Pāḷi English Dictionary
Sutta SearchSaṃyutta Nikāya
4. Saḷāyatana Vagga
43. Asaṅkhata Saṃyutta
1. Paṭhama Vagga
Sutta 7
Iddhi-Pāda Suttaṃ
Power-Paths
Translated from the Pāḷi by Michael M. Olds
Once upon a time The Lucky Man,
Savatthi-town revisiting.
There then, The Lucky Man, said this to the beggars gathered round:
"Beggars!".
"Elder!"
said the beggars in response to The Lucky Man.
The Lucky Man said this to them:
"I will explain
the not own-made[1] to you, beggars, and
the Way to go to the not own-made.
Listen carefully!'
And what, beggars,
is the not own-made?
Whatever, beggars, is
lust's destruction,[2]
anger's destruction,[3]
confusion's destruction.[4]
This, beggars,
is what is called
"the not own-made".
And what, beggars,
is the way to go
to the not own-made?
The Power-Paths[5]
This is what is called
'the way to go
to the not own-made'.
This, then, beggars,
is my explanation to you of
the not own-made, and
the way to go to the not own-made.
Whatever, beggars,
ought to be done
for his students
by a kindly master,
out of compassion,
with compassion,
that I have done.
These, beggars,
are the roots of trees,
these are empty huts.
Meditate, beggars,
do not be careless,
do not provide grounds for later regret.
This then is my advice."
[1] Asaṅkhata. PED: "past participle of saṅkharoti;... (but see saṅkhāra] 1. put together, compound; conditioned, produced ..." But the PED definition neglects to point out that the making is the making of that which is later termed "Me" or "Mine". What saṅkhara is is the identification with that which is created by the individual through acts of thought, word and deed with the intent of creating sense experience for himself. Mistranslation of this term (and it is so mistranslated at this time (Thursday, April 16, 2026 8:09 AM) by virtually all the other translators) becomes of vital concern when it is given as "conditioned" because the Buddha tells us that Nibbāna is asaṅkhāra (not own-made, not unconditioned (paccaya)). Nibbāna is conditioned by following the Magga, but it is not own-made. Following the Magga is not-doing or letting go of that which prevents one from attaining it. Not-doing a wrong thing does not create anything. For more on this see "Is Nibbāna Conditioned?" in the Forum.
[2] Rāga. Excitement, passion.
[3] Dosa. Anger, ill-will, evil intention, wickedness, corruption, malice, hatred.
[4] Moha. Stupidity, dullness of mind and soul, delusion, bewilderment, infatuation.
Here beggars, a beggar develops the power-path
that is wish-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
Chanda PED: "impulse, excitement; intention, resolution, will; desire for, wish for, delight in"
develops the power-path
that is energy-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
Viriya. PED: "vigour, energy, effort, exertion"
develops the power-path
that is heart-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
Citta. PED: "Meaning: the heart (psychologically), i.e. the centre and focus of man's emotional nature as well as that intellectual element which inheres in and accompanies its manifestations; i.e. thought. In this wise citta denotes both the agent and that which is enacted, for in Indian psychology citta is the seat and organ of thought ... — The meaning of citta is best understood when explaining it by expressions familiar to us, as with all my heart; heart and soul; I have no heart to do it; blessed are the pure in heart; singleness of heart (cf. ekagga); all of which emphasize the emotional and conative side or "thought" more than its mental and rational side ... It may therefore be rendered by intention, impulse, design; mood, disposition, state of mind, reaction to impressions. It is only in later scholastic language that we are justified in applying the term "thought" in its technical sense."
develops the power-path
that is investigation-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making.
Vīmaṃsa. PED et al have 'investigation' 'examination' 'testing' and such and suggest its origin from 're-mind-mind,' vīmaṃsati. I have always heard 're-member' as from 're-member-memory'. I believe the resolution is in the idea of 'piecing-together' as in 'puzzling-out,' 'problem-solving' for which the usual translation 'investigation' will serve. They win. Everybody's happy.
The first Power-Path is: Chanda-samādhi-padhāna-saṅkhāra-samannāgataṃ The first point to be made here is that this is a compound. However translated it must be made into a single, multi-faceted term. My translation is saying that the term is describing a type of own-making where the exertion to create experience for the self is connected to 'wish-samadhi'. It is 'own-making' that is the mechanism of action. The other terms are modifiers.
Woodward: "Here a monk cultivates that basis of psychic power of which the features are desire, together with the co-factors of concentration and struggle."
Bhk. Bodhi: "Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to desire and volitional formations of striving."
