I think the origin of that idea is the ahiṃsā-precept: Conquering water may kill animals (by accident).

I remember while working on my Ph. D. (Edition of Prakrit-manuscripts):
For a monk it is forbidden to step across water (e. g. during the rainy season) because he might step into the water and kill small animals.
...aṇṇayā so sādhū vivarayaṃ uttarai. tattha ya pāda-vikkhaṃbhaṃ pāṇiyaṃ. teṇa pādo pasārio gai-bhedeṇaṃ. tattha ya devayāe chiddaṃ labhiūṇaṃ [ūruo] chiṇṇo. so bhaṇai: »micchā-dukkaḍaṃ mā āukkāe paḍio bhojja«tti. aṇṇāe sammaddiṭṭhiyāe diṭṭhā. sā ghā-ḍiyā. tah’eva sappadeso laio rūḍho ya devayā-pabhāveṇaṃ...(āvaśyaka-cūrṇi 514sq.)


This idea is also connected with the buddhist precept for monks not to travel during the rain season (vassa).

Best

Heiner

Rolf Heinrich Koch

Dear Dominik,

When does the ban on ocean travel first appear? And when and how did it become the norm?
Ocean travel is often mentioned in Buddhist texts (e.g. BaverujAtaka) and the extension of
Indian civilization throughout SE Asia during the first millennium required Brahmans to journey
as well.

The theme of "India and the Sea" perhaps requires further inquiry -- or am I merely ignorant
of a great mass of research laying, so to speak, submerged?

best,
Matthew

Matthew Kapstein
Directeur d'études,
Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes

Numata Visiting Professor of Buddhist Studies,
The University of Chicago

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