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Saį¹yutta NikÄya 51.11 Linked Discourses 51.11
2. PÄsÄdakampanavagga 2. Shaking the Stilt Longhouse
Pubbasutta Before
SÄvatthinidÄnaį¹. At SÄvatthÄ«.
āPubbeva me, bhikkhave, sambodhÄ anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato etadahosi: āMendicants, before my awakeningāwhen I was still unawakened but intent on awakeningāI thought:
āko nu kho hetu, ko paccayo iddhipÄdabhÄvanÄyÄāti? āWhatās the cause, whatās the reason for the development of the bases of psychic power?ā 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.
Tassa mayhaį¹, bhikkhave, etadahosi: Then it occurred to me:
āidha bhikkhu chandasamÄdhippadhÄnasaį¹
khÄrasamannÄgataį¹ iddhipÄdaį¹ bhÄvetiāāItās when a mendicant develops the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm, and active effort.
iti me chando na ca atilÄ«no bhavissati, na ca atippaggahito bhavissati, na ca ajjhattaį¹ saį¹
khitto bhavissati, na ca bahiddhÄ vikkhitto bhavissati. They think: āMy enthusiasm wonāt be too lax or too tense. And itāll be neither constricted internally nor scattered externally.ā This passage on relaxed effort is reminiscent of Soį¹a and his harp (AN 6.55:4.2). | The ideas of āconstricted internallyā (due to lack of energy) and āscattered externallyā (due to overactive thinking) are also in satipaį¹į¹hÄna (MN 10:34.8).
PacchÄpuresaƱƱī ca viharatiāAnd they meditate perceiving before and behind: Applied to walking meditation at AN 7.61:8.1.
yathÄ pure tathÄ pacchÄ, yathÄ pacchÄ tathÄ pure; as before, so behind; as behind, so before;
yathÄ adho tathÄ uddhaį¹, yathÄ uddhaį¹ tathÄ adho; as below, so above; as above, so below; Being equally aware above and below is familiar from the divine meditations (SN 42.8:12.1).
yathÄ divÄ tathÄ rattiį¹, yathÄ rattiį¹ tathÄ divÄ. as by day, so by night; as by night, so by day.
Iti vivaį¹ena cetasÄ apariyonaddhena sappabhÄsaį¹ cittaį¹ bhÄvetiā. And so, with an open and unenveloped heart, they develop a mind thatās full of radiance.
VÄ«riyasamÄdhippadhÄnasaį¹
khÄrasamannÄgataį¹ iddhipÄdaį¹ bhÄvetiāThey develop the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to energy ā¦
iti me vÄ«riyaį¹ na ca atilÄ«naį¹ bhavissati, na ca atippaggahitaį¹ bhavissati, na ca ajjhattaį¹ saį¹
khittaį¹ bhavissati, na ca bahiddhÄ vikkhittaį¹ bhavissati.
PacchÄpuresaƱƱī ca viharatiā
yathÄ pure tathÄ pacchÄ, yathÄ pacchÄ tathÄ pure;
yathÄ adho tathÄ uddhaį¹, yathÄ uddhaį¹ tathÄ adho;
yathÄ divÄ tathÄ rattiį¹, yathÄ rattiį¹ tathÄ divÄ.
Iti vivaį¹ena cetasÄ apariyonaddhena sappabhÄsaį¹ cittaį¹ bhÄveti.
CittasamÄdhippadhÄnasaį¹
khÄrasamannÄgataį¹ iddhipÄdaį¹ bhÄvetiāmental development ā¦
iti me cittaį¹ na ca atilÄ«naį¹ bhavissati, na ca atippaggahitaį¹ bhavissati, na ca ajjhattaį¹ saį¹
khittaį¹ bhavissati, na ca bahiddhÄ vikkhittaį¹ bhavissati.
PacchÄpuresaƱƱī ca viharatiā
yathÄ pure tathÄ pacchÄ, yathÄ pacchÄ tathÄ pure;
yathÄ adho tathÄ uddhaį¹, yathÄ uddhaį¹ tathÄ adho;
yathÄ divÄ tathÄ rattiį¹, yathÄ rattiį¹ tathÄ divÄ.
Iti vivaį¹ena cetasÄ apariyonaddhena sappabhÄsaį¹ cittaį¹ bhÄveti.
VÄ«maį¹sÄsamÄdhippadhÄnasaį¹
khÄrasamannÄgataį¹ iddhipÄdaį¹ bhÄvetiāinquiry, and active effort.
iti me vÄ«maį¹sÄ na ca atilÄ«nÄ bhavissati, na ca atippaggahitÄ bhavissati, na ca ajjhattaį¹ saį¹
khittÄ bhavissati, na ca bahiddhÄ vikkhittÄ bhavissati. They think: āMy inquiry wonāt be too lax or too tense. And itāll be neither constricted internally nor scattered externally.ā
PacchÄpuresaƱƱī ca viharatiāAnd they meditate perceiving before and behind:
yathÄ pure tathÄ pacchÄ, yathÄ pacchÄ tathÄ pure; as before, so behind; as behind, so before;
yathÄ adho tathÄ uddhaį¹, yathÄ uddhaį¹ tathÄ adho; as below, so above; as above, so below;
yathÄ divÄ tathÄ rattiį¹, yathÄ rattiį¹ tathÄ divÄ. as by day, so by night; as by night, so by day.
