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SN 51.17PTS SN 5.2741 min read

Ascetics and Brahmins (2nd)

Dutiyasamaṇabrāhmaṇasutta

Whatever ascetics are of great spiritual power have developed the four bases of psychic power.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 51.17Linked Discourses 51.17
  • 0.22. Pāsādakampanavagga2. Shaking the Stilt Longhouse

0.3DutiyasamaṇabrāhmaṇasuttaAscetics and Brahmins (2nd)

1.1“Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, atītamaddhānaṁ samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā anekavihitaṁ iddhividhaṁ paccanubhosuṁ—ekopi hutvā bahudhā ahesuṁ, bahudhāpi hutvā eko ahesuṁ; āvibhāvaṁ, tirobhāvaṁ; tirokuṭṭaṁ tiropākāraṁ tiropabbataṁ asajjamānā agamaṁsu, seyyathāpi ākāse; pathaviyāpi ummujjanimujjaṁ akaṁsu, seyyathāpi udake; udakepi abhijjamāne agamaṁsu, seyyathāpi pathaviyaṁ; ākāsepi pallaṅkena kamiṁsu, seyyathāpi pakkhī sakuṇo; imepi candimasūriye evaṁmahiddhike evaṁmahānubhāve pāṇinā parimasiṁsu parimajjiṁsu; yāva brahmalokāpi kāyena vasaṁ vattesuṁ,“Mendicants, all the ascetics and brahmins in the past,1.2sabbe te catunnaṁ iddhipādānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā.2.1PTS 5.275Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, anāgatamaddhānaṁ samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā anekavihitaṁ iddhividhaṁ paccanubhossanti—ekopi hutvā bahudhā bhavissanti, bahudhāpi hutvā eko bhavissanti; āvibhāvaṁ, tirobhāvaṁ; tirokuṭṭaṁ tiropākāraṁ tiropabbataṁ asajjamānā gamissanti, seyyathāpi ākāse; pathaviyāpi ummujjanimujjaṁ karissanti, seyyathāpi udake; udakepi abhijjamāne gamissanti, seyyathāpi pathaviyaṁ; ākāsepi pallaṅkena kamissanti, seyyathāpi pakkhī sakuṇo; imepi candimasūriye evaṁmahiddhike evaṁmahānubhāve pāṇinā parimasissanti parimajjissanti; yāva brahmalokāpi kāyena vasaṁ vattissanti,future,2.2sabbe te catunnaṁ iddhipādānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā.3.1Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, etarahi samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā anekavihitaṁ iddhividhaṁ paccanubhonti—ekopi hutvā bahudhā honti, bahudhāpi hutvā eko honti; āvibhāvaṁ, tirobhāvaṁ; tirokuṭṭaṁ tiropākāraṁ tiropabbataṁ asajjamānā gacchanti, seyyathāpi ākāse; pathaviyāpi ummujjanimujjaṁ karonti, seyyathāpi udake; udakepi abhijjamāne gacchanti, seyyathāpi pathaviyaṁ; ākāsepi pallaṅkena kamanti, seyyathāpi pakkhī sakuṇo; imepi candimasūriye evaṁmahiddhike evaṁmahānubhāve pāṇinā parimasanti parimajjanti; yāva brahmalokāpi kāyena vasaṁ vattenti,or present who wield the various 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—3.2sabbe te catunnaṁ iddhipādānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattāti.do so by developing and cultivating the four bases of psychic power.

4.1Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ?What four?4.2Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu chandasamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti,It’s when a mendicant develops the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm …4.3vīriyasamādhi …pe…energy …4.4cittasamādhi …mental development …4.5vīmaṁsāsamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti.inquiry, and active effort.4.6Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, atītamaddhānaṁ samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā anekavihitaṁ iddhividhaṁ paccanubhosuṁ—ekopi hutvā bahudhā ahesuṁ …pe… yāva brahmalokāpi kāyena vasaṁ vattesuṁ,Mendicants, all the ascetics and brahmins in the past,4.7sabbe te imesaṁyeva catunnaṁ iddhipādānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā.5.1Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, anāgatamaddhānaṁ samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā anekavihitaṁ iddhividhaṁ paccanubhossanti—ekopi hutvā bahudhā bhavissanti …pe… yāva brahmalokāpi kāyena vasaṁ vattissanti,future,5.2sabbe te imesaṁyeva catunnaṁ iddhipādānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā.6.1Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, etarahi samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā anekavihitaṁ iddhividhaṁ paccanubhonti—ekopi hutvā bahudhā honti …pe… yāva brahmalokāpi kāyena vasaṁ vattenti,or present who wield the many kinds of psychic power—multiplying themselves and becoming one again … controlling the body as far as the realm of divinity—6.2sabbe te imesaṁyeva catunnaṁ iddhipādānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā”ti.do so by developing and cultivating these four bases of psychic power.”

6.3Sattamaṁ.