English
That, monks, which is desire accompanied by sloth and torpor, associated with sloth and torpor – this, monks, is called inwardly contracted desire. And what, monks, is outwardly scattered desire? That, monks, which is desire scattered and spread out among the five external sense-pleasures – this, monks, is called outwardly scattered desire. And how, monks, does a monk dwell perceiving the front and back – as the front, so the back; as the back, so the front? Here, monks, the monk's perception of front and back is well-grasped, well-attended to, well-considered, well-penetrated by wisdom. Thus, monks, does a monk dwell perceiving the front and back – as the front, so the back; as the back, so the front. And how, monks, does a monk dwell as below, so above; as above, so below? Here, monks, a monk reflects on this very body, from the soles of the feet upwards, from the top of the hair downwards, enclosed by skin, full of various impurities: 'There are in this body: hairs, body-hair, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone-marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, intestines, intestinal mesentery, stomach, feces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, snot, joint-fluid, urine.' Thus, monks, does a monk dwell as below, so above; as above, so below. And how, monks, does a monk dwell as by day, so by night; as by night, so by day? Here, monks, by whatever modes, by whatever signs, by whatever indications he develops the basis for spiritual power, accompanied by the volitional formations of concentration due to desire, by day, by those modes, by those signs, By those signs, at night, he develops the basis of psychic power endowed with the volitional formations of concentration due to desire. Or by whichever modes, whichever marks, whichever signs, at night, he develops the basis of psychic power endowed with the volitional formations of concentration due to desire, by those modes, those marks, those signs, by day, he develops the basis of psychic power endowed with the volitional formations of concentration due to desire. Thus, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu dwells as by day, so by night; as by night, so by day. "And how, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu develop a mind that is open, unconstrained, and luminous? Here, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu's perception of light is well-grasped, the perception of day is well-established. Thus, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu develops a mind that is open, unconstrained, and luminous. "And what, bhikkhus, is effort that is too slack? That effort, bhikkhus, which is accompanied by laziness, associated with laziness— this, bhikkhus, is called effort that is too slack. "And what, bhikkhus, is effort that is too strained? That effort, bhikkhus, which is accompanied by restlessness, associated with restlessness— this, bhikkhus, is called effort that is too strained. "And what, bhikkhus, is effort that is inwardly constricted? That effort, bhikkhus, which is accompanied by sloth and torpor, associated with sloth and torpor— this, bhikkhus, is called effort that is inwardly constricted. "And what, bhikkhus, is effort that is outwardly scattered? That effort, bhikkhus, which is outwardly scattered and spread out with reference to the five strands of sensual pleasure— this, bhikkhus, is called effort that is outwardly scattered. "And how, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu develop a mind that is open, unconstrained, and luminous? Here, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu's perception of light is well-grasped, the perception of day is well-established. Thus, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu develops a mind that is open, unconstrained, and luminous. Comes. And what, bhikkhus, is the sluggish mind? That, bhikkhus, which mind is accompanied by laziness, conjoined with laziness – this is called, bhikkhus, the sluggish mind. And what, bhikkhus, is the over-exerted mind? That, bhikkhus, which mind is accompanied by restlessness, conjoined with restlessness – this is called, bhikkhus, the over-exerted mind. And what, bhikkhus, is the inwardly contracted mind? That, bhikkhus, which mind is accompanied by sloth and torpor, conjoined with sloth and torpor – this is called, bhikkhus, the inwardly contracted mind. And what, bhikkhus, is the outwardly scattered mind? That, bhikkhus, which mind, concerning the five strands of sensual pleasure, is outwardly scattered, spread out – this is called, bhikkhus, the outwardly scattered mind... Thus, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops a mind that is open, unconfined, and luminous. And what, bhikkhus, is sluggish investigation? That, bhikkhus, which investigation is accompanied by laziness, conjoined with laziness – this is called, bhikkhus, sluggish investigation. And what, bhikkhus, is over-exerted investigation? That, bhikkhus, which investigation is accompanied by restlessness, conjoined with restlessness – this is called, bhikkhus, over-exerted investigation. And what, bhikkhus, is inwardly contracted investigation? That, bhikkhus, which investigation is accompanied by sloth and torpor, conjoined with sloth and torpor – this is called, bhikkhus, inwardly contracted investigation. And what, bhikkhus, is outwardly scattered investigation? That, bhikkhus, which investigation, concerning the five strands of sensual pleasure, is outwardly scattered, spread out – this is called, bhikkhus, outwardly scattered investigation... Thus, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops a mind that is open, unconfined, and luminous. Thus developed, bhikkhus, these four bases of spiritual power, thus made much of, are of great fruit. Great Benefits. “When these four bases of spiritual power, monks, are thus developed, thus made much of, a monk experiences various kinds of spiritual power: being one, he becomes many; being many, he becomes one; … he wields power with his body even up to the Brahma-world. When these four bases of spiritual power, monks, are thus developed, thus made much of, by the destruction of the taints, he 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 tenth. The Chapter on Shaking the Palace, the Second. Its Summary: Former, great fruit, desire, Moggallāna and Uṇṇābha; Two ascetics and brahmins, monks, Discourse with analysis. 3. The Iron Ball Chapter 1. The Path Sutta Thus have I heard. At Sāvatthī. “Before my enlightenment, monks, while I was still an unenlightened Bodhisatta, it occurred to me: ‘What is the path? What is the practice for the development of the bases of spiritual power?’ Then, monks, it occurred to me: ‘Here, a monk develops the base of spiritual power endowed with concentration due to desire and volitional formations of striving, thinking: “My desire will not be too slack, nor too strained, nor contracted internally, nor scattered externally.” And he dwells perceiving front and back: as front, so back; as back, so front; as below, so above; as above, so below; as day, so night; as night, so day. Thus, with an open mind, unconfined, he develops a mind full of radiance. Concentration due to energy… Concentration due to mind… Concentration due to investigation and volitional formations of striving, he develops the base of spiritual power, thinking: “My investigation will not be too slack, nor too strained, nor contracted internally, nor scattered externally.” And he dwells perceiving front and back: as front, so back; as back, as before; as below, so above; as above, so below; as by day, so by night; as by night, so by day’ – with an open mind, unconfined, he develops a luminous mind. “When, bhikkhus, these four bases of spiritual power are thus developed, thus made much of, the bhikkhu experiences various kinds of spiritual power: being one, he becomes many; being many, he becomes one… …he wields power with his body even up to the Brahma world. When, bhikkhus, these four bases of spiritual power are thus developed, thus made much of, by the destruction of the taints, he abides having realized for himself with direct knowledge in this very life the taintless liberation of mind, the liberation by wisdom.” The First. (The six higher knowledges should be elaborated.) 2. The Iron Ball Sutta 834. At Savatthi. Then the venerable Ananda approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the venerable Ananda said to the Blessed One: “Does the Blessed One, venerable sir, know how to go to the Brahma world by means of spiritual power with a mind-made body?” “I do know, Ananda, how to go to the Brahma world by means of spiritual power with a mind-made body.” “Does the Blessed One, venerable sir, know how to go to the Brahma world by means of spiritual power with this body made of the four great elements?” “I do know, Ananda, how to go to the Brahma world by means of spiritual power with this body made of the four great elements.” “That the Blessed One, venerable sir, knows how to go to the Brahma world by means of spiritual power with a mind-made body, and that the Blessed One, venerable sir, knows how to go to the Brahma world by means of spiritual power with this body made of the four great elements – this, venerable sir, is wonderful and amazing for the Blessed One!” “Wonderful, Ananda, are the Tathagatas, endowed with wonderful qualities, and amazing, Ananda, The Tathāgatas are endowed with wonderful qualities.” “Ananda, at the time the Tathāgata composes the body in the mind, and the mind in the body, and dwells having entered the perception of ease and the perception of lightness in the body; at that time, Ananda, the Tathāgata’s body becomes lighter, and softer, and more workable, and more radiant. Just as, Ananda, a ball of iron, heated for a day, becomes lighter, and softer, and more workable, and more radiant; even so, Ananda, at the time the Tathāgata composes the body in the mind, and the mind in the body, and dwells having entered the perception of ease