The Buddha teaches the four ways dragons reproduce—from egg, womb, moisture, or spontaneously—and that dragons born from womb, moisture, or spontaneous birth are progressively superior to those born from eggs.
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
“Catasso imā, bhikkhave, nāgayoniyo. Katamā catasso? Aṇḍajā nāgā, jalābujā nāgā, saṁsedajā nāgā, opapātikā nāgā. Tatra, bhikkhave, aṇḍajehi nāgehi jalābujā ca saṁsedajā ca opapātikā ca nāgā paṇītatarā. Tatra, bhikkhave, aṇḍajehi ca jalābujehi ca nāgehi saṁsedajā ca opapātikā ca nāgā paṇītatarā. Tatra, bhikkhave, aṇḍajehi ca jalābujehi ca saṁsedajehi ca nāgehi opapātikā nāgā paṇītatarā. Imā kho, bhikkhave, catasso nāgayoniyo”ti.
Dutiyaṁ.
Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.
“Catasso imā, bhikkhave, nāgayoniyo.
“Mendicants, dragons reproduce in these four ways.
Katamā catasso?
What four?
Aṇḍajā nāgā, jalābujā nāgā, saṁsedajā nāgā, opapātikā nāgā.
Dragons are born from an egg, from a womb, from moisture, or spontaneously.
Tatra, bhikkhave, aṇḍajehi nāgehi jalābujā ca saṁsedajā ca opapātikā ca nāgā paṇītatarā.
Of these, dragons born from a womb, from moisture, or spontaneously are better than those born from an egg.
Tatra, bhikkhave, aṇḍajehi ca jalābujehi ca nāgehi saṁsedajā ca opapātikā ca nāgā paṇītatarā.
Dragons born from moisture or spontaneously are better than those born from an egg or from a womb.
Tatra, bhikkhave, aṇḍajehi ca jalābujehi ca saṁsedajehi ca nāgehi opapātikā nāgā paṇītatarā.
Dragons born spontaneously are better than those born from an egg, from a womb, or from moisture.
Imā kho, bhikkhave, catasso nāgayoniyo”ti.
These are the four ways that dragons reproduce.”
Dutiyaṁ.
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Last updated on July 27, 2026