1At Sāvatthī. Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:

2"Venerable sir, what now sn.v.286 is spiritual power?
What is the basis for spiritual power?
What is the development of the bases for spiritual power?
What is the way leading to the development of the bases for spiritual power?"

"Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu wields the various kinds of spiritual power, such that:

having been one, he becomes many; having been many, he becomes one; he appears and vanishes; he goes unhindered through a wall, through a rampart, through a mountain as though through space; he dives in and out of the earth as though it were water; he walks on water without sinking as though it were earth; seated cross-legged, he travels in space like a bird; with his hand he touches and strokes the moon and sun so powerful and mighty; he exercises mastery with the body as far as the brahma world.

This is called spiritual power.

3"And what, Ānanda, is the basis for spiritual power? It is the path and practice that leads to gaining spiritual power, to obtaining spiritual power.[n.270] Spk: The fourth jhāna used as a basis for abhiññā.

This is called the basis for spiritual power.

4"And what, Ānanda, is the development of the bases for spiritual power?

Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu develops the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to desire and volitional formations of striving.

He develops the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to energy and volitional formations of striving.

He develops the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to mind and volitional formations of striving.

He develops the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to investigation and volitional formations of striving.

This is called the development of the bases for spiritual power.

5"And what, Ānanda, is the way leading to the development of the bases for spiritual power? It is this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.

This is called the way leading to the development of the bases for spiritual power."

1Sāvatthinidānaṁ. Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

2"Katamā nu kho, bhante, iddhi, katamo iddhipādo, katamā iddhipādabhāvanā, katamā iddhipādabhāvanāgāminī paṭipadā"ti?

"Idhānanda, bhikkhu anekavihitaṁ iddhividhaṁ paccanubhoti –

ekopi hutvā bahudhā hoti, bahudhāpi hutvā eko hoti … pe … yāva brahmalokāpi kāyena vasaṁ vatteti –

ayaṁ vuccatānanda, iddhi.

3Katamo cānanda, iddhipādo? Yo, Ānanda, maggo yā paṭipadā iddhilābhāya iddhipaṭilābhāya saṁvattati –

ayaṁ vuccatānanda, iddhipādo.

4Katamā cānanda, iddhipādabhāvanā?

Idhānanda, bhikkhu chandasamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhi pādaṁ bhāveti,

vīriyasamādhi … pe …

cittasamādhi …

vīmaṁsāsamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhi pādaṁ bhāveti –

ayaṁ vuccatānanda, iddhipādabhāvanā.

5Katamā cānanda, iddhipādabhāvanāgāminī paṭipadā? Ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, seyyathidaṁ – sammādiṭṭhi … pe … sammāsamādhi –

ayaṁ vuccatānanda, iddhipādabhāvanāgāminī paṭipadā"ti.

Sattamaṁ.