21 (1) The Path

At Sāvatthi. “Bhikkhus, before my enlightenment, while I was still a bodhisatta, not yet fully enlightened, the thought occurred to me: ‘What is the path and practice for the development of the bases for spiritual power?’ It occurred to me: ‘Here, a Bhikkhu develops the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to desire and volitional formations of striving … (as in §11 in full) … that possesses concentration due to investigation and volitional formations of striving…. Thus, with a mind that is open and unenveloped, he develops the mind imbued with luminosity.

“‘When the four bases for spiritual power have been developed and cultivated in this way, a Bhikkhu wields the various kinds of spiritual power: having been one, he becomes many; having been many, he becomes one … he exercises mastery with the body as far as the brahmā world….

“‘When, Bhikkhus, the four bases for spiritual power have been developed and cultivated in this way, a Bhikkhu, by the destruction of the taints, in this very life enters and dwells in the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, realizing it for himself with direct knowledge.’”

(The six direct knowledges should be elaborated.)

22 (2) The Iron Ball

At Sāvatthi. Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Venerable sir, does the Blessed One recall ever having gone to the brahmā world by spiritual power with a mind-made body?”

“I recall, Ānanda, having gone to the brahmā world by spiritual power with a mind-made body.”

“But, venerable sir, does the Blessed One recall ever having gone to the brahmā world by spiritual power with this body composed of the four great elements?”

“I recall, Ānanda, having gone to the brahmā world by spiritual power with this body composed of the four great elements.” “That the Blessed One is able to go to the brahmā world by spiritual power with a mind-made body, and that he recalls having gone to the brahmā world by spiritual power with this body composed of the four great elements: that is wonderful and

amazing, venerable sir, on the part of the Blessed One.”

“The Tathāgatas, Ānanda, are wonderful and possess wonderful qualities; the Tathāgatas are amazing and possess amazing qualities.

“When, Ānanda, the Tathāgata immerses the body in the mind and the mind in the body, and when he dwells having entered upon a blissful perception and a buoyant perception in regard to the body, on that occasion the body of the Tathāgata becomes more buoyant, malleable, wieldy, and luminous.

“Just as an iron ball, Ānanda, heated all day, becomes more buoyant, malleable, wieldy, and luminous, so too, when the Tathāgata immerses the body in the mind and the mind in the body, and when he dwells having entered upon a blissful perception and a buoyant perception in regard to the body, on that occasion the body of the Tathāgata becomes more buoyant, malleable, wieldy, and luminous.

“When, Ānanda, the Tathāgata immerses the body in the mind and the mind in the body, and when he dwells having entered upon a blissful perception and a buoyant perception in regard to the body, on that occasion the body of the Tathāgata rises up without difficulty from the earth into the air. He wields the various kinds of spiritual power: having been one, he becomes many; having been many, he becomes one; … he exercises mastery with the body as far as the brahmā world.

“Just as, Ānanda, a tuft of cotton wool or kapok, being light, sustained by the wind, rises up without difficulty from the earth into the air, so too, when the Tathāgata immerses the body in the mind and the mind in the body, and when he dwells having entered upon a blissful perception and a buoyant perception in regard to the body, on that occasion the body of the Tathāgata rises up without difficulty from the earth into the air. He wields the various kinds of spiritual power: having been one, he becomes many; having been many, he becomes one; … he exercises mastery with the body as far as the brahmā world.”

23 (3) A Bhikkhu

“Bhikkhus, there are these four bases for spiritual power. What four? Here, Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu develops the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to desire and volitional formations of striving. He develops the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to energy … concentration due to mind … concentration due to investigation and volitional formations of striving. These are the four bases for spiritual power. “It is, Bhikkhus, because he has developed and cultivated these four bases for spiritual power that a Bhikkhu, by the destruction of the taints, in this very life enters and dwells in the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, realizing it for himself with direct knowledge.”

24 (4) Simple Version

“Bhikkhus, there are these four bases for spiritual power. What four? Here, Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu develops the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to desire and volitional formations of striving. He develops the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to energy … concentration due to mind … concentration due to investigation and volitional formations of striving. These are the four bases for spiritual power.”

25 (5) Fruits (1)

“Bhikkhus, there are these four bases for spiritual power. What four? Here, Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu develops the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to desire and volitional formations of striving. He develops the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to energy … concentration due to mind … concentration due to investigation and volitional formations of striving. These are the four bases for spiritual power. “When, Bhikkhus, these four bases for spiritual power have been developed and cultivated, one of two fruits may be expected: either final knowledge in this very life or, if there is a residue of clinging, the state of nonreturning.”

26 (6) Fruits (2)

“Bhikkhus, there are these four bases for spiritual power. What four? Here, Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu develops the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to desire and volitional formations of striving. He develops the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to energy … concentration due to mind … concentration due to investigation and volitional formations of striving. These are the four bases for spiritual power. “When, Bhikkhus, these four bases for spiritual power have been developed and cultivated, seven fruits and benefits may be expected. What are the seven fruits and benefits?

