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 19
Desanā or Bhāvanā Suttaṃ
Teaching or Cultivation
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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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, I will teach you both psychic power
and the basis of psychic power
and the practice that leads to the cultivation of psychic power.
Do ye listen to it.
§
And what, monks, is psychic power?
Herein a monk enjoys
in divers ways
manifold forms of psychic power such as:
From being one he becomes many,
from being many he becomes one.
Manifest or invisible
he goes unhindered through a wall,
through a rampart,
through a mountain,
as if it were through air.
He plunges into the earth
and shoots up again
as if in water.
He walks upon the water
without parting it,
as if on solid ground.
He travels sitting cross-legged through the air,
like a bird upon the wing.
Even this moon and sun,
though they be of such mighty power and majesty,
he handles and strokes them with his hand.
Even as far as the Brahma World
he has power with his body.
This, monks, is called
'psychic power.'
§
And what, monks, is the basis of psychic power?[1]
That path, that practice which conduces to the laying hold [248] of,
to the winning of
psychic power, -
that, monks, is called
'the basis of psychic power.'
§
And of what sort, monks,
is the cultivation of psychic power?
"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.
This, monks, is called
'the cultivation of the bases of psychic power.'
§
And of what sort, monks,
is the practice
that leads to the cultivation of psychic power?
It is just this Ariyan eightfold way, to wit:
Right view
right aim,
right speech,
right action,
right living,
right effort,
right mindfulness,
right concentration.
This, monks, is the practice
that leads to the cultivation
of the bases of psychic power."
[1] Comy. Abhiñña-pādakaṇ catuttha-j-jhānaṇ.