Iti vivaį¹ena cetasÄ apariyonaddhena sappabhÄsaį¹ cittaį¹ bhÄveti. And so, with an open and unenveloped heart, they develop a mind thatās full of radiance.ā
Evaį¹ bhÄvitesu kho, bhikkhu, catÅ«su iddhipÄdesu evaį¹ bahulÄ«katesu, anekavihitaį¹ iddhividhaį¹ paccanubhotiāekopi hutvÄ bahudhÄ hoti, bahudhÄpi hutvÄ eko hoti; ÄvibhÄvaį¹, tirobhÄvaį¹; tirokuį¹į¹aį¹ tiropÄkÄraį¹ tiropabbataį¹ asajjamÄno gacchati, seyyathÄpi ÄkÄse; pathaviyÄpi ummujjanimujjaį¹ karoti, seyyathÄpi udake; udakepi abhijjamÄne gacchati, seyyathÄpi pathaviyaį¹; ÄkÄsepi pallaį¹
kena kamati, seyyathÄpi pakkhÄ« sakuį¹o; imepi candimasÅ«riye evaį¹mahiddhike evaį¹mahÄnubhÄve pÄį¹inÄ parimasati parimajjati; yÄva brahmalokÄpi kÄyena vasaį¹ 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. Technically, it is the āvarieties of psychic powerā (iddhividhaį¹) 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. | āPsychic powersā (iddhi) were much cultivated in the Buddhaās 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 samÄdhi 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 āmaterialize and dematerializeā, exhibited by the Buddha (AN 8.30:2.1), some disciples (MN 37:6.1), and deities (MN 67:8.1). The Pali is ÄvibhÄvaį¹ tirobhÄvaį¹, literally āmanifest state, hidden stateā. Also found in ChÄndogya Upaniį¹£ad 7.26.1.
Evaį¹ bhÄvitesu kho, bhikkhu, catÅ«su iddhipÄdesu evaį¹ bahulÄ«katesu dibbÄya sotadhÄtuyÄ visuddhÄya atikkantamÄnusikÄya ubho sadde suį¹Ätiādibbe ca mÄnuse ca, dÅ«re santike cÄti. 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. āClairaudienceā is a literal rendition of dibbasota. The root sense of dibba is to āshineā like the bright sky or a divine being. The senses of clarity and divinity are both present.
Evaį¹ bhÄvitesu kho, bhikkhu, catÅ«su iddhipÄdesu evaį¹ bahulÄ«katesu, parasattÄnaį¹ parapuggalÄnaį¹ cetasÄ ceto paricca pajÄnÄti. 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. Note that the Indic idiom is not the āreadingā 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.
SarÄgaį¹ vÄ cittaį¹ āsarÄgaį¹ cittanāti pajÄnÄti; They understand mind with greed as āmind with greedā,
vÄ«tarÄgaį¹ vÄ cittaį¹ āvÄ«tarÄgaį¹ cittanāti pajÄnÄti; and mind without greed as āmind without greedā.
sadosaį¹ vÄ cittaį¹ āsadosaį¹ cittanāti pajÄnÄti; They understand mind with hate ā¦
vÄ«tadosaį¹ vÄ cittaį¹ āvÄ«tadosaį¹ cittanāti pajÄnÄti; mind without hate ā¦
samohaį¹ vÄ cittaį¹ āsamohaį¹ cittanāti pajÄnÄti; mind with delusion ā¦
vÄ«tamohaį¹ vÄ cittaį¹ āvÄ«tamohaį¹ cittanāti pajÄnÄti; mind without delusion ā¦
saį¹
khittaį¹ vÄ cittaį¹ āsaį¹
khittaį¹ cittanāti pajÄnÄti; constricted mind ā¦
vikkhittaį¹ vÄ cittaį¹ āvikkhittaį¹ cittanāti pajÄnÄti; scattered mind ā¦
mahaggataį¹ vÄ cittaį¹ āmahaggataį¹ cittanāti pajÄnÄti; expansive mind ā¦
amahaggataį¹ vÄ cittaį¹ āamahaggataį¹ cittanāti pajÄnÄti; unexpansive mind ā¦
sauttaraį¹ vÄ cittaį¹ āsauttaraį¹ cittanāti pajÄnÄti; mind that is not supreme ā¦
anuttaraį¹ vÄ cittaį¹ āanuttaraį¹ cittanāti pajÄnÄti; mind that is supreme ā¦
samÄhitaį¹ vÄ cittaį¹ āsamÄhitaį¹ cittanāti pajÄnÄti; mind immersed in samÄdhi ā¦
asamÄhitaį¹ vÄ cittaį¹ āasamÄhitaį¹ cittanāti pajÄnÄti; mind not immersed in samÄdhi ā¦
vimuttaį¹ vÄ cittaį¹ āvimuttaį¹ cittanāti pajÄnÄti; freed mind ā¦
avimuttaį¹ vÄ cittaį¹ āavimuttaį¹ cittanāti pajÄnÄti. They understand unfreed mind as āunfreed mindā.
