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SN 51.11PTS SN 5.263Hetu4 min read

Before

Pubbasutta

The Buddha recounts the process of inquiry that lead to him fully understanding the four bases of psychic power, as well as the powers that result from that.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 51.11Linked Discourses 51.11
  • 0.22. Pāsādakampanavagga2. Shaking the Stilt Longhouse

0.3PubbasuttaBefore

1.1Sāvatthinidānaṁ.At Sāvatthī.

1.2“Pubbeva me, bhikkhave, sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato etadahosi:“Mendicants, before my awakening—when I was still unawakened but intent on awakening—I thought:1.3‘ko nu kho hetu, ko paccayo iddhipādabhāvanāyā’ti?‘What’s the cause, what’s the reason for the development of the bases of psychic power?’11.4Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi:Then it occurred to me:1.5‘idha bhikkhu chandasamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti—‘It’s when a mendicant develops the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm, and active effort.1.6iti me chando na ca atilīno bhavissati, na ca atippaggahito bhavissati, na ca ajjhattaṁ saṅkhitto bhavissati, na ca bahiddhā vikkhitto bhavissati.They think: “My enthusiasm won’t be too lax or too tense. And it’ll be neither constricted internally nor scattered externally.”21.7Pacchāpuresaññī ca viharati—And they meditate perceiving before and behind:31.8yathā pure tathā pacchā, yathā pacchā tathā pure;as before, so behind; as behind, so before;1.9yathā adho tathā uddhaṁ, yathā uddhaṁ tathā adho;as below, so above; as above, so below;41.10yathā divā tathā rattiṁ, yathā rattiṁ tathā divā.as by day, so by night; as by night, so by day.1.11Iti vivaṭena cetasā apariyonaddhena sappabhāsaṁ cittaṁ bhāveti’.And so, with an open and unenveloped heart, they develop a mind that’s full of radiance.

2.1PTS 5.264Vīriyasamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti—They develop the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to energy …2.2iti me vīriyaṁ na ca atilīnaṁ bhavissati, na ca atippaggahitaṁ bhavissati, na ca ajjhattaṁ saṅkhittaṁ bhavissati, na ca bahiddhā vikkhittaṁ bhavissati.2.3Pacchāpuresaññī ca viharati—2.4yathā pure tathā pacchā, yathā pacchā tathā pure;2.5yathā adho tathā uddhaṁ, yathā uddhaṁ tathā adho;2.6yathā divā tathā rattiṁ, yathā rattiṁ tathā divā.2.7Iti vivaṭena cetasā apariyonaddhena sappabhāsaṁ cittaṁ bhāveti.3.1Cittasamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti—mental development …3.2iti me cittaṁ na ca atilīnaṁ bhavissati, na ca atippaggahitaṁ bhavissati, na ca ajjhattaṁ saṅkhittaṁ bhavissati, na ca bahiddhā vikkhittaṁ bhavissati.3.3Pacchāpuresaññī ca viharati—3.4yathā pure tathā pacchā, yathā pacchā tathā pure;3.5yathā adho tathā uddhaṁ, yathā uddhaṁ tathā adho;3.6yathā divā tathā rattiṁ, yathā rattiṁ tathā divā.3.7Iti vivaṭena cetasā apariyonaddhena sappabhāsaṁ cittaṁ bhāveti.4.1Vīmaṁsāsamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti—inquiry, and active effort.4.2iti me vīmaṁsā na ca atilīnā bhavissati, na ca atippaggahitā bhavissati, na ca ajjhattaṁ saṅkhittā bhavissati, na ca bahiddhā vikkhittā bhavissati.They think: “My inquiry won’t be too lax or too tense. And it’ll be neither constricted internally nor scattered externally.”4.3Pacchāpuresaññī ca viharati—And they meditate perceiving before and behind:4.4yathā pure tathā pacchā, yathā pacchā tathā pure;as before, so behind; as behind, so before;4.5yathā adho tathā uddhaṁ, yathā uddhaṁ tathā adho;as below, so above; as above, so below;4.6yathā divā tathā rattiṁ, yathā rattiṁ tathā divā.as by day, so by night; as by night, so by day.4.7Iti vivaṭena cetasā apariyonaddhena sappabhāsaṁ cittaṁ bhāveti.And so, with an open and unenveloped heart, they develop a mind that’s full of radiance.’

