SN 45-56 The Group of Connected Discourses on the Path – Mahāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 51 Linked Discourses on the Bases of Psychic Power – Iddhipādasaṁyutta > SN 51.14 With Moggallāna

Linked Discourses 51.14 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 51.14

2. Shaking the Stilt Longhouse – 2. Pāsādakampanavagga

SN 51.14 With Moggallāna – Moggallānasutta

So I have heard.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in the Eastern Monastery, the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati pubbārāme migāramātupāsāde.

Now at that time several bhikkhū were staying beneath the longhouse. They were restless, insolent, fickle, scurrilous, loose-tongued, unmindful, lacking situational awareness and samādhi, with straying minds and undisciplined faculties.

Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā bhikkhū heṭṭhāmigāramātupāsāde viharanti uddhatā unnaḷā capalā mukharā vikiṇṇavācā muṭṭhassatino asampajānā asamāhitā bhantacittā pākatindriyā.

Then the Buddha addressed Venerable Mahāmoggallāna,

Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ āmantesi:

“These spiritual companions of yours staying beneath the longhouse are restless, insolent, fickle, scurrilous, loose-tongued, unmindful, lacking situational awareness and samādhi, with wandering mind and undisciplined faculties.

“ete kho, moggallāna, sabrahmacārino heṭṭhāmigāramātupāsāde viharanti uddhatā unnaḷā capalā mukharā vikiṇṇavācā muṭṭhassatino asampajānā asamāhitā bhantacittā pākatindriyā.

Go, Moggallāna, and strike awe in those bhikkhū!”

Gaccha, moggallāna, te bhikkhū saṁvejehī”ti.

“Yes, sir,” replied Mahāmoggallāna. Then he used his psychic power to make the longhouse shake and rock and tremble with his toe.

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno bhagavato paṭissutvā tathārūpaṁ iddhābhisaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkhāresi yathā pādaṅguṭṭhakena migāramātupāsādaṁ saṅkampesi sampakampesi sampacālesi.

Then those bhikkhū stood to one side, shocked and awestruck.

Atha kho te bhikkhū saṁviggā lomahaṭṭhajātā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu:

“It’s incredible, it’s amazing!

“acchariyaṁ vata bho, abbhutaṁ vata bho.

There’s no wind at all; and this stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother has deep foundations. It’s firmly embedded, imperturbable and unshakable. And yet it shakes and rocks and trembles!”

Nivātañca vata ayañca migāramātupāsādo gambhīranemo sunikhāto acalo asampakampī, atha ca pana saṅkampito sampakampito sampacālito”ti.

Then the Buddha went up to those bhikkhū and said:

Atha kho bhagavā yena te bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā te bhikkhū bhagavā etadavoca:

“Why do you, bhikkhū, stand to one side, shocked and awestruck?”

“kiṁ nu tumhe, bhikkhave, saṁviggā lomahaṭṭhajātā ekamantaṁ ṭhitā”ti?

“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing!

“Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ bhante.

There’s no wind at all; and this stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother has deep foundations. It’s firmly embedded, imperturbable and unshakable. And yet it shakes and rocks and trembles!”

Nivātañca vata ayañca migāramātupāsādo gambhīranemo sunikhāto acalo asampakampī, atha ca pana saṅkampito sampakampito sampacālito”ti.

“Wanting to strike awe in you, the bhikkhu Moggallāna made the longhouse shake and rock and tremble with his toe.

“Tumheva kho, bhikkhave, saṁvejetukāmena moggallānena bhikkhunā pādaṅguṭṭhakena migāramātupāsādo, saṅkampito sampakampito sampacālito.

What do you think, bhikkhū?

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,

What things has the bhikkhu Moggallāna developed and cultivated so as to have such power and might?”

katamesaṁ dhammānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā moggallāno bhikkhu evaṁmahiddhiko evaṁmahānubhāvo”ti?

“Our teachings are rooted in the Buddha. He is our guide and our refuge. Sir, may the Buddha himself please clarify the meaning of this. The bhikkhū will listen and remember it.”

“Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā, bhagavaṁnettikā bhagavaṁpaṭisaraṇā. Sādhu vata, bhante, bhagavantaṁyeva paṭibhātu etassa bhāsitassa attho. Bhagavato sutvā bhikkhū dhāressantī”ti.

“Well then, bhikkhū, listen.

“Tena hi, bhikkhave, suṇātha.

The bhikkhu Moggallāna has become so powerful and mighty by developing and cultivating the four bases of psychic power.

Catunnaṁ kho, bhikkhave, iddhipādānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā moggallāno bhikkhu evaṁmahiddhiko evaṁmahānubhāvo.

What four?

Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ?

Moggallāna develops the basis of psychic power that has samādhi due to enthusiasm …

Idha, bhikkhave, moggallāno bhikkhu chandasamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti,

energy …

vīriyasamādhi …pe…

mental development …

cittasamādhi …

inquiry, and active effort.

vīmaṁsāsamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti—

He thinks: ‘My inquiry won’t be too lax or too tense. And it’ll be neither constricted internally nor scattered externally.’

iti me vīmaṁsā na ca atilīnā bhavissati, na ca atippaggahitā bhavissati;

na ca ajjhattaṁ saṅkhittā bhavissati, na ca bahiddhā vikkhittā bhavissati.

And he meditates perceiving continuity:

Pacchāpuresaññī ca viharati—

as before, so after; as after, so before;

yathā pure tathā pacchā, yathā pacchā tathā pure;

as below, so above; as above, so below;

yathā adho tathā uddhaṁ, yathā uddhaṁ tathā adho;

as by day, so by night; as by night, so by day.

yathā divā tathā rattiṁ, yathā rattiṁ tathā divā.

And so, with an open and unenveloped heart, he develops a mind that’s full of radiance.

Iti vivaṭena cetasā apariyonaddhena sappabhāsaṁ cittaṁ bhāveti.

The bhikkhu Moggallāna has become so powerful and mighty by developing and cultivating these four bases of psychic power.

Imesaṁ kho, bhikkhave, catunnaṁ iddhipādānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā moggallāno bhikkhu evaṁmahiddhiko evaṁmahānubhāvo.

And by developing and cultivating these four bases of psychic power, the bhikkhu Moggallāna wields the many kinds of psychic power … controlling the body as far as the Brahmā realm. …

Imesañca pana, bhikkhave, catunnaṁ iddhipādānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā moggallāno bhikkhu anekavihitaṁ iddhividhaṁ paccanubhoti …pe… yāva brahmalokāpi kāyena vasaṁ vatteti …pe…

And by developing and cultivating these four bases of psychic power, the bhikkhu Moggallāna realizes the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And he lives having realized it with his own insight due to the ending of defilements.”

imesañca pana, bhikkhave, catunnaṁ iddhipādānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā moggallāno bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatī”ti.