Saṃyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
51. Iddhi-Pāda Saṃyutta
2. Pāsāda-Kampana Vagga

The Book of the Kindred Sayings
5. The Great Chapter
51. Kindred Sayings on the Bases of Psychic Power
2. The Shaking of the Terraced House

Sutta 16

Paṭhama Samaṇa-Brāhmaṇā or Mahiddhi Suttaṃ

Recluses and Brahmins (a)
or
Mighty Magic Power

Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids

Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved

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[245]

[1][olds] THUS have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī.

Then the Exalted One addressed the monks,
saying:

"Monks."

"Yes, lord," replied those monks to the Exalted One.

The Exalted One said:

"Monks, whatsoever recluses or brahmins
in time past
were of mighty psychic power and majesty,
all of them were so
by the fact of cultivating
and making much of
four bases of psychic power.

Whatsoever recluses or brahmins
in future time
shall be of mighty psychic power and majesty,
all of them will be so
by the fact of cultivating
and making much of
four bases of psychic power.

Whatsoever recluses or brahmins
are now
of mighty psychic power and majesty,
all of them are so
by the fact of cultivating
and making much of
four bases of psychic power.

■

What are the four?

[246] "Herein a monk cultivates that basis of psychic power
of which the features are
desire,
together with the co-factors
of concentration
and struggle.

He cultivates that basis of psychic power
of which the features are
energy,
together with the co-factors
of concentration
and struggle.

He cultivates that basis of psychic power
of which the features are
thought,
together with the co-factors
of concentration
and struggle.

He cultivates that basis of psychic power
of which the features are
investigation,
together with the co-factors
of concentration
and struggle.

■

"Monks, whatsoever recluses or brahmins
in time past
were of mighty psychic power and majesty,
all of them were so
by the fact of cultivating
and making much of
these four bases of psychic power.

Whatsoever recluses or brahmins
in future time
shall be of mighty psychic power and majesty,
all of them will be so
by the fact of cultivating
and making much of
these four bases of psychic power.

Whatsoever recluses or brahmins
are now
of mighty psychic power and majesty,
all of them are so
by the fact of cultivating
and making much of
these four bases of psychic power.