5.1PTS 5.265Evaṁ bhāvitesu kho, bhikkhu, catūsu iddhipādesu evaṁ bahulīkatesu, anekavihitaṁ iddhividhaṁ paccanubhoti—ekopi hutvā bahudhā hoti, bahudhāpi hutvā eko hoti; āvibhāvaṁ, tirobhāvaṁ; tirokuṭṭaṁ tiropākāraṁ tiropabbataṁ asajjamāno gacchati, seyyathāpi ākāse; pathaviyāpi ummujjanimujjaṁ karoti, seyyathāpi udake; udakepi abhijjamāne gacchati, seyyathāpi pathaviyaṁ; ākāsepi pallaṅkena kamati, seyyathāpi pakkhī sakuṇo; imepi candimasūriye evaṁmahiddhike evaṁmahānubhāve pāṇinā parimasati parimajjati; yāva brahmalokāpi kāyena vasaṁ vatteti.When the four bases of psychic power have been developed and cultivated in this way, they wield the many kinds of psychic power: multiplying themselves and becoming one again; materializing and dematerializing; going unobstructed through a wall, a rampart, or a mountain as if through space; diving in and out of the earth as if it were water; walking on water as if it were earth; flying cross-legged through the sky like a bird; touching and stroking with the hand the sun and moon, so mighty and powerful; controlling the body as far as the realm of divinity.5

6.1Evaṁ bhāvitesu kho, bhikkhu, catūsu iddhipādesu evaṁ bahulīkatesu dibbāya sotadhātuyā visuddhāya atikkantamānusikāya ubho sadde suṇāti—dibbe ca mānuse ca, dūre santike cāti.When the four bases of psychic power have been developed and cultivated in this way, with clairaudience that is purified and superhuman they hear both kinds of sounds, human and heavenly, whether near or far.6

7.1Evaṁ bhāvitesu kho, bhikkhu, catūsu iddhipādesu evaṁ bahulīkatesu, parasattānaṁ parapuggalānaṁ cetasā ceto paricca pajānāti.When the four bases of psychic power have been developed and cultivated in this way, they understand the minds of other beings and individuals, having encompassed them with their own mind.77.2Sarāgaṁ vā cittaṁ ‘sarāgaṁ cittan’ti pajānāti;They understand mind with greed as ‘mind with greed’,7.3vītarāgaṁ vā cittaṁ ‘vītarāgaṁ cittan’ti pajānāti;and mind without greed as ‘mind without greed’.7.4sadosaṁ vā cittaṁ ‘sadosaṁ cittan’ti pajānāti;They understand mind with hate …7.5vītadosaṁ vā cittaṁ ‘vītadosaṁ cittan’ti pajānāti;mind without hate …7.6samohaṁ vā cittaṁ ‘samohaṁ cittan’ti pajānāti;mind with delusion …7.7vītamohaṁ vā cittaṁ ‘vītamohaṁ cittan’ti pajānāti;mind without delusion …7.8saṅkhittaṁ vā cittaṁ ‘saṅkhittaṁ cittan’ti pajānāti;constricted mind …7.9vikkhittaṁ vā cittaṁ ‘vikkhittaṁ cittan’ti pajānāti;scattered mind …7.10mahaggataṁ vā cittaṁ ‘mahaggataṁ cittan’ti pajānāti;expansive mind …7.11amahaggataṁ vā cittaṁ ‘amahaggataṁ cittan’ti pajānāti;unexpansive mind …7.12sauttaraṁ vā cittaṁ ‘sauttaraṁ cittan’ti pajānāti;mind that is not supreme …7.13anuttaraṁ vā cittaṁ ‘anuttaraṁ cittan’ti pajānāti;mind that is supreme …7.14samāhitaṁ vā cittaṁ ‘samāhitaṁ cittan’ti pajānāti;mind immersed in samādhi …7.15asamāhitaṁ vā cittaṁ ‘asamāhitaṁ cittan’ti pajānāti;mind not immersed in samādhi …7.16vimuttaṁ vā cittaṁ ‘vimuttaṁ cittan’ti pajānāti;freed mind …7.17avimuttaṁ vā cittaṁ ‘avimuttaṁ cittan’ti pajānāti.They understand unfreed mind as ‘unfreed mind’.

8.1PTS 5.266Evaṁ bhāvitesu kho, bhikkhu, catūsu iddhipādesu evaṁ bahulīkatesu, anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati, seyyathidaṁ—ekampi jātiṁ dvepi jātiyo tissopi jātiyo catassopi jātiyo pañcapi jātiyo dasapi jātiyo vīsampi jātiyo tiṁsampi jātiyo cattālīsampi jātiyo paññāsampi jātiyo jātisatampi jātisahassampi jātisatasahassampi anekepi saṁvaṭṭakappe anekepi vivaṭṭakappe anekepi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭakappe: ‘amutrāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto amutra udapādiṁ; tatrāpāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto idhūpapanno’ti. Iti sākāraṁ sauddesaṁ anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati.When the four bases of psychic power have been developed and cultivated in this way, they recollect many kinds of past lives. That is: one, two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand rebirths; many eons of the world contracting, many eons of the world expanding, many eons of the world contracting and expanding. They remember: ‘There, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn somewhere else. There, too, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn here.’ And so they recollect their many kinds of past lives, with features and details.8