Sutta 13 of Saṃyutta fifty-one has this on 'wish-samadhi' (the other samadhis follow the same pattern):
Chandaṃ ce, bhikkhave,||
bhikkhu nissāya labhati samādhiṃ,||
labhati citta-s-seka-g-gataṃ||
ayaṃ vuccati chanda-samādhi.|| ||
If beggars,
a beggar gets serenity
got with undivided heart*
based on wishing
such is called 'wish-serenity'
*this could be: 'got in alignment with heart', 'got single-mindedly', 'got with heart one-pointed, purposed, concentrated, goaled, intent on', 'got at one with heart' ... I really like 'whole-heartedly single minded' translating the word twice.
Woodward: "Monks, if, emphasizing desire,
a monk lays hold of concentration,
lays hold of one-pointedness of mind,
this act is called 'desire-concentration.'"
Bhk. Bodhi: "Bhikkhus,
if a bhikkhu gains concentration,
gains one-pointedness of mind based upon desire,
this is called concentration due to desire."
For another sutta in which chandha is put in a good light, see: SN 5.45.51: Possession of Wanting
It should be pointed out that these four 'paths' need to be developed together. They are aspects of, not separate paths to the way power is to be used to make magic.
— This comes from my translation of SN 5.51.1
The Powers
The Fourth Knowing (Jhāna) is, in effect, the highest point in the World in the Buddhist view.
There are two stages that follow that are better than this: The (Jhāna) known as "The Ending of Sensation-Perception" which is the knowing associated with the actual process of letting go of the World, and Nibbāna itself, which is the condition left after the world perceived through the senses has been let go completely.
Certain other conditions are attainable which are certainly extraordinary.
These are the attainment of skills of "small magic",
attainment of the four immaterial knowings,
knowledge of former "habitations",
knowledge of the outcome of deeds,
and knowledge of the destruction of the āsavas (corruptions) which is attained by the Arahat.
In SN 5.51.2 it is pointed out that whoever neglects the method for attaining magic powers also neglects the way to the end of pain. So while powers like levitating and walking on water need not be attained, one must at least have developed the methods for attaining them: they amount to the same thing as the method for attaining the goal.
Further, knowledge of former habitations, knowledge of the outcome of deeds, and knowledge that the corruptions have ended are things that are aspects of the state of Arahantship. They are part of the deal.
Initiated Beggars are not allowed to demonstrate skills in "small magic" to lay persons, nor are they allowed to state or suggest that they are able to use these powers. The polite thing in these matters is, therefore, not to ask.
There is no rule against laymen using such powers. Those laymen who are tempted however should reflect on the number of people that have ended up tied to a stake with a fire burning under them because they were just suspected of being capable of such things. Sometimes it is better to just keep your mouth shut.
There is considerable scorn heaped upon practitioners of "small magic" by the Buddha. This is based on the fact that it is essentially, from the point of view of someone who sees things as they really are, just trickery — in a world made up of illusions, creating illusions that astound the ignorant because of their unconventionality is seen to almost always originate from a desire for gain. To put the enormous effort it takes to achieve such powers to a use such as this rather than to the elimination of pain is seen as foolish.
Length of Life
What does "Length of life" mean to a beggar? In the case of this case, if a beggar practices the Four Power Paths: he may if he so desire, live out the remainder of the kappa. This is what "Length of life" means to a beggar.
The Mind-Made Body
With the settled-down heart pure all round, clean all round, unspotted, shut off from the stench, grown soft and workable, steadfast, unshakably fixed, he bends down his mind to the conjuration of, the making for his own experience of a mind-made body.
He, from this body, conjures another body, material, mind-made, totally complete of limb, endowed with higher powers.
In the same way as a man pulling a reed from its sheath would know, "This is the reed, this is the sheath," or,
In the same way as a man pulling a sword from its scabbard would know, "This is the sword, this is the scabbard," or
In the same way as a snake sluffing off its slough might know, "This is the slough, this is the snake."
Being one also become many,
being many also become one
The meaning is:
appearing in one way as one individuality,
also appear in a multiplicity of ways
as a multiplicity of individuals.
This includes:
appearing in more than one place at the same time (polypresence);
assuming the appearance of real and "imaginary" creatures
(a snake, a panther, an elephant, a bird, a half human/half animal creature, and so forth);
assuming the shape of a mountain or a tree
or an army on the march,
(that latter including assuming the appearance
of a collective of individuals).
The greater the power of the individual,
the greater the number of "forms" he is able to assume
(both sequentially and simultaneously).
