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7. Connected Discourses on the Bases of Spiritual Power 1. Cāpāla Chapter 1. The Near Shore Sutta 813. “These four bases of spiritual power, monks, developed and frequently practiced, lead from this shore to the other shore. Which four? Here, monks, a monk develops the basis of spiritual power endowed with concentration due to desire and volitional formations of striving; he develops the basis of spiritual power endowed with concentration due to energy and volitional formations of striving; he develops the basis of spiritual power endowed with concentration due to mind and volitional formations of striving; he develops the basis of spiritual power endowed with concentration due to investigation and volitional formations of striving. These four bases of spiritual power, monks, developed and frequently practiced, lead from this shore to the other shore.” First. 2. The Neglected Sutta 814. “For whosoever, monks, these four bases of spiritual power are neglected, for them the Noble Path leading to the right destruction of suffering is neglected. For whosoever, monks, these four bases of spiritual power are undertaken, for them the Noble Path leading to the right destruction of suffering is undertaken. Which four? Here, monks, a monk develops the basis of spiritual power endowed with concentration due to desire and volitional formations of striving; concentration due to energy... concentration due to mind... concentration due to investigation and volitional formations of striving. For whosoever, monks, these four bases of spiritual power are neglected, for them the Noble Path leading to the right destruction of suffering is neglected. For whosoever, monks, these four bases of spiritual power are undertaken, for them the Noble Path leading to the right destruction of suffering is undertaken.” Second. 3. The Noble Sutta 815. “These four bases of spiritual power, monks, developed and frequently practiced, are noble, leading out, they lead out for one who practices them to the right destruction of suffering. Which four? Here, monks, a monk develops the basis of spiritual power endowed with concentration due to desire and volitional formations of striving; concentration due to energy... concentration due to mind... he develops the basis of spiritual power, endowed with concentration due to investigation and volitional formations of striving. These four bases of spiritual power, monks, developed... developed, often practiced, noble, leading to liberation, they lead out for one who practices them to the complete destruction of suffering. The Third. 4. The Discourse on Disenchantment 816. "These four, monks, bases of spiritual power, when developed and often practiced, lead to utter disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, tranquility, direct knowledge, full enlightenment, and Nibbāna. Which four? Here, monks, a monk develops the base of spiritual power endowed with concentration due to desire and volitional formations of striving; concentration due to energy... concentration due to mind... develops the base of spiritual power endowed with concentration due to investigation and volitional formations of striving. These four, monks, bases of spiritual power, when developed and often practiced, lead to utter disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, tranquility, direct knowledge, full enlightenment, and Nibbāna." The Fourth. 5. The Discourse on the Sphere of Spiritual Power 817. "Whatever, monks, in the past, ascetics or brahmins, manifested the sphere of spiritual power, all of them did so by developing and often practicing the four bases of spiritual power. Whatever, monks, in the future, ascetics or brahmins, will manifest the sphere of spiritual power, all of them will do so by developing and often practicing the four bases of spiritual power. Whatever, monks, at present, ascetics or brahmins, manifest the sphere of spiritual power, all of them do so by developing and often practicing the four bases of spiritual power. "Which four? Here, monks, a monk develops the base of spiritual power endowed with concentration due to desire and volitional formations of striving; concentration due to energy... concentration due to mind... develops the base of spiritual power endowed with concentration due to investigation and volitional formations of striving. Whatever, monks, in the past, ascetics or brahmins, manifested the sphere of spiritual power, all of them did so by developing and often practicing these very four bases of spiritual power. Whatever, monks, in the future, ascetics or brahmins, will manifest the sphere of spiritual power, all of them will do so by developing and often practicing these very four bases of spiritual power. made much of. Whatever, monks, any recluses or brahmins now accomplish a sphere of psychic power, all of them have developed and made much of these four bases of psychic power. The Fifth. 6. The Discourse on Accomplishment 818. Whatever, monks, in the past any recluses or brahmins accomplished perfect psychic power, all of them had developed and made much of the four bases of psychic power. Whatever, monks, in the future any recluses or brahmins will accomplish perfect psychic power, all of them will have developed and made much of the four bases of psychic power. Whatever, monks, now any recluses or brahmins accomplish perfect psychic power, all of them have developed and made much of the four bases of psychic power. Which four? Here, monks, a bhikkhu develops the basis of psychic power endowed with concentration due to desire and volitional formations of exertion; concentration due to energy… concentration due to mind… develops the basis of psychic power endowed with concentration due to investigation and volitional formations of exertion. Whatever, monks, in the past any recluses or brahmins accomplished perfect psychic power, all of them had developed and made much of these four bases of psychic power. Whatever, monks, in the future any recluses or brahmins will accomplish perfect psychic power, all of them will have developed and made much of these four bases of psychic power. Whatever, monks, now any recluses or brahmins accomplish perfect psychic power, all of them have developed and made much of these four bases of psychic power. The Sixth. 7. The Discourse on Bhikkhus 819. Whatever, monks, in the past, bhikkhus through the destruction of the taints, by their own direct knowledge, realized and entered upon the taintless liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom in this very life, all of them had developed and made much of the four bases of psychic power. Whatever monks, in the future, will dwell having directly known and realized for themselves in this very life the liberation of mind and liberation through wisdom, free from taints, through the destruction of taints— all of them will do so because they have developed and cultivated the four bases of spiritual power. Whatever monks, at present, dwell having directly known and realized for themselves in this very life the liberation of mind and liberation through wisdom, free from taints, through the destruction of taints— all of them do so because they have developed and cultivated the four bases of spiritual power. Which four? Here, monks, a monk develops the base of spiritual power endowed with concentration due to desire and volitional formations of striving. He develops concentration due to energy… He develops concentration due to mind… He develops the base of spiritual power endowed with concentration due to investigation and volitional formations of striving. Whatever monks, in the past, dwelt having directly known and realized for themselves in this very life the liberation of mind and liberation through wisdom, free from taints, through the destruction of taints— all of them did so because they had developed and cultivated these very four bases of spiritual power. Whatever monks, in the future, will dwell having directly known and realized for themselves in this very life the liberation of mind and liberation through wisdom, free from taints, through the destruction of taints— all of them will do so because they have developed and cultivated these very four bases of spiritual power. Whatever monks, at present, dwell having directly known and realized for themselves in this very life the liberation of mind and liberation through wisdom, free from taints, through the destruction of taints— all of them do so because they have developed and cultivated these very four bases of spiritual power. The seventh. 8. The Buddha Sutta 820. There are these four bases of spiritual power, monks. Which four? Here, monks, a monk develops the base of spiritual power endowed with concentration due to desire and volitional formations of striving. He develops concentration due to energy… He develops concentration due to mind… He develops the base of spiritual power endowed with concentration due to investigation and volitional formations of striving. Thus. These, monks, are the four bases of power. Because these four bases of power, monks, have been developed and cultivated, the Tathāgata is called ‘Arahant, Perfectly Self-Awakened One.’ The Eighth. 9. The Discourse on Knowledge ‘This is the basis of power endowed with the volitional formation of concentration due to desire,’ monks, to me, regarding teachings unheard before, vision arose, knowledge arose, wisdom arose, true knowledge arose, light arose. ‘And this basis of power endowed with the volitional formation of concentration due to desire is to be developed,’ monks, to me, regarding teachings unheard before, vision arose, knowledge arose, wisdom arose, true knowledge arose, light arose. ‘It has been developed,’ monks, to me,