Does anyone understand this sutta?
“One is the root, two are the whirlpools,
three are the stains, five the spreads,
twelve the ocean’s whirlpools:
such is the abyss crossed over by the hermit.”
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Interesting. This is a sutta in verse.
As you quote Bhante @sujato’s translation why not ask him how he would interpret this sutta? 
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Please read the Chapter 3 of DO series by Venearble K. Nanananda. Here is the link.
The-Law-of-Dependent-Arising_LE_Rev_1.0.pdf (seeingthroughthenet.net)
With Metta
Craving is the root, sensuality and painful feelings the two whirlpools, greed, hate, and delusion are the three stains, the five blazing aggregates of fuel are the five spreads, and the internal and external sense spheres are the ocean’s whirlpools.
I just made that answer up. But sometimes multiple answers are possible as in this sutta: SuttaCentral
Also, this sutta is cool and relevant to your verse:
“Bhikkhus, the uninstructed worldling speaks of ‘the ocean, the ocean.’ But that is not the ocean in the Noble One’s Discipline; that is only a great mass of water, a great expanse of water.
“The eye, bhikkhus, is the ocean for a person; its current consists of forms. One who withstands that current consisting of forms is said to have crossed the ocean of the eye with its waves, whirlpools, sharks, and demons. Crossed over, gone beyond, the brahmin stands on high ground.
“The ear, bhikkhus, is the ocean for a person…. The mind is the ocean for a person; its current consists of mental phenomena. One who withstands that current consisting of mental phenomena is said to have crossed the ocean of the mind with its waves, whirlpools, sharks, and demons. Crossed over, gone beyond, the brahmin stands on high ground.”
This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this:
“One who has crossed this ocean so hard to cross,
With its dangers of sharks, demons, waves,
The knowledge-master who has lived the holy life,
Reached the world’s end, is called one gone beyond.” - SuttaCentral
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