There is a case where one goes from the original personality to another personality in a completely different state. There is, also, the situation where without losing consciousness of any of them one produces multiple bodies and is aware through each as appropriate.
Then there is the second half of this power: from being multiple, becoming one. It is important in the exercise of psychic power that one be swiftly able to give up what one has done (i.e., go back to the previous form).
Manifest here, transported beyond notice, transported through walls, transported through fortifications unsticking, go whithersoever as if in space.
Literal: "Become here, become beyond, beyond walls, beyond fortifications, not stuck he goes just wherever like space.
This means, being visible or perceptible through sight or hearing, becoming hidden from perception while one's self able to perceive from a given location, being able to go through walls without getting caught in the middle, essentially to be able to go wherever one wants as if passing through space.
This power is relative to the power of the individual and the observer. The more powerful individual is able to remain unseen by the less powerful; the less powerful individual is visible to the more powerful. Power is relative to detachment.
Jump into and out of the earth (solid objects) as though in water; go on water without parting it as though on solid ground.
Go through space cross legged like a bird on the wing.
Touch and feel with the hand the Moon and Sun, as great and powerful as they are.
Turn up in the body even in the Brahmā heaven.
In the same way as The Potter, Beggars,
or his skillful apprentice,
could make any shape of pot that he wished to
from a well prepared lump of clay
or the ivory carver out of ivory ...
or the goldsmith out of gold,
so a Beggar, Beggars,
with his settled-down heart pure all round,
clean all round,
unspotted,
shut off from the stench,
grown soft and workable,
steadfast,
unshakably fixed,
bends down the mind
to the conjuration of a variety of powers:
being one he also becomes many,
being many he also becomes one;
manifest here,
transported beyond notice,
transported through walls,
transported through fortifications unsticking,
he goes whithersoever
as if in space;
he jumps into and out of solid objects
as though in water;
he goes on water
without parting it
as though on solid ground;
he goes through space
cross legged like a bird on the wing;
and touches and feels with his hand
the Moon and Sun,
as great and powerful as they are;
and he turns up in the body
even in the Brahma heaven.
Higher Powers
The Divine Ear
With purified godlike hearing, beyond that of ordinary men, hear both sounds: godly and man-made, far or near.
In the same way as if a man, traveling along the highway were to hear the sound of a big drum or a little drum or cymbals or little bells, he would be able to say: "That is the sound of a big drum." "That is the sound of a little drum." "That is the sound of cymbals." "That is the sound of little bells."
This entails being able to distinguish between individual sounds and between the same sound made by different sources and between the same sound made nearby and at a distance, by the same and different sources.
Once one has shed the need to identify individuals as always themselves it is possible to hear coming from one and the same person voices from a variety of sources. Sounds usually identified with this world are heard as coming from other worlds, and so forth. The reverse of this being the basis for the belief in "possession" and the "madness" of some who "hear voices" and for 'channels' when they are not fakes — they have maintained a continuing sense of identity with the body at the same time their perception is of a different reality. Far and near can mean at a distance in time as well as space and "loka" or station of consciousness. I hear big drum is the Buddha etc., little drum is such as such as later followers, etc. — things said of greater and less relevance to the goal are heard thundering (as it were) through time. ... or not.
Encompassing a Heart with the Heart
Here is an example of a Dhamma used in one place for one purpose and turning up in another place for another purpose. The training of the former is the training for the latter.
The Chalangas, aka The Vedangas
The Six-Dimensions, aka The Dimensions of Thrilling Experience
As a "Power" it consists of knowing the right time to do, or not do things, knowing what is fit and proper, knowing how to change the unfit into the fitting, knowing how to get rid of the unfitting, and knowing Time. This includes the ability to determine the amount of time an event occupied.
Vyakarana: PED: "Answer, explanation, exposition; Grammar; Prediction"
As a "Power" it consists of knowing the proper grammatical construction of "charms" [The "subject," "verb" "object" relationship of English, for example, carries deep deep deep meaning with regard to how we view the world.]; this relates to the other two meanings in the understanding of the order of the development of things past and future.
Nirutti PED: "explanation of words, grammatical analysis, etymological interpretation; pronunciation, dialect, way of speaking, expression."
This is not theoretical (book learned) etymology as it is understood today, it is an "intuitive" hearing of the meaning and history of words and their uses.
Sikkha PED: "1. Study, training, discipline; 2. phonology or phonetics."
There is a proper way to make the sounds of speech so that they will be correctly heard and produce the most meaningful resonance in the listener (not quite utterly totally irredeemably lost and gone forever in our English).
