Saṁyutta Nikāya 51.14

Translators: sujato

Linked Discourses 51.14

2. Pāsādakampanavagga
2. Shaking the Stilt Longhouse

Moggallānasutta

With Moggallāna

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati pubbārāme migāramātupāsāde.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother in the Eastern Monastery.

Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā bhikkhū heṭṭhāmigāramātupāsāde viharanti uddhatā unnaḷā capalā mukharā vikiṇṇavācā muṭṭhassatino asampajānā asamāhitā bhantacittā pākatindriyā.
Now at that time several mendicants were staying beneath the longhouse. They were restless, insolent, fickle, scurrilous, loose-tongued, unmindful, lacking situational awareness and immersion, with straying minds and undisciplined faculties.

Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ āmantesi:
Then the Buddha addressed Venerable Mahāmoggallāna,

“ete kho, moggallāna, sabrahmacārino heṭṭhāmigāramātupāsāde viharanti uddhatā unnaḷā capalā mukharā vikiṇṇavācā muṭṭhassatino asampajānā asamāhitā bhantacittā pākatindriyā.
“These spiritual companions of yours staying beneath the longhouse are restless, insolent, fickle, scurrilous, loose-tongued, unmindful, lacking situational awareness and immersion, with wandering mind and undisciplined faculties.

Gaccha, moggallāna, te bhikkhū saṁvejehī”ti.
Go, Moggallāna, and strike awe in those mendicants!”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno bhagavato paṭissutvā tathārūpaṁ iddhābhisaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkhāresi yathā pādaṅguṭṭhakena migāramātupāsādaṁ saṅkampesi sampakampesi sampacālesi.
“Yes, sir,” replied Mahāmoggallāna. Then he used his psychic power to make the longhouse shake and rock and tremble with his big toe.

Atha kho te bhikkhū saṁviggā lomahaṭṭhajātā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu:
Then those mendicants stood to one side, shocked and awestruck.

“acchariyaṁ vata bho, abbhutaṁ vata bho.
“Oh, how incredible, how amazing!

Nivātañca vata ayañca migāramātupāsādo gambhīranemo sunikhāto acalo asampakampī, atha ca pana saṅkampito sampakampito sampacālito”ti.
There’s no wind at all; and this stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother has deep foundations. It’s firmly embedded, imperturbable and unshakable. And yet it shakes and rocks and trembles!”

Atha kho bhagavā yena te bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā te bhikkhū bhagavā etadavoca:
Then the Buddha went up to those mendicants and said:

“kiṁ nu tumhe, bhikkhave, saṁviggā lomahaṭṭhajātā ekamantaṁ ṭhitā”ti?
“Why do you, mendicants, stand to one side, shocked and awestruck?”

“Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ bhante.
“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing!

“Tumheva kho, bhikkhave, saṁvejetukāmena moggallānena bhikkhunā pādaṅguṭṭhakena migāramātupāsādo, saṅkampito sampakampito sampacālito.
“Wanting to strike awe in you, the mendicant Moggallāna made the longhouse shake and rock and tremble with his big toe.

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,
What do you think, mendicants?

katamesaṁ dhammānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā moggallāno bhikkhu evaṁmahiddhiko evaṁmahānubhāvo”ti?
What things has the mendicant Moggallāna developed and cultivated so as to have such power and might?”

“Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā, bhagavaṁnettikā bhagavaṁpaṭisaraṇā. Sādhu vata, bhante, bhagavantaṁyeva paṭibhātu etassa bhāsitassa attho. Bhagavato sutvā bhikkhū dhāressantī”ti.
“Our teachings are rooted in the Buddha. He is our guide and our refuge. Sir, may the Buddha himself please clarify the meaning of this. The mendicants will listen and remember it.”

“Tena hi, bhikkhave, suṇātha.
“Well then, mendicants, listen.

Catunnaṁ kho, bhikkhave, iddhipādānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā moggallāno bhikkhu evaṁmahiddhiko evaṁmahānubhāvo.
The mendicant Moggallāna has become so powerful and mighty by developing and cultivating the four bases of psychic power.

Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ?
What four?

Idha, bhikkhave, moggallāno bhikkhu chandasamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti,
Moggallāna develops the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm …

vīriyasamādhi …pe…
energy …

cittasamādhi …
mental development …

vīmaṁsāsamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti—
inquiry, and active effort.

iti me vīmaṁsā na ca atilīnā bhavissati, na ca atippaggahitā bhavissati;
He thinks: ‘My inquiry won’t be too lax or too tense. And it’ll be neither constricted internally nor scattered externally.’

na ca ajjhattaṁ saṅkhittā bhavissati, na ca bahiddhā vikkhittā bhavissati.

Pacchāpuresaññī ca viharati—
And he meditates perceiving before and behind:

yathā pure tathā pacchā, yathā pacchā tathā pure;
as before, so behind; as behind, so before;

yathā adho tathā uddhaṁ, yathā uddhaṁ tathā adho;
as below, so above; as above, so below;

yathā divā tathā rattiṁ, yathā rattiṁ tathā divā.
as by day, so by night; as by night, so by day.

Iti vivaṭena cetasā apariyonaddhena sappabhāsaṁ cittaṁ bhāveti.
And so, with an open and unenveloped heart, he develops a mind that’s full of radiance.

Imesaṁ kho, bhikkhave, catunnaṁ iddhipādānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā moggallāno bhikkhu evaṁmahiddhiko evaṁmahānubhāvo.
The mendicant Moggallāna has become so powerful and mighty by developing and cultivating these four bases of psychic power.

Imesañca pana, bhikkhave, catunnaṁ iddhipādānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā moggallāno bhikkhu anekavihitaṁ iddhividhaṁ paccanubhoti …pe… yāva brahmalokāpi kāyena vasaṁ vatteti …pe…
And by developing and cultivating these four bases of psychic power, the mendicant Moggallāna wields the many kinds of psychic power … controlling the body as far as the realm of divinity. …

imesañca pana, bhikkhave, catunnaṁ iddhipādānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā moggallāno bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatī”ti.
And by developing and cultivating these four bases of psychic power, the mendicant Moggallāna 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.”

Catutthaṁ.