1"Bhikkhus, just as whatever kinds of seed and plant life attain to growth, increase, and expansion, all do so based upon the earth, established upon the earth,

so too, based upon virtue, established upon virtue, a bhikkhu develops and cultivates the four bases for spiritual power, and thereby he attains to growth, increase, and expansion in wholesome states.

"And how does a bhikkhu do so?

Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to desire and volitional formations of striving
- which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release;
- which has as its final goal the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion;
- which has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its final goal;
- which slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.

He develops the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to energy and volitional formations of striving
- which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release;
- which has as its final goal the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion;
- which has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its final goal;
- which slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.

He develops the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to mind and volitional formations of striving
- which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release;
- which has as its final goal the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion;
- which has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its final goal;
- which slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.

He develops the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to investigation and volitional formations of striving
- which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release;
- which has as its final goal the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion;
- which has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its final goal;
- which slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.

"It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu, based upon virtue, established upon virtue, develops and cultivates the four bases for spiritual power, and thereby attains to growth, increase, and expansion in wholesome states."

1"Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ye kecime bījagāmabhūtagāmā vuḍḍhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjanti, sabbe te pathaviṁ nissāya pathaviyaṁ patiṭṭhāya evamete bījagāmabhūtagāmā vuḍḍhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjanti; …

Dutiyaṁ.