Saṃyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
51. Iddhi-Pāda Saṃyutta
3. Ayo-Guḷa Vagga
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
5. The Great Chapter
51. Kindred Sayings on the Bases of Psychic Power
3. [Untitled]
Sutta 22
Ayo-Guḷa Suttaṃ
The Iron Ball
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1][olds][than] THUS have I heard:
Once the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī.
Now the venerable Ānanda went to visit the Exalted One,
and on coming to him
saluted him
and sat down at one side.
Thus seated
the venerable Ānanda said this to the Exalted One:
"Pray, lord, does the Exalted One understand
how to reach,[1]
by psychic power
the Brahma World
in his mind-made body?"[2]
"I do understand
how to reach,
by psychic power
the Brahma World
in my mind-made body, Ānanda."
"But, lord, does the Exalted One understand how
by psychic power
to reach the Brahma World
in this (physical) body
of the four great elements?"
"I do understand how
by psychic power
to reach the Brahma World
in this (physical) body
of the four great elements Ānanda."
"That the Exalted One, lord, should know[3] how to reach by psychic power
the Brahma World
both in his mind-made body
and in this (physical) body
of the four great elements
is a wonder and a marvel."
"Yes, Ānanda.
The Tathāgatas are possessed of powers that are wonderful and marvellous.
At such time, Ānanda,
as the Tathāgata concentrates body in mind[4]
and concentrates mind in body,[5]
at such time as he [253] enters on
and abides in
the consciousness of bliss and buoyancy,
then it is, Ānanda, that the Tathāgata's body
is more buoyant,
softer,
more plastic
and more radiant.
Just as, Ānanda, an iron ball,
if heated all day long,[6]
is lighter
and softer,
more plastic
and more radiant,
even so at such time as the Tathāgata concentrates body in mind
and concentrates mind in body, -
at such time as the Tathāgata enters on
and abides in
the consciousness of bliss and buoyancy,
then it is, Ānanda,
that the Tathāgata's body
is more buoyant,
softer,
more plastic
and more radiant.
Now, Ānanda, whenever the Tathāgata concentrates body in mind
and mind in body,
and enters on
and abides in
the consciousness of bliss and buoyancy, -
at such time, Ānanda,
the Tathāgata's body
with but little effort
rises up from the ground
into the air.
He then enjoys
in divers ways
manifold forms of magic power,
thus:
From being one he becomes many,
from being many he becomes one.
Manifest or invisible
he goes unhindered through a wall,
through a rampart,
through a mountain,
as if it were through air.
He plunges into the earth
and shoots up again
as if in water.
He walks upon the water
without parting it,
as if on solid ground.
He travels sitting cross-legged through the air,
like a bird upon the wing.
Even this moon and sun,
though they be of such mighty power and majesty,
he handles and strokes them with his hand.
Even as far as the Brahma World
he has power with his body.
Just as, Ānanda, a tuft of cotton seed
or a ball of thistledown,
lightly wafted on the wind,
with but little effort
rises up from the ground
into the air,[7]
even so at such time as the Tathāgata concentrates body in mind
and mind in body
and enters on
and abides in
the consciousness of bliss and buoyancy, -
at such time, Ānanda,
the Tathāgata's body
with but little effort
rises up from the ground
into the air.
He then enjoys
in divers ways
manifold forms of magic power,
thus:
From being one he becomes many,
from being many he becomes one.
Manifest or invisible
he goes unhindered through a wall,
through a rampart,
through a mountain,
as if it were through air.
He plunges into the earth
and shoots up again
as if in water.
He walks upon the water
without parting it,
as if on solid ground.
He travels sitting cross-legged through the air,
like a bird upon the wing.
Even this moon and sun,
though they be of such mighty power and majesty,
he handles and strokes them with his hand.
Even as far as the Brahma World
he has power with his body."
[1] Text should read upasañkamituṇ in this and next paragraph and below.
[2] Cf. V.M. 405.
[3] There is a difficulty of reading here. Text has yañ ca kho opapāti ha (?) (Sinh. v.l. opāti; Burm. omāti), for which Pali Dict. suggests opapātiyā (iddhiyā). But there is no verb in the sentence, and I would read pahoti (potest). Comy. also seems at a loss. My two Sinh. MSS. of it have nāpi opātihamā ti, pahoti, taṇ sakkoti. 'This,' says Comy. 'is the pure text of the Buddha's word in Tipitaka.' I cannot refer to printed S. ed. of it here.
[4] Comy. kāyaṇ gahetvā citte āropeti, citta-sannisitaṇ karoti (makes it dependent on mind), quoting VM. ii, 404.
[5] Comy. the reverse of the above.
[6] For the simile Cf. D. ii, 335; Dialog. ii, 360. This species of magic is called vikubbanā-iddhi or vikubban'iddhi (power of transformation). Cf. V.M. 378 [at V.M. 404, karajakāyö]; Pts. ii, 205, e.g., the power of adopting the form of a youth or a nāga.
[7] Cf. Brethren, ver. 104.