Evaį¹ bhÄvitesu kho, bhikkhu, catÅ«su iddhipÄdesu evaį¹ bahulÄ«katesu, anekavihitaį¹ pubbenivÄsaį¹ anussarati, seyyathidaį¹āekampi jÄtiį¹ dvepi jÄtiyo tissopi jÄtiyo catassopi jÄtiyo paƱcapi jÄtiyo dasapi jÄtiyo vÄ«sampi jÄtiyo tiį¹sampi jÄtiyo cattÄlÄ«sampi jÄtiyo paƱƱÄsampi jÄtiyo jÄtisatampi jÄtisahassampi jÄtisatasahassampi anekepi saį¹vaį¹į¹akappe anekepi vivaį¹į¹akappe anekepi saį¹vaį¹į¹avivaį¹į¹akappe: āamutrÄsiį¹ evaį¹nÄmo evaį¹
gotto evaį¹vaį¹į¹o evamÄhÄro evaį¹sukhadukkhappaį¹isaį¹vedÄ« evamÄyupariyanto, so tato cuto amutra udapÄdiį¹; tatrÄpÄsiį¹ evaį¹nÄmo evaį¹
gotto evaį¹vaį¹į¹o evamÄhÄro evaį¹sukhadukkhappaį¹isaį¹vedÄ« evamÄyupariyanto, so tato cuto idhÅ«papannoāti. Iti sÄkÄraį¹ sauddesaį¹ anekavihitaį¹ pubbenivÄsaį¹ 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: āThere, 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.ā And so they recollect their many kinds of past lives, with features and details. Empowered by the fourth jhÄna, 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.
Evaį¹ bhÄvitesu kho, bhikkhu, catÅ«su iddhipÄdesu evaį¹ bahulÄ«katesu, dibbena cakkhunÄ visuddhena atikkantamÄnusakena satte passati cavamÄne upapajjamÄne hÄ«ne paį¹Ä«te suvaį¹į¹e dubbaį¹į¹e, sugate duggate yathÄkammÅ«page satte pajÄnÄti: āime vata, bhonto, sattÄ kÄyaduccaritena samannÄgatÄ vacÄ«duccaritena samannÄgatÄ manoduccaritena samannÄgatÄ ariyÄnaį¹ upavÄdakÄ micchÄdiį¹į¹hikÄ micchÄdiį¹į¹hikammasamÄdÄnÄ; te kÄyassa bhedÄ paraį¹ maraį¹Ä apÄyaį¹ duggatiį¹ vinipÄtaį¹ nirayaį¹ upapannÄ. Ime vÄ pana, bhonto, sattÄ kÄyasucaritena samannÄgatÄ vacÄ«sucaritena samannÄgatÄ manosucaritena samannÄgatÄ ariyÄnaį¹ anupavÄdakÄ sammÄdiį¹į¹hikÄ sammÄdiį¹į¹hikammasamÄdÄnÄ; te kÄyassa bhedÄ paraį¹ maraį¹Ä sugatiį¹ saggaį¹ lokaį¹ upapannÄāti. Iti dibbena cakkhunÄ visuddhena atikkantamÄnusakena satte passati cavamÄne upapajjamÄne hÄ«ne paį¹Ä«te, suvaį¹į¹e dubbaį¹į¹e, sugate duggate yathÄkammÅ«page satte pajÄnÄti. 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 rebornāinferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. They understand how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds. āThese 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.ā And so, with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, they see sentient beings passing away and being rebornāinferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. They understand how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds. 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.
Evaį¹ bhÄvitesu kho, bhikkhu, catÅ«su iddhipÄdesu evaį¹ bahulÄ«katesu, ÄsavÄnaį¹ khayÄ anÄsavaį¹ cetovimuttiį¹ paƱƱÄvimuttiį¹ diį¹į¹heva dhamme sayaį¹ abhiĆ±Ć±Ä sacchikatvÄ upasampajja viharatÄ«āti. 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.ā This is the experience of awakening that is the true goal of the Buddhist path. The defilementsāproperties of the mind that create sufferingāhave been curbed by the practice of ethics and suppressed by the power of jhÄna. Here they are eliminated forever.
Paį¹hamaį¹.