“One attains final knowledge early in this very life. If one does not attain final knowledge early in this very life, then one attains final knowledge at the time of death. If one does not attain final knowledge early in this very life, or at the time of death, then with the utter destruction of the five lower fetters one becomes an attainer of Nibbāna in the interval … an attainer of Nibbāna upon landing … an attainer of Nibbāna without exertion … an attainer of Nibbāna with exertion … one bound upstream, heading towards the Akaniṭṭha realm.

“When, Bhikkhus, these four bases for spiritual power have been developed and cultivated, these seven fruits and benefits may be expected.”

27 (7) Ānanda (1)

At Sāvatthi. Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Venerable sir, what now is spiritual power? What is the basis for spiritual power? What is the development of the bases for spiritual power? What is the way leading to the development of the bases for spiritual power?”

(The Buddha’s answers are exactly the same as in §19.)

28 (8) Ānanda (2)

The Blessed One then said to the Venerable Ānanda: “Ānanda, what now is spiritual power? What is the basis for spiritual power? What is the development of the bases for spiritual power? What is the way leading to the development of the bases for spiritual power?”

(The Buddha answers his own questions exactly as in §19.)

29 (9) A Number of Bhikkhus (1)

Then a number of Bhikkhus approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Venerable sir, what now is spiritual power? What is the basis for spiritual power? What is the development of the bases for spiritual power? What is the way leading to the development of the bases for spiritual power?”

(The Buddha’s answers are exactly the same as in §19.)

30 (10) A Number of Bhikkhus (2)

Then a number of Bhikkhus approached the Blessed One…. The Blessed One then said to them: “Bhikkhus, what now is spiritual power? What is the basis for spiritual power? What is the development of the bases for spiritual power? What is the way leading to the development of the bases for spiritual power?”

(The Buddha answers his own questions exactly as in §19.)

31 (11) Moggallāna

There the Blessed One addressed the Bhikkhus thus: “What do you think, Bhikkhus, by having developed and cultivated what things has the Bhikkhu Moggallāna become so powerful and mighty?”

“Venerable sir, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One….”

“It is because he has developed and cultivated the four bases for spiritual power that the Bhikkhu Moggallāna has become so powerful and mighty. What four? Here, Bhikkhus, the Bhikkhu Moggallāna has developed the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to desire and volitional formations of striving, thinking: ‘Thus my desire will be neither too slack nor too tense; and it will be neither constricted internally nor dis tracted externally.’ And he has dwelt perceiving after and before: ‘As before, so after; as after, so before; as below, so above; as above, so below; as by day, so at night; as at night, so by day.’ Thus, with a mind that is open and unenveloped, he has developed the mind imbued with luminosity. He has developed the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to energy … concentration due to mind … concentration due to investigation and volitional formations of striving, thinking: ‘Thus my investigation will be neither too slack nor too tense; and it will be neither constricted internally nor distracted externally.’… Thus, with a mind that is open and unenveloped, he has developed the mind imbued with luminosity.

“It is, Bhikkhus, because he has developed and cultivated these four bases for spiritual power that the Bhikkhu Moggallāna has become so powerful and mighty.

“It is, Bhikkhus, because the Bhikkhu Moggallāna has developed and cultivated these four bases for spiritual power that he wields the various kinds of spiritual power, such that: having been one, he becomes many; having been many, he becomes one … he exercises mastery with the body as far as the brahmā world….

“It is, Bhikkhus, because the Bhikkhu Moggallāna has developed and cultivated these four bases for spiritual power that by the destruction of the taints, in this very life he enters and dwells in the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, realizing it for himself with direct knowledge.”

32 (12) The Tathāgata

There the Blessed One addressed the Bhikkhus thus: “What do you think, Bhikkhus, by having developed and cultivated what things has the Tathāgata become so powerful and mighty?”

“Venerable sir, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One….”

“It is because he has developed and cultivated the four bases for spiritual power that the Tathāgata has become so powerful and mighty. What four? Here, Bhikkhus, the Tathāgata has developed the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to desire and volitional formations of striving, thinking: ‘Thus my desire will be neither too slack nor too tense; and it will be neither constricted internally nor distracted externally.’ And he has dwelt perceiving after and before: ‘As before, so after; as after, so before; as below, so above; as above, so below; as by day, so at night; as at night, so by day.’ Thus, with a mind that is open and unenveloped, he has developed the mind imbued with luminosity. He has developed the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to energy … concentration due to mind … concentration due to investigation and volitional formations of striving, thinking: ‘Thus my investigation will be neither too slack nor too tense; and it will be neither constricted internally nor distracted externally.’… Thus, with a mind that is open and unenveloped, he has developed the mind imbued with luminosity. “It is, Bhikkhus, because he has developed and cultivated these four bases for spiritual power that the Tathāgata has become so powerful and mighty.

“It is, Bhikkhus, because the Tathāgata has developed and cultivated these four bases for spiritual power that he wields the various kinds of spiritual power, such that: having been one, he becomes many; having been many, he becomes one … he exercises mastery with the body as far as the brahmā world….

“It is, Bhikkhus, because the Tathāgata has developed and cultivated these four bases for spiritual power that by the destruction of the taints, in this very life he enters and dwells in the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, realizing it for himself with direct knowledge.”