9.1Evaṁ bhāvitesu kho, bhikkhu, catūsu iddhipādesu evaṁ bahulīkatesu, dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena satte passati cavamāne upapajjamāne hīne paṇīte suvaṇṇe dubbaṇṇe, sugate duggate yathākammūpage satte pajānāti: ‘ime vata, bhonto, sattā kāyaduccaritena samannāgatā vacīduccaritena samannāgatā manoduccaritena samannāgatā ariyānaṁ upavādakā micchādiṭṭhikā micchādiṭṭhikammasamādānā; te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapannā. Ime vā pana, bhonto, sattā kāyasucaritena samannāgatā vacīsucaritena samannāgatā manosucaritena samannāgatā ariyānaṁ anupavādakā sammādiṭṭhikā sammādiṭṭhikammasamādānā; te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapannā’ti. Iti dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena satte passati cavamāne upapajjamāne hīne paṇīte, suvaṇṇe dubbaṇṇe, sugate duggate yathākammūpage satte pajānāti.When the four bases of psychic power have been developed and cultivated in this way, with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, they see sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. They understand how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds. ‘These dear beings did bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. They denounced the noble ones; they had wrong view; and they chose to act out of that wrong view. When their body broke up, after death, they were reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. These dear beings, however, did good things by way of body, speech, and mind. They never denounced the noble ones; they had right view; and they chose to act out of that right view. When their body broke up, after death, they were reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.’ And so, with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, they see sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. They understand how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds.9

10.1Evaṁ bhāvitesu kho, bhikkhu, catūsu iddhipādesu evaṁ bahulīkatesu, āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatī”ti.When the four bases of psychic power have been developed and cultivated in this way, they realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom. And they live having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements.”10

10.2Paṭhamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. The emphasis through this passage is the even, unconstricted, balanced development of meditation. The same set of items is applied to the parts of the body (Thag 6.4:4.1), and the development of immersion generally (AN 3.90:7.2). In the context of the bases of psychic power, the terms are spelled out in SN 51.20.

    ↩ sn51.11:1.3

  2. This passage on relaxed effort is reminiscent of Soṇa and his harp (AN 6.55:4.2).

    The ideas of “constricted internally” (due to lack of energy) and “scattered externally” (due to overactive thinking) are also in satipaṭṭhāna (MN 10:34.8).

    ↩ sn51.11:1.6

  3. Applied to walking meditation at AN 7.61:8.1.

    ↩ sn51.11:1.7

  4. Being equally aware above and below is familiar from the divine meditations (SN 42.8:12.1).

    ↩ sn51.11:1.9

  5. Technically, it is the “varieties of psychic power” (iddhividhaṁ) listed here that lend this practice its name. But the text goes on to include the other forms of higher knowledge as well. Further details are given at SN 51.22.

    “Psychic powers” (iddhi) were much cultivated in the Buddha’s day, but the means to acquire them varied: devotion to a god, brutal penances, or magic rituals. The Buddha taught that the mind developed in samādhi was capable of things that are normally incomprehensible.

    Only a few of these are attested as events in the early texts. The most common is the ability to “materialize and dematerialize”, exhibited by the Buddha (AN 8.30:2.1), some disciples (MN 37:6.1), and deities (MN 67:8.1). The Pali is āvibhāvaṁ tirobhāvaṁ, literally “manifest state, hidden state”. Also found in Chāndogya Upaniṣad 7.26.1.

    ↩ sn51.11:5.1

  6. “Clairaudience” is a literal rendition of dibbasota. The root sense of dibba is to “shine” like the bright sky or a divine being. The senses of clarity and divinity are both present.

    ↩ sn51.11:6.1

  7. Note that the Indic idiom is not the “reading” of minds, which suggests hearing the words spoken in inner dialogue. While this is exhibited by the Buddha (eg. AN 8.30:2.1), the main emphasis is on the comprehension of the overall state of mind.

    ↩ sn51.11:7.1

  8. Empowered by the fourth jhāna, memory breaks through the veil of birth and death, revealing the vast expanse of time and dispelling the illusion that there is any place of eternal rest or sanctuary in the cycle of transmigration.

    ↩ sn51.11:8.1

  9. Here knowledge extends to the rebirths of others as well as oneself. Even more significant, it brings in the understanding of cause and effect; why rebirth happens the way it does. Such knowledge, however, is not infallible, as the Buddha warns in DN 1:2.5.3 and MN 136. The experience is one thing; the inferences drawn from it are another. One should draw conclusions only tentatively, after long experience.

    ↩ sn51.11:9.1

  10. This is the experience of awakening that is the true goal of the Buddhist path. The defilements—properties of the mind that create suffering—have been curbed by the practice of ethics and suppressed by the power of jhāna. Here they are eliminated forever.

    ↩ sn51.11:10.1