Saṃyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
51. Iddhi-Pāda Saṃyutta
3. Ayo-Guḷa Vagga
Sutta 29
Paṭhama Sambahulā Bhikkhū Suttaṃ
A Congregation of Beggars (1)
Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds
Once upon a time Bhagava,
Sāvatthi-town revisiting.
There then a congregation of bhikkhus
approached The Lucky Man and drew near.
Drawing near Bhagava
and giving salutation
they took seats to one side.
Seated to one side then,
those beggars said this
to the Lucky Man:
"What, then, Bhante, is power?
What is the path to power?
What is the development of the power-paths?|| ||
What is the path going to the development of the power paths?"
"Here beggars, a beggar experiences not 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.
This, beggars,
is what is called 'power'.
■
And what, beggars, is the path to power?
Whatever way, beggars,
whatever path-tracking
results in gaining power,
gaining power acquisition —
This, beggars, is called 'the path to power'.
■
And what, beggars, is the development of the power-paths?
Here, beggars, a beggar develops the power-path
that is wish-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
he develops the power-path
that is energy-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
he develops the power-path
that is heart-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
he develops the power-path
that is investigation-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making.
This, beggars, is what is called 'the development of the power-paths.'
■
And what, beggars,
is the path going to the development of the power-paths?
It is this very Aristocratic Eight-dimensional Way,
that is to say:
Consummate view,
consummate principles,
consummate talk,
consummate works,
consummate lifestyle,
consummate self-control,
consummate mind,
consummate serenity.
This, beggars,
is what is called
'the path going to the development of the power-paths'".