Mūla. PED: "1. Root; 2. Foot, bottom; 3. Ground for, reason, cause, condition; 4. Origin, source, foundation, root; 5. Beginning, base, first, initial; 6. 'substance,' foundation, i.e. worth, money, capital, price, remuneration."
Joti-sattha: starmaster; astrology from when astrology was a science, astronomy from when astronomy still had some of it's magic.
Chando-Viciti: metric recitation, incantation, as a "power" it is the ability to hit on a phraseology that will "hook" the mind, the ability to come up with "catchy" phraseology; mantric recitation the ability to discern and recite a Manta conveying all its meanings. You should be able to say the word as one word with all the implicated sounds and meanings.
Unappreciated masters of this art today are to be found on Madison Avenue; their art on display approximately 20 minutes of every hour of broadcast television.
OK. Some of the works produced on Madison Avenue are masterpieces. Most are not. Today the problem with really proper metric recitation is the fact that nobody has the patience to listen. With an impatient audience it is next to impossible to do this properly.
Signs
Not listening to fools, is the best of signs;
listening to the wise is the best of signs;
having made good kamma in the past is the best of signs;
being well tamed, well trained and well educated in learning and craft is the best of signs;
speaking the well spoken is the best of signs;
care for mother and father is the best of signs;
a harmless mode of living is the best of signs;
generosity is the best of signs;
avoiding intentional harm, lies, and theft is the best of signs;
contentment with little is the best of signs;
coming into the presence of the teacher is the best of signs;
being well learned in this doctrine and discipline is the best of signs;
living this doctrine and discipline is the best of signs;
mastering this doctrine and discipline is the best of signs;
freedom and the knowledge and vision of freedom is the best of signs;
and better signs that that I do not see.
The Modes of Knowing through Signs
With your settled-down heart pure all round, clean all round, unspotted, shut off from the stench, grown soft and workable, steadfast, unshakably fixed, bend down the mind to the conjuration of mastery of seeing (diṭṭha), hearing (suta), sensing (muta), and knowing (viññāta).
The signs perceived through these faculties are related to but distinct from the signs which provoked the exposition of the best of signs above. The distinction is that here there is no set meaning to any given sign. A sight perceived as a sign through the eye is understood in a manner similar to what we call free-association. The meaning is unique to each case.
Diṭṭha: PED: 1. Seen; 2. Known, understood; 3. Visible, determined by sight, in connection with Dhamma meaning the visible order of things, the world of sensation, this world.
In the system as a whole, 'diṭṭhi' is the hypothetical Consummate View. 'Diṭṭha' is seeing that view as it really is. Here, in its function as a category of signs it means knowing through sight.
In the morning, upon rising up, the eye is "caught" by a color or a shape, and the meaning is "understood."
The thing "seen" stands as a symbol of something because of its shape, or color, position, and so forth.
Or, placing an object, or finishing a task it immediately "looks" as though the "scene" had always been that way, and he knows and sees, to the extent of his ability, events of the past and future possibilities. "déjà vu," without the doubt.
Suta: PED: 1. Heard; in special sense "received through inspiration or revelation"; learned; taught.
A small taste of this is "heard" in the popular expression "I hear ya" when by a gesture or unrelated expression a thing is understood that was not directly said. Artists and writers and religious mystics experience this in times of inspiration. Automatic writing, painting where the painting seems to be coming of its own, sustained periods of insight.
This also encompasses understanding or intuitive knowledge attained through sounds, as described for Dittha and the Divine Ear.
Muta: PED: "thought, supposed, imagined (i.e. received by other vaguer sense impressions than by sight and hearing)."
Sensing: Knowing and seeing through the senses of taste, touch and smell.
Anyone read Proust? where the taste of a Madeleine cookie (like cookie-sized angel-food cake, always shaped like a sea-shell) produced the insight that resulted in Remembrance of Things Past, (In Search of Lost Time, or Times Past)? One of the really great works of fiction in the world. Like that.
Very often related to recollection of aspects of past lives, and a door to the future.
Viññāta:[say: veen nya ta] PED: "apperceived, (re)cognized, understood, cogitated, learned."
Knowing that one knows something (related to, but not exactly the same as Viññāṇā, re-knowing-knowledge, consciousness; knowing awareness), female intuition, directly knowing. Viññāta is the knowing; Viññāṇā is knowing that you know.
— This (somewhat edited)comes from The Gradual Course, The Power Paths
For a full chapter on the iddhi-pada see Iddhi-Pada Samyutta
