhist concept of 'Sea'
In Buddhism, the Sea symbolizes an overwhelming challenge, exemplified by the hen-crow's rescue attempt faced by the crows, representing a metaphor for life's struggles and the pursuit of enlightenment amidst difficulties.
From: Jataka tales [English], Volume 1-6
(1) The sea is where the beasts would have perished.[1] (2) The body of water that posed a challenge to the crows as they sought to rescue the hen-crow, representing an insurmountable struggle.[2]
From: Dhammapada (Illustrated)
(1) This is the sea.[3] (2) This is a metaphor for the suffering and attachments of the world, which the immature allow themselves to sink into, unlike the wise.[4]
From: Vinaya Pitaka (4): Parivara
(1) A place where one combines, and one places within a boundary, and it is part of the river, and the natural lake, in the context.[5]
From: Mahavastu (great story)
(1) This is the body of water where the young brahman's parcel fell into, and where he later attempted to drain in order to recover his lost treasure.[6]
From: The gods of northern Buddhism
(1) This is a place where Kwan-yin is represented, as in the Kwo-hai form, indicating her association with bodies of water and potentially her role as a protector.[7]
From: Hualin International Journal of Buddhist Studies
(1) Sea is a large body of water, and Faxian crossed the sea, and Faxian's ship was disoriented at sea.[8]
Hindu concept of 'Sea'
In Hinduism, the Sea symbolizes a transformative journey to a new home, as seen when the descendants of Yadu awaken to it upon arriving in Dwarka, representing both physical and spiritual rebirth.
From: Ramayana of Valmiki (Griffith)
(1) According to the provided text, he can stir the sea till from their bed the waters flee.[9] (2) The text mentions the sea as the ultimate destination of the stream's flow, indicating a large body of water.[10] (3) The sea is mentioned in relation to bridging, suggesting a feat that should not cause concern.[11] (4) This refers to the large bodies of saltwater that surround the world, and are asked to provide care and protection.[12] (5) Yamuna for the Ocean yearns, and swift her impetuous waters flee, but roll not backward from the sea.[13]
From: Mahabharata (English)
(1) The altar reaches as far as the sea and rests itself upon its bosom, and it enters into the sea as soon as it gets a mortal’s touch.[14] (2) The earth, girt by the sea, bows unto him who is ruled by a Brahmana and taught his duties by him, emphasizing the influence of Brahmanas on leadership.[15] (3) Kings Nabhaga and Bhagiratha subjugated the world bounded by the seas through truth, eventually obtaining the region hereafter, illustrating the power of virtue.[16] (4) The destination of the river, described as the abode of Varuna, which was quickly filled by the river's waters after it separated into three streams.[17] (5) The sea is waterless and frightful to behold, where the horse vanished while being guarded.[18]
From: Yoga Vasistha [English], Volume 1-4
(1) This is a body of water, and the text says that he who looks on the waves without seeing the sea, wherein they rise and fall, has only the knowledge of the turbulent billows disturbing his mind; and no idea of the calm waters underlying them.[19] (2) The seas are referred to as Virat's blood vessels, further emphasizing the circulatory system of his cosmic form.[20] (3) The sea is part of everything that is or is not, and all manifests itself in the empty sphere of the Intellect, as stated.[21] (4) This is what the ancestors excavated the coast of.[22] (5) The vast body of water, which has no difference between the sea and its waves, and is the same as our desires and desired objects.[23]
From: Ramayana of Valmiki (Shastri)
(1) A body of water that sparkles at dusk, reflecting the brightness and adding to the overall beauty of the environment.[24] (2) Large bodies of water from which water was provided and stored in vessels of gold and silver.[25] (3) The sea is where the monkeys came to after leaving the Vindhya Mountain, and where they experienced a cruel anxiety.[26] (4) The sea is the body of water that Hanuman leaps over, and is later crossed by Rama's army.[27]
From: Brihaddharma Purana (abridged)
(1) The sea represents the southern boundary of a sacred region that originates in the Himalayas and is traversed by a specific river.[28] (2) Sea, the place where Ganga met, and later entered, and the sea god met Ganga with his wife. The sea played a role in Ganga's journey.[29]
From: Vishnu Purana
(1) The body of salt water, which is exhaled during the process of dissolution, as described in the text.[30]
From: Markandeya Purana
(1) Seas were paid homage to by the early human beings, along with rivers, lakes, and mountains.[31]
From: Chandogya Upanishad (english Translation)
(1) The rivers rise from it, go back to it, and become one with it, losing their individual identities.[32] (2) Referred to as nidhana, representing the finality where water loses its separate identity, signifying death.[33]
