• Linked Discourses 51.32 Saṁyutta Nikāya 51.32
  • 3. The Iron Ball 3. Ayoguįø·avagga

The Realized One Tathāgatasutta

There the Buddha addressed the mendicants: Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhÅ« āmantesi: ā€œWhat do you think, mendicants? ā€œTaṁ kiṁ maƱƱatha, bhikkhave, What things has the Realized One developed and cultivated so as to have such power and might?ā€ katamesaṁ dhammānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulÄ«katattā tathāgato evaṁmahiddhiko evaṁmahānubhāvoā€ti?

ā€œOur teachings are rooted in the Buddha. ā€¦ā€ ā€œBhagavaṁmÅ«lakā no, bhante, dhammā …pe…

ā€œThe Realized One has become so powerful and mighty by developing and cultivating the four bases of psychic power. ā€œcatunnaṁ kho, bhikkhave, iddhipādānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulÄ«katattā tathāgato evaṁmahiddhiko evaṁmahānubhāvo.

What four? Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ? It’s when a mendicant develops the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm, and active effort. Idha, bhikkhave, tathāgato chandasamādhippadhānasaį¹…khārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti—He thinks: ā€˜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 atilÄ«no bhavissati, na ca atippaggahito bhavissati, na ca ajjhattaṁ saį¹…khitto bhavissati, na ca bahiddhā vikkhitto bhavissati. And he meditates perceiving before and behind: PacchāpuresaƱƱī 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, he develops a mind that’s full of radiance. Iti vivaį¹­ena cetasā apariyonaddhena sappabhāsaṁ cittaṁ bhāveti.

He develops the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to energy … VÄ«riyasamādhi …pe… mental development … cittasamādhi … inquiry, and active effort. vÄ«maṁsāsamādhippadhānasaį¹…khārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti—He thinks: ā€˜My inquiry won’t be too lax or too tense. And it’ll be neither constricted internally nor scattered externally.’ iti me vÄ«maṁsā na ca atilÄ«nā bhavissati, na ca atipaggahitā bhavissati, na ca ajjhattaṁ saį¹…khittā bhavissati, na ca bahiddhā vikkhittā bhavissati. And he meditates perceiving before and behind: PacchāpuresaƱƱī 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, he develops a mind that’s full of radiance. Iti vivaį¹­ena cetasā apariyonaddhena sappabhāsaṁ cittaṁ bhāveti.

The Realized One has become so powerful and mighty by developing and cultivating these four bases of psychic power. Imesaṁ kho, bhikkhave, catunnaṁ iddhipādānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā tathāgato evaṁmahiddhiko evaṁmahānubhāvo.

And by developing and cultivating these four bases of psychic power, the Realized One wields the many kinds of psychic power: multiplying himself and becoming one again … controlling the body as far as the realm of divinity. ImesaƱca pana, bhikkhave, catunnaṁ iddhipādānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulÄ«katattā tathāgato anekavihitaṁ iddhividhaṁ paccanubhoti—ekopi hutvā bahudhā hoti …pe… yāva brahmalokāpi kāyena vasaṁ vatteti.

And by developing and cultivating these four bases of psychic power, the Realized One realizes the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And he lives having realized it with his own insight due to the ending of defilements.ā€ ImesaƱca pana, bhikkhave, catunnaṁ iddhipādānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulÄ«katattā tathāgato āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paƱƱāvimuttiṁ diį¹­į¹­heva dhamme sayaṁ abhiƱƱā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatÄ«ā€ti.

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

Ayoguįø·avaggo tatiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Maggo ayoguḷo bhikkhu, suddhikañcāpi dve phalā; Dve cānandā duve bhikkhū, moggallāno tathāgatoti.