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because it is the proximate cause for supernormal powers in each and every sphere. Therefore, the Blessed One said: "Whatever supernormal power to be realized he inclines his mind to realize, in each and every sphere, he attains the ability to witness it." For those ordinary people whose jhānas have not declined, who desire rebirth in the Brahma world, thinking "I shall be reborn in the Brahma world," or even those who do not desire it but do not decline from concentration, for them, the development of absorption concentration is beneficial for a special existence, because it brings about a special existence. Therefore, the Blessed One said: "Having developed the first jhāna to a limited extent, where are they reborn? They are reborn into the companionship of the Brahma's Retinue gods," and so on. Moreover, the development of access concentration also brings about a special existence in the sensuous happy realms. But for those noble ones who, having produced the eight attainments, enter the attainment of cessation, and develop concentration with the thought, "Having been without consciousness for seven days, I shall attain cessation, Nibbāna, in this very life and dwell happily," for them, the development of absorption concentration is beneficial for cessation. Therefore, it is said: "The wisdom that is mastery over sixteen courses of knowledge and nine courses of concentration is the knowledge of the attainment of cessation." Thus, this fivefold benefit of developing concentration, beginning with happy dwelling in this very life... Therefore, in this practice of concentration, which has many benefits, and cleanses the defilements and impurities, a wise person should not be negligent. 363. Thus far, by means of the path to purification taught through the three sections of virtue, concentration, and wisdom in the verse “A wise person, established in virtue,” concentration has also been fully explained. Here ends the section on concentration, the eleventh chapter, in the Path to Purification, composed for the joy of good people. 364. The first is the section on virtue. The second is the section on ascetic practices. The third is the section on taking up meditation subjects. The fourth is the section on the earth kasina. The fifth is the section on the remaining kasinas. The sixth is the section on the foulness meditations. The seventh is the section on the six recollections. The eighth is the section on the remaining recollections. The ninth is the section on the divine abidings. The tenth is the section on the formless attainments. The section on the two ways of analyzing the perception of repulsiveness and the elements is the eleventh. The first part of the Visuddhimagga is finished. Homage to the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One. The Path to Purification (Part Two) 12. Section on Psychic Powers Discourse on Supernormal Knowledge 365. Now, since this development of concentration has been said to have the benefit of supernormal knowledge by way of these mundane supernormal knowledges, the yogi who has attained the fourth jhana in the earth kasina and so on must make an effort to achieve these supernormal knowledges. For him, that development of concentration will then have attained its benefit and will be more stable, and being endowed with a concentration development that has attained its benefit and is more stable, he will easily achieve the development of wisdom. Therefore, we shall first begin the discourse on supernormal knowledge. For the Blessed One, in order to show the benefit of the development of concentration to those noble sons who have attained the concentration of the fourth jhana, and in order to teach increasingly refined and excellent doctrines, said: “He, with his mind thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, rid of defilements, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability, directs and inclines his mind to the various kinds of psychic power. He experiences various kinds of psychic power: being one, he becomes many,” and so on (Dī. Ni. 1.238). Thus, the power of psychic abilities, the knowledge of the divine ear element, the knowledge of penetrating others' minds, the knowledge of recollecting past lives, and the knowledge of the passing away and reappearance of beings— these five worldly supernormal powers are spoken of. Therein, by the beginner yogi who wishes to perform psychic transformations such as becoming one and then many, having generated eight attainments in each of the eight kasinas, ending with the white kasina – By kasina forward order, by kasina reverse order, by kasina forward and reverse order, by jhana forward order, by jhana reverse order, by jhana forward and reverse order, by jumping jhanas, by jumping kasinas, by jumping jhanas and kasinas, by transferring factors, by transferring objects, by transferring factors and objects, by determining factors, by determining objects. By these fourteen ways the mind should be mastered. 