From: Prashna Upanishad with Shankara’s Commentary
(1) The ultimate goal or destination that signifies union and disappearance of individual identities, representing oneness in the context of the Purusha.[34]
From: Brahma Sutras (Shankaracharya)
(1) The sea serves as an analogous instance, showing that modifications like waves can exist without passing into each other, just as enjoyers and objects can exist with Brahman.[35]
From: Mundaka Upanishad with Shankara’s Commentary
(1) The seas do not overstep their limits by the commands of the Atman, demonstrating the Atman's influence over natural elements, as described in the text.[36]
From: Kathasaritsagara (the Ocean of Story)
(1) The sea plays a crucial role, as Sattvashila's journey to Lanka involves a ship encountering a magical flagstaff that leads him to an underwater city.[37] (2) The sea is a prominent setting in several versions of the story, serving as the home of creatures like porpoises, sharks, and the Queen of the Sea, and playing a crucial role in the plot's development.[38] (3) The sea is where they reached the shore and saw a lightship, and where the ship was set in motion.[39]
From: Prem Sagar (English translation)
(1) The body of water that the descendants of Yadu awaken to after being transported to the city of Dwarka, symbolizing their new home.[40]
From: Chaitanya Bhagavata
(1) It is mentioned as something one can cross over by glorifying the Supreme Lord and is also the meaning of 'abdhi'.[41]
From: Rasa Jala Nidhi, vol 3: Metals, Gems and other substances
(1) A body of water that is mentioned as one of the locations where Zercon is found.[42]
Jain concept of 'Sea'
In Jainism, "Sea" symbolizes a Lord's spiritual liberation. Swimming across it represents overcoming worldly attachments and the ocean of existence, signifying enlightenment.
From: Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra
(1) The Lord's vision of a "sea" that he swam across symbolizes his ability to cross the ocean of existence, representing spiritual liberation and overcoming worldly attachments.[43]
The concept of Sea in local and regional sources
The keyphrase "Sea" embodies depth, mystery, and existential themes in poetry, symbolizing ultimate truth and life's cycles. It represents both calm and turbulence, reflecting the duality of serenity and danger in emotional experiences.
From: Triveni Journal
(1) The sea is a powerful symbol of the vastness of existence and the overwhelming nature of Sujata's sorrow, as well as the destructive forces that sweep away love and happiness.[44] (2) The face is present in the transient colours of the "seas", particularly the seven seas, suggesting a connection to the ever-changing hues of the ocean.[45] (3) The stream of aspirations does not merge or mix with this large body of saltwater, but rather takes a different path.[46] (4) The sea is a prominent element, representing a source of connection, identity, and even a merging of the self with the natural world, as explored within the narrative.[47] (5) Shadows are right when the sun scorches you to stretch beyond the reached beaches beside the sea, wide, deep and dark, watching the futile searches.[48]
From: The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda
(1) A large body of water that is now involved in a struggle.[49] (2) This element is something the sender has come to love, implying a positive experience or connection to it, possibly gained during their recent travels.[50] (3) This refers to the ocean, and as you go deeper and deeper, the pressure of the water increases.[51] (4) The vast body of water, a concept that was compared to the frog's well, illustrating the limited perspective of those who do not understand the broader context.[52] (5) This is described in the text as a highway, and the sea from the shore looks so fearful, and has been turned into a highway by ships.[53]
From: Bhaktavijaya: Stories of Indian Saints
(1) The sea is depicted as roaring, but Agasti was not frightened by it, representing a powerful force that does not intimidate the resolute.[54] (2) A place where the entity is associated, and Nama is imploring the entity for help, acknowledging their power and seeking their mercy.[55]
From: Village Folk-tales of Ceylon (Sri Lanka), vol. 1-3
(1) These very four giants having gone on the sea, and having gone to the city at which is the Princess.[56] (2) A man went to the sea to catch fish and was knocked into it by a large wave.[57] (3) This location was one of the places where the locusts were ordered to go, as part of the conjuration performed by Father Francis Alvarez.[58] (4) The sea is the final destination of the elephant's carcase, where the skin rots.[59] (5) The sea is a location where the youth found the Crocodile, and he was sent to get milk from it.[60]
The concept of Sea in scientific sources
Sea, according to regional sources, is the location where Yonah descends. He goes into the depths, situated in the heart of the sea.
From: Sustainability Journal (MDPI)
(1) It is a location for development and prospect of energy storage, indicating a growing interest in marine-based energy solutions.[61] (2) These systematically evaluate the environmental consequences of Belt and Road Initiative policies, planning, and programs, ensuring potential impacts are considered during the project lifecycle.[62] (3) The growth and loss of vegetation cover over time, and urban expansion also need to be taken into account in terms of blocking or opening up new views of the sea or land[63] (4) Strategic Environmental Assessment, or SEA, is a topic of discussion and experience exchange among Central American countries, as hosted by Colombia.[64] (5) This was rated as the highest of all natural environment types, offering possibilities for activities but also posing a risk of injury, leading to a low score in security.[65]
From: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (MDPI)
(1) The text refers to changes in the synechococcus assemblage composition at the surface of the east China sea due to flooding of the Changjiang River.[66] (2) The results indicate that Sky, Green, and Sea are the most essential landscape elements, according to the research conducted on landscape paintings.[67] (3) SEA stands for Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, which is a critical concern addressed within the humanitarian context discussed.[68] (4) Is a region with more than half a billion people, diverse cultures, and a rapidly ageing population requiring better healthcare.[69] (5) It is a survey conducted across European locations to gather data on public opinion toward measures, providing insights into regional differences and individual characteristics.[70]
From: Religions Journal (MDPI)
(1) The sea is specified as being a person in ontological metaphors, being a part of the broader theme of personifying natural elements in Qoheleth.[71] (2) A place where Yonah descends, into the depths in the heart of the sea.[72]
From: Religious Inquiries (Journal)
(1) The wave is the sea itself that has manifested itself in this form and the multiplicity and disparity in the forms of the waves and the foam do not cause the sea to multiply.[73]
From: International Journal of Pharmacology
(1) Similarity Ensemble Approach, a target prediction tool used to predict the potential targets of GR active components.[74]
Classical concept of 'Sea'
From: The History of Herodotus
(1) The sea is referenced in the story of Arion, where he was cast overboard by Corinthian sailors and later rescued by a dolphin, who carried him to shore.[75] (2) A body of water that was figuratively scourged and fettered, according to Themistocles, by a man who made no difference between things sacred and things profane.[76] (3) Whensoever Xerxes saw any one of his own side display a deed of valour in the sea-fight, he inquired about him who had done it.[77] (4) According to the narrative, the word was passed to put out to sea, leading to the ships being brought out to Salamis and arranged along the shore.[78] (5) An element that, along with an olive-tree, is in the temple of Erechtheus and is said to be a witness of Poseidon and Athene's contention for the land.[79]
From: The Argonautica (English translation)
(1) The sea is what Triton stretched out his hand and showed afar, along with the lake's deep mouth, revealing the outlet and the narrow passage.[80] (2) The text mentions the Chalybes dwelling near the "sea", describing a geographic location close to the ocean where a certain group resides.[81] (3) The sea is where Danae endured woes through her sire's mad rage, illustrating the extent of suffering caused by parental anger and cruelty.[82] (4) The text references a vast body of water, serving as a dwelling place and a route for travel, as she plunged into the Aegean Sea, where is the dwelling of Nereus.[83] (5) The sea is the body of water that the ship cleaves through, and the Colchians sail forth on it, indicating its role as a pathway and a battleground.[84]
From: Aesop's Fables (English translation)
(1) The Sea is an entity that can appear calm but is easily stirred into fury by the winds, creating dangerous waves and causing destruction, as the text describes.[85] (2) The location where the ship was sailing, when a violent tempest caused it to be wrecked and everyone had to swim.[86] (3) The sea is described as the crab's natural habitat, where it is adapted to live, contrasting with the dangers it faced on land.[87] (4) The sea is the natural habitat of the fish, where it seeks to return to grow and mature, eventually becoming a valuable asset for the fisherman.[88] (5) The **sea** is the vast expanse viewed from the cliff, initially promising a grand spectacle of a ship, but ultimately delivering a much less impressive sight to the travelers.[89]
