Iddhādidesanāsutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 51.19

Linked Discourses 51.19

2. Pāsādakampanavagga

2. Shaking the Stilt Longhouse

Iddhādidesanāsutta

A Teaching on Psychic Power, Etc.

“Iddhiṁ vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi iddhipādañca iddhipādabhāvanañca iddhipādabhāvanāgāminiñca paṭipadaṁ.

“Mendicants, I will teach you psychic power, the bases of psychic power, the development of the bases of psychic power, and the practice that leads to the development of the bases of psychic power.

Taṁ suṇātha.

Listen …

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, iddhi?

And what is psychic power?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anekavihitaṁ iddhividhaṁ paccanubhoti—ekopi hutvā bahudhā hoti, bahudhāpi hutvā eko hoti …pe… yāva brahmalokāpi kāyena vasaṁ vatteti—

It’s when a mendicant wields the many kinds of psychic power: multiplying themselves and becoming one again … controlling the body as far as the realm of divinity.

ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, iddhi.

This is called psychic power.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, iddhipādo?

And what is the basis of psychic power?

Yo so, bhikkhave, maggo yā paṭipadā iddhilābhāya iddhipaṭilābhāya saṁvattati—

The path and practice that leads to gaining psychic power.

ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, iddhipādo.

This is called the basis of psychic power.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, iddhipādabhāvanā?

And what is the development of the bases of psychic power?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu chandasamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti,

It’s when a mendicant develops the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm …

vīriyasamādhi …pe…

energy …

cittasamādhi …

mental development …

vīmaṁsāsamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti—

inquiry, and active effort.

ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, iddhipādabhāvanā.

This is called the development of the bases of psychic power.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, iddhipādabhāvanāgāminī paṭipadā?

And what is the practice that leads to the development of the bases of psychic power?

Ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, seyyathidaṁ—

It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is:

sammādiṭṭhi, sammāsaṅkappo, sammāvācā, sammākammanto, sammāājīvo, sammāvāyāmo, sammāsati, sammāsamādhi—

right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.

ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, iddhipādabhāvanāgāminī paṭipadā”ti.

This is called the practice that leads to the development of the bases of psychic power.”

Navamaṁ.