English
he endeavors, he arouses energy, he exerts his mind, he strives. For the abandoning of arisen evil unwholesome states; he generates desire, he endeavors, he arouses energy, he exerts his mind, he strives. For the arising of unarisen wholesome states; he generates desire, he endeavors, he arouses energy, he exerts his mind, he strives. For the maintenance, non-disappearance, increase, development, cultivation, and perfection of arisen wholesome states; he generates desire, he endeavors, he arouses energy, he exerts his mind, he strives. These are called 'volitional formations of exertion'. Thus, this desire, this concentration of desire, and these volitional formations of exertion – this, monks, is called 'the base of power endowed with concentration of desire and volitional formations of exertion'. Monks, if a monk, relying on energy, gains concentration, gains one-pointedness of mind – this is called the concentration of energy. He (generates desire for the non-arising of unarisen evil unwholesome states, etc.)… …for the maintenance, non-disappearance, increase, development, cultivation, and perfection of arisen wholesome states; he generates desire, he endeavors, he arouses energy, he exerts his mind, he strives. These are called 'volitional formations of exertion'. Thus, this energy… And this concentration of energy, and these volitional formations of exertion— this is called, monks, ‘the basis for spiritual power endowed with concentration of energy and volitional formations of exertion’." "If, monks, a monk, relying on mind, gains concentration, gains one-pointedness of mind— this is called ‘concentration of mind’. He generates desire for the non-arising of unarisen evil states, for the abandoning of arisen evil states, for the arising of unarisen wholesome states, and for the persistence, non-disappearance, increase, growth, development, and perfection of arisen wholesome states; he endeavors, arouses energy, exerts his mind, and strives. These are called ‘volitional formations of exertion’. Thus this mind, and this concentration of mind, and these volitional formations of exertion— this is called, monks, ‘the basis for spiritual power endowed with concentration of mind and volitional formations of exertion’." "If, monks, a monk, relying on investigation, gains concentration, gains one-pointedness of mind— this is called ‘concentration of investigation’. He generates desire for the non-arising of unarisen evil unwholesome states; he endeavors, arouses energy, exerts his mind, and strives; for the abandoning of arisen evil unwholesome states; he endeavors, arouses energy, exerts his mind, and strives; for the arising of unarisen wholesome states; he endeavors, arouses energy, exerts his mind, and strives; for the persistence, non-disappearance, increase, growth, development, and perfection of arisen wholesome states; he generates desire, endeavors, arouses energy, exerts his mind, and strives. These are called ‘volitional formations of exertion’. Thus this investigation, and this concentration of investigation, and these volitional formations of exertion— this is called, monks, ‘the basis for spiritual power endowed with concentration of investigation and volitional formations of exertion’." The Third. 4. The Moggallāna Sutta 826. Thus have I heard— On one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Sāvatthī, in the Eastern Park, in Migāra’s Mother’s Palace. Now at that time a number of monks were staying below Migāra’s Mother’s Palace, being unruly, arrogant, fickle, talkative, with loose talk, unmindful, not fully aware, unconcentrated, with agitated minds, with uncontrolled faculties. Then the Blessed One, to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna He addressed him – ‘‘These, Moggallāna, fellow practitioners dwell below Migāramātā's palace, arrogant, conceited, fickle, talkative, with scattered speech, unmindful, not comprehending, not concentrated, with agitated minds, with uncontrolled senses. Go, Moggallāna, stir up those bhikkhus!’’ ‘‘Yes, Venerable Sir,’’ the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna replied to the Blessed One, he performed such a feat of psychic power that with his big toe he shook, made tremble, and made vibrate Migāramātā's palace. Then those bhikkhus, agitated and with their hair standing on end, stood to one side – ‘‘Wonderful, indeed, sirs! Amazing, indeed, sirs! This Migāramātā's palace is sheltered from wind, with a deep foundation, well-dug, unmoving, unshaking, yet it has been shaken, made to tremble, and made to vibrate!’’ Then the Blessed One approached where those bhikkhus were; having approached, the Blessed One said to those bhikkhus – ‘‘Why, bhikkhus, are you agitated, with your hair standing on end, standing to one side?’’ ‘‘Wonderful, Venerable Sir, amazing, Venerable Sir! This Migāramātā's palace is sheltered from wind, with a deep foundation, well-dug, unmoving, unshaking, yet it has been shaken, made to tremble, and made to vibrate!’’ ‘‘Indeed, bhikkhus, it was by the bhikkhu Moggallāna, wishing to stir you up, that Migāramātā's palace was shaken, made to tremble, and made to vibrate with his big toe. What do you think, bhikkhus, by the cultivation and frequent practice of which qualities is the bhikkhu Moggallāna so greatly powerful, so greatly mighty?’’ ‘‘Our teachings, Venerable Sir, have the Blessed One as their root, the Blessed One as their guide, the Blessed One as their refuge. It would be good, Venerable Sir, if the meaning of this statement would occur to the Blessed One himself. Having heard from the Blessed One, the bhikkhus will remember it.’’ ‘‘Then, bhikkhus, listen. Indeed, bhikkhus, by the cultivation and frequent practice of four bases of psychic power, the bhikkhu Moggallāna So mighty in power, so mighty in majesty. Of which four? Here, monks, Moggallāna the bhikkhu cultivates the base of power endowed with the volitional formations of concentration due to desire, concentration due to energy… concentration due to mind… concentration due to investigation, endowed with the volitional formations of concentration due to investigation – ‘Thus my investigation will be neither too slack, nor too strained; neither inwardly contracted, nor outwardly scattered’. And he dwells perceiving front and back – as front, so back; as back, so front; as below, so above; as above, so below; as by day, so by night; as by night, so by day. Thus with an open mind, unbounded, he cultivates a luminous mind. By cultivating and frequently practicing these four bases of power, monks, Moggallāna the bhikkhu is so mighty in power, so mighty in majesty. And by cultivating and frequently practicing these four bases of power, monks, Moggallāna the bhikkhu experiences various kinds of psychic power… even to the Brahma-world he exercises mastery with his body… And by cultivating and frequently practicing these four bases of power, monks, Moggallāna the bhikkhu, by the destruction of the taints, enters and dwells in the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, having realized it for himself with direct knowledge in this very life. The Fourth. 5. The Discourse to the Brahmin Uṇṇābha 827. Thus have I heard – On one occasion the Venerable Ānanda was staying at Kosambī, in Ghosita's Park. Then the Brahmin Uṇṇābha approached the Venerable Ānanda; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Venerable Ānanda. Having concluded the courteous and amiable talk, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Brahmin Uṇṇābha said to the Venerable Ānanda: "For what purpose, good Ānanda, is the holy life lived under the ascetic Gotama?" "For the abandoning of desire— Indeed, brahmin, the holy life is lived in the Blessed One. "Is there, good Ananda, a path, is there a way for the abandoning of this desire?" "There is, brahmin, a path, there is a way for the abandoning of this desire." "But what, good Ananda, is the path, what is the way for the abandoning of this desire?" "Here, brahmin, a monk develops the basis for spiritual power endowed with concentration due to desire and volitional formations; he develops the basis for spiritual power endowed with concentration due to energy and volitional formations; he develops the basis for spiritual power endowed with concentration due to mind and volitional formations; he develops the basis for spiritual power endowed with concentration due to investigation and volitional formations. This, brahmin, is the path, this is the way for the abandoning of this desire." "If that is so, good Ananda, it is something existing, not non-existing. That one will abandon desire by desire – this is not possible." "Then, brahmin, I will question you in return about this. You should answer it as you see fit. What do you think, brahmin? Did you previously have the desire, 'I will go to the park'? When you had gone to the park, was that specific desire then calmed?" "Yes, good sir." "Did you previously have the energy, 'I will go to the park'? When you had gone to the park, was that specific energy then calmed?" "Yes, good sir." "Did you previously have the mind, 'I will go to the park'? When you had gone to the park, was that specific mind then calmed?" "Yes, good sir." "Did you previously have the investigation, 'I will go to the park'? When you had gone to the park, was that specific investigation then calmed?" "Yes, good sir." "Just so, brahmin, that monk who is an Arahant, whose defilements are destroyed, who has lived the holy life, who has done what had to be done, who has laid down the burden, who has attained his own goal, whose fetters of existence are utterly destroyed, who is liberated by perfect knowledge – for him, the desire he previously had for the attainment of Arahantship, when Arahantship is attained, that specific desire is then calmed; the energy he previously had for the attainment of Arahantship..." Yes, upon attaining arahantship, that associated energy is tranquilized.