Saṃyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
51. Iddhi-Pāda Saṃyutta
3. Ayo-Guḷa Vagga
Sutta 21
Magga Suttaṃ
The Way
Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds
Once upon a time Bhagava,
Sāvatthi-town revisiting.
"Before my awakening, beggars,
not fully-self-awakened,
just an awakening-being,
this thought came to me:
'What, then, is the way,
what path is to be tracked
for the development of the power-paths?'
Regarding this, beggars,
such is what came to me:
'In this case a beggar develops the power-path
that is wish-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making thus:
"Let my wishing not be too sluggish,
not be too unrestrained,
not be inwardly cramped,
not be scattered abroad."
Live after-before-perceiving:
As before so after
as after so before.
As above, so below,
as below, so above.
As by day, so by night,
as by night, so by day.
Thus with clear thinking,
disentangled thinking,
the heart becomes radiant.
He develops the power-path
that is energy-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making thus:
"Let my energy not be too sluggish,
not be too unrestrained,
not be inwardly cramped,
not be scattered abroad."
Live after-before-perceiving:
As before so after
as after so before.
As above, so below,
as below, so above.
As by day, so by night,
as by night, so by day.
Thus with clear thinking,
disentangled thinking,
the heart becomes radiant.
He develops the power-path
that is heart-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making thus:
"Let my heart not be too sluggish,
not be too unrestrained,
not be inwardly cramped,
not be scattered abroad."
Live after-before-perceiving:
As before so after
as after so before.
As above, so below,
as below, so above.
As by day, so by night,
as by night, so by day.
Thus with clear thinking,
disentangled thinking,
the heart becomes radiant.
He develops the power-path
that is investigation-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making thus:
"Let my investigation not be too sluggish,
not be too unrestrained,
not be inwardly cramped,
not be scattered abroad."
Live after-before-perceiving:
As before so after
as after so before.
As above, so below,
as below, so above.
As by day, so by night,
as by night, so by day.
Thus with clear thinking,
disentangled thinking,
the heart becomes radiant.
§
It is through thus developing, beggars,
thus making a big thing of
the four power-paths,
that the result for a beggar
will not be just one
of the various sorts of power.
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 the earth
as though in water;
goes on water
without parting it
as though on solid ground.
He goes through space cross-legged
like a bird on the wing.
He touches and feels with the hand
the Moon and Sun,
as great and powerful as they are.
He turns up in the body
even in the Brahmā world.
Thus developed, then beggars,
a beggar thus making a big thing of
the four power-paths,
with purified godlike hearing,
beyond that of ordinary men,
hears both sounds:
godly and man-made,
far or near.
Thus developed, then beggars,
a beggar thus making a big thing of
the four power-paths —
of other beings,
of other men,
heart encompassing heart,
he knows:
Of a lustful heart:
'This is a lustful heart.'
Of a lust-free heart:
'This is a lust-free heart.'
Of a hateful heart:
'This is a hateful heart.'
Of a hate-free heart:
'This is a hate-free heart.'
Of a clogged up heart:
'This is a clogged up heart.'
Of an unclogged heart:
'This is an unclogged heart.'
Of an deranged heart:
'This is a deranged heart.'
Of a balanced heart:
'This is a balanced heart.'
Of a constricted heart:
'This is a constricted heart.'
Of an unconstricted heart:
'This is an unconstricted heart.'
Of a state of heart
that is less than superior:
'This is a state of heart
that is less than superior.'
Of a state of heart
that is superior:
'This state of heart
is nothing less than superior.'
Of useless heart:
'This is a useless heart.'
Of a beneficial heart:
'This is a beneficial heart.'
Of a heart that is not free:
'This is a heart that is not free.'
Of a heart that is freed:
'This is a heart that is freed.'
Thus developed, then beggars,
a beggar thus making a big thing of
the four power-paths,
recollects not just one arrangement
of previous inhabitations.
For example:
Just one birth,
just two births,
just three births,
just four births,
just five births,
just ten births,
just twenty births,
just thirty births,
just forty births,
just fifty births,
one hundred births in all,
a thousand births in all,
a hundred-thousand births in all,
not just one evolution of a kappa,
not just one devolution of a kappa,
not just one evolution and devolution of a kappa.
That there:
'I was of such a name
of such a clan
of such color
of such food
of such experience of pleasure and pain,
of such coming to life's end.
Shifting away from that,
re-appearing elsewhere.
In that habitation:
I was of such a name
of such a clan
of such color
of such food
of such experience of pleasure and pain,
of such coming to life's end.
Shifting away from that
I was reborn here.'
Thus with its makeup in detail,
he recollects not just one arrangement
of previous inhabitations.
Thus developed, then beggars,
a beggar thus making a big thing of
the four power-paths,
he sees beings with purified godlike sight
surpassing that of mankind.
He knows of beings
their shifting away,
re-appearance,
being left behind,
advancing,
their beauty,
their ugliness,
their experiencing of pleasure,
experiencing of pain,
according to their intentional deeds:
'For sure these good beings were
committed to injurious bodily conduct,
committed to injurious verbal conduct,
committed to injurious mental conduct,
denigrated Aristocrats,
held low views,
were committed to behavior
in accordance with low views,
for upon the break up of the body after death
they have arisen in states of woe,
pain,
punishment,
Niraya Hell.
For sure these good beings were
committed to beneficial bodily conduct,
committed to beneficial verbal conduct,
committed to beneficial mental conduct,
spoke well of Aristocrats,
were of consummate view,
were committed to behavior
in accordance with consummate view,
for upon the break up of the body after death
they have arisen in worlds of heavenly pleasures.'
Thus he sees beings
with purified godlike sight
surpassing that of mankind.
And he knows of beings
their shifting away,
re-appearance,
being left behind,
advancing,
their beauty,
their ugliness,
their experiencing of pleasure,
experiencing of pain,
according to their intentional deeds.
Thus developed, then beggars,
a beggar thus making a big thing of
the four power-paths,
through his own higher knowledge
experiences the destruction of the corrupting influences,
and without corrupting influences,
in this seen thing,
enters into and lives
in freedom of heart,
freedom of wisdom."
