The Path Maggasutta

At Sāvatthī. Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

“Mendicants, before my awakening—when I was still unawakened but intent on awakening—I thought: “Pubbeva me, bhikkhave, sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato etadahosi: ‘What’s the path and practice for developing the bases of psychic power?’ ‘ko nu kho maggo, kā paṭipadā iddhipādabhāvanāyā’ti? Then it occurred to me: Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘It’s when a mendicant develops the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm, and active effort. ‘idha bhikkhu chandasamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti—They think: “My enthusiasm won’t be too lax or too tense. And it’ll be neither constricted internally nor scattered externally.” iti me chando na ca atilīno bhavissati, na ca atippaggahito bhavissati, na ca ajjhattaṁ saṅkhitto bhavissati, na ca bahiddhā vikkhitto bhavissati. And they meditate perceiving before and behind: Pacchāpuresaññī ca viharati—as before, so behind; as behind, so before; yathā pure tathā pacchā, yathā pacchā tathā pure; as below, so above; as above, so below; yathā adho tathā uddhaṁ, yathā uddhaṁ tathā adho; as by day, so by night; as by night, so by day. yathā divā tathā rattiṁ, yathā rattiṁ tathā divā. And so, with an open and unenveloped heart, they develop a mind that’s full of radiance. Iti vivaṭena cetasā apariyonaddhena sappabhāsaṁ cittaṁ bhāveti.

They develop the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to energy … Vīriyasamādhi …pe… mental development … cittasamādhi … inquiry, and active effort. vīmaṁsāsamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti—They think: “My inquiry won’t be too lax or too tense. And it’ll be neither constricted internally nor scattered externally.” iti me vīmaṁsā na ca atilīnā bhavissati, na ca atippaggahitā bhavissati, na ca ajjhattaṁ saṅkhittā bhavissati, na ca bahiddhā vikkhittā bhavissati. And they meditate perceiving before and behind: Pacchāpuresaññī ca viharati—as before, so behind; as behind, so before; yathā pure tathā pacchā, yathā pacchā tathā pure; as below, so above; as above, so below; yathā adho tathā uddhaṁ, yathā uddhaṁ tathā adho; as by day, so by night; as by night, so by day. yathā divā tathā rattiṁ yathā rattiṁ tathā divā’—And so, with an open and unenveloped heart, they develop a mind that’s full of radiance.’ iti vivaṭena cetasā apariyonaddhena sappabhāsaṁ cittaṁ bhāveti.

When the four bases of psychic power have been developed and cultivated in this way, a mendicant wields the many kinds of psychic power: multiplying themselves and becoming one again … controlling the body as far as the realm of divinity. Evaṁ bhāvitesu kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu catūsu iddhipādesu evaṁ bahulīkatesu anekavihitaṁ iddhividhaṁ paccanubhoti—ekopi hutvā bahudhā hoti, bahudhāpi hutvā eko hoti …pe… yāva brahmalokāpi kāyena vasaṁ vatteti.

When the four bases of psychic power have been developed and cultivated in this way, they realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.” Evaṁ bhāvitesu kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu catūsu iddhipādesu evaṁ bahulīkatesu, āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatī”ti.

(The six direct knowledges should be told in full.) (Chapi abhiññāyo vitthāretabbā.)