From: The Authoress of the Odyssey
(1) This body of water is strewn with wreckage from ships destroyed by waves and hurricanes of fire, indicating the perilous nature of the voyage.[90] (2) The sea is a recurring element in the narrative, representing both a means of travel and a source of danger; Ulysses uses the sea to reach various destinations, but also faces the risk of death from it.[91] (3) The sea is the expanse over which Ulysses travels, facing challenges such as foul winds and encounters with mythical creatures like the Cyclopes.[92] (4) A large body of water that borders the land where the Phaeacians live. Ulysses washed himself before approaching the city.[93] (5) The sea is the body of water that Ulysses must traverse to reach his home, posing significant challenges and dangers due to storms and the intervention of Neptune, but also offering opportunities for divine assistance.[94]
From: The Iliad of Homer (English translation)
(1) A natural element, serves as a pathway for divine messengers and a place of dwelling for goddesses, symbolizing both connection and separation between the mortal and immortal realms, also symbolizes grief.[95] (2) This is where the son of Peleus lay grieving among his Myrmidons by the shore, in an open place where the waves came surging.[96] (3) The sea is referenced in the context of Priam's missing sons, who may have been sold into slavery on islands beyond the sea, highlighting the widespread suffering.[97] (4) A body of water that could not imprison Lycaon, as they do many another whether he will or no.[98] (5) A place from which a figure came, where his golden palace is located, and where sea-monsters gambolled around him as he went his way.[99]
From: The Odyssey of Homer (English translation)
(1) A vast body of water where a ship was wrecked by Neptune, leading to a group of people escaping and encountering a cruel wretch.[100] (2) The sea is an unfamiliar concept in the country where Ulysses is destined to travel, and the people there do not even mix salt with their food, as part of the prophecy about his future travels.[101] (3) A location where men fell into, carried about in the water around a vessel, looking like so many sea-gulls.[102] (4) The sea is a treacherous expanse that Ulysses had to navigate, facing storms and challenges, before reaching the Phaeacian shores.[103] (5) One of the domains over which Minerva can fly like the wind, using her glittering golden sandals, as she travels from Olympus to Ithaca.[104]
From: Legends Of The Gods
(1) One aspect of nature that is hurtful and destructive, as described in the text.[105] (2) The sea once covered all of Egypt, which is substantiated by the presence of sea-shells found in mines and on hilltops within the region, according to the document.[106] (3) Some philosophical priests assert that Typhon does not only symbolize the sea, but represents everything which is scorching, burning, and fiery, and whatever destroys moisture.[107] (4) The sea, symbolized by Typhon, is viewed negatively by the Egyptians, who associate it with the destruction of the Nile and express abhorrence towards it and salt.[108] (5) A large body of water, mentioned as a possible place where someone might have fallen, leading to their demise, according to an alternate version of events.[109]
From: Egypt Through The Stereoscope
(1) The sea is referenced as the location for measuring the distance to the termination of the river journey.[110] (2) The 'people of the sea' are identified as a significant threat to Egypt, with their defeat immortalized on the temple wall.[111] (3) This is represented by a band of wavy lines under the lowest row, containing fish accurately depicted by the staff artist who accompanied the expedition.[112]
From: The Literature of the Ancient Egyptians
(1) The sea is the body of water in which the shipwrecked traveller's ship is caught in a storm, leading to its destruction and his isolation on an island.[113] (2) A body of water mentioned by Khuenanpu in his complaint to Rensi, the son of Meru, the steward.[114]
From: Egyptian Magic
(1) According to the text, certain savage animals came up each night from the sea, and threw down everything which had been built during the day; watchmen were appointed to drive them away, but in spite of this each morning saw the work done during the previous day destroyed.[115]