366. What is kasina forward order here... what is determining objects? Here, a monk attains jhana in the earth kasina, then in the water kasina, and so on; thus, in this sequence, in the eight kasinas, he attains a hundred times or a thousand times. This is called kasina forward order. But starting from the white kasina, attaining in the same reverse order is called kasina reverse order. Starting from the earth kasina up to the white kasina, and starting from the white kasina up to the earth kasina— thus repeatedly attaining in forward and reverse order is called kasina forward and reverse order. But starting from the first jhana, in sequence up to the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, repeatedly attaining is called jhana forward order. Starting from the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception up to the first jhana, repeatedly attaining is called jhana reverse order. Starting from the first jhana up to the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, and starting from the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception up to the first jhana— thus repeatedly attaining in forward and reverse order is called jhana forward and reverse order. But in the earth kasina, having attained the first jhana, right there... enters the third, then, having opened that same (kasiṇa), the sphere of infinite space, then the sphere of nothingness – thus, having gone through the kasiṇas, the ascent of jhānas themselves, by way of alternating, is called "jhāna-skipping." Similarly, an application based on the water-kasiṇa and so on should be made. Having entered the first jhāna in the earth-kasiṇa, again the same in the fire-kasiṇa, then in the blue-kasiṇa, then in the red-kasiṇa – in this way, having gone through the jhāna, the ascent of the kasiṇas themselves, by way of alternating, is called "kasiṇa-skipping." Having entered the first jhāna in the earth-kasiṇa, then the third in the fire-kasiṇa, having opened the blue-kasiṇa, the sphere of infinite space, from the red-kasiṇa, the sphere of nothingness – in this way, the ascent of both jhāna and kasiṇa, is called "jhāna-kasiṇa-skipping." But having entered the first jhāna in the earth-kasiṇa, entering the others there itself, is called "factor-transference." Having entered the first jhāna in the earth-kasiṇa, the same in the water-kasiṇa... and so on... the same in the white-kasiṇa – thus, entering one and the same jhāna in all kasiṇas, is called "object-transference." Having entered the first jhāna in the earth-kasiṇa, the second in the water-kasiṇa, the third in the fire-kasiṇa, the fourth in the wind-kasiṇa, having opened the blue-kasiṇa, the sphere of infinite space, from the yellow-kasiṇa, the sphere of infinite consciousness, from the red-kasiṇa, the sphere of nothingness, from the white-kasiṇa, the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception – thus, the transference of both factors and objects by way of alternating, is called "factor-object-transference." But having determined the first jhāna as five-factored, the second as three-factored, the third as two-factored, and similarly the fourth, the sphere of infinite space... and so on... the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception – thus, the determination of the jhāna factors themselves, is called "factor-determination." Similarly, having determined this as the earth-kasiṇa, this as the water-kasiṇa... and so on... this as the white-kasiṇa – thus, the determination of the objects themselves, is called "object-determination." Some also desire the determination of the charcoal object. But since it is not found in the commentaries, it is certainly not a door to development. 367. But without disciplining the mind with these fourteen modes, a beginner meditator who has not previously developed it will accomplish psychic powers – this is not possible. Indeed, for a beginner, even the preliminary work of the kasiṇa is a burden, and only one in hundreds or thousands can do it. For one who has done the preliminary kasiṇa work, producing the sign is a burden, and only one in hundreds or thousands can do it. When the sign has arisen, developing it and attaining absorption is a burden, and only one in hundreds or thousands can do it. For one who has attained absorption, disciplining the mind with the fourteen modes is a burden, and only one in hundreds or thousands can do it. Even for one whose mind is disciplined by the fourteen modes, psychic power is a burden, and only one in hundreds or thousands can do it. Even for one who has attained psychic power, quickness of insight is a burden, and only one in hundreds or thousands is quick in insight. Like the Elder Rakkhita, eight years ordained, among thirty thousand powerful ones who came to attend the sick Elder Mahārohaṇagutta at Therambatthala. His power is indeed mentioned in the exposition of the earth kasiṇa (Visuddhimagga 1.78 onwards). But seeing his power, the Elder said: