sutta » sn » sn51 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 51.29

Translators: sujato

Linked Discourses 51.29

3. Ayoguḷavagga
3. The Iron Ball

Paṭhamabhikkhusutta

Several Mendicants (1st)

Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“katamā nu kho, bhante, iddhi, katamo iddhipādo, katamā iddhipādabhāvanā, katamā iddhipādabhāvanāgāminī paṭipadā”ti?
“Sir, what is psychic power? What is the basis of psychic power? What is the development of the bases of psychic power? And what is the practice that leads to the development of the bases of psychic power?”

“Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anekavihitaṁ iddhividhaṁ paccanubhoti—ekopi hutvā bahudhā hoti …pe… yāva brahmalokāpi kāyena vasaṁ vatteti—
“Mendicants, take a mendicant who wields the many kinds of psychic power: multiplying themselves and becoming one again … controlling the body as far as the Brahmā realm.

ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, iddhi.
This is called psychic power.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, iddhipādo?
And what is the basis of psychic power?

Yo, bhikkhave, maggo, yā paṭipadā iddhilābhāya iddhipaṭilābhāya saṁvattati—
The path and practice that leads to gaining psychic power.

ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, iddhipādo.
This is called the basis of psychic power.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, iddhipādabhāvanā?
And what is the development of the bases of psychic power?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu chandasamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti,
It’s when a mendicant 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.

ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, iddhipādabhāvanā.
This is called the development of the bases of psychic power.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, iddhipādabhāvanāgāminī paṭipadā?
And what is the practice that leads to the development of the bases of psychic power?

Ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, seyyathidaṁ—
It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is:

sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi—
right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.

ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, iddhipādabhāvanāgāminī paṭipadā”ti.
This is called the practice that leads to the development of the bases of psychic power.”

Navamaṁ.