SN 45-56 The Group of Connected Discourses on the Path – Mahāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 51 Linked Discourses on the Bases of Psychic Power – Iddhipādasaṁyutta > SN 51.22 The Iron Ball

Linked Discourses 51.22 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 51.22

3. The Iron Ball – 3. Ayoguḷavagga

SN 51.22 The Iron Ball – Ayoguḷasutta

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, do you have personal experience of going to the Brahmā realm by psychic power with a mind-made body?”

“abhijānāti nu kho, bhante, bhagavā iddhiyā manomayena kāyena brahmalokaṁ upasaṅkamitā”ti?

“I do, Ānanda.”

“Abhijānāmi khvāhaṁ, ānanda, iddhiyā manomayena kāyena brahmalokaṁ upasaṅkamitā”ti.

“But do you have personal experience of going to the Brahmā realm by psychic power with this body made up of the four primary elements?”

“Abhijānāti pana, bhante, bhagavā iminā cātumahābhūtikena kāyena iddhiyā brahmalokaṁ upasaṅkamitā”ti?

“I do, Ānanda.”

“Abhijānāmi khvāhaṁ, ānanda, iminā cātumahābhūtikena kāyena iddhiyā brahmalokaṁ upasaṅkamitā”ti.

“It’s incredible and amazing that the Buddha is capable of going to the Brahmā realm by psychic power with a mind-made body! And that he has personal experience of going to the Brahmā realm by psychic power with this body made up of the four primary elements!”

“Yañca kho omāti, bhante, bhagavā iddhiyā manomayena kāyena brahmalokaṁ upasaṅkamituṁ, yañca kho abhijānāti, bhante, bhagavā iminā cātumahābhūtikena kāyena iddhiyā brahmalokaṁ upasaṅkamitā, tayidaṁ, bhante, bhagavato acchariyañceva abbhutañcā”ti.

“Ānanda, the Realized Ones are incredible and have incredible qualities. They’re amazing and have amazing qualities.

“Acchariyā ceva, ānanda, tathāgatā acchariyadhammasamannāgatā ca, abbhutā ceva, ānanda, tathāgatā abbhutadhammasamannāgatā ca.

Sometimes the Realized One submerges his body in his mind and his mind in his body. He meditates after sinking into a perception of bliss and lightness in the body.

Yasmiṁ, ānanda, samaye tathāgato kāyampi citte samodahati cittampi kāye samodahati, sukhasaññañca lahusaññañca kāye okkamitvā viharati;

At that time his body becomes lighter, softer, more workable, and more radiant.

tasmiṁ, ānanda, samaye tathāgatassa kāyo lahutaro ceva hoti mudutaro ca kammaniyataro ca pabhassarataro ca.

Suppose there was an iron ball that had been heated all day. It’d become lighter, softer, more workable, and more radiant.

Seyyathāpi, ānanda, ayoguḷo divasaṁ santatto lahutaro ceva hoti mudutaro ca kammaniyataro ca pabhassarataro ca;

In the same way, sometimes the Realized One submerges his body in his mind and his mind in his body. He meditates after sinking into a perception of bliss and lightness in the body.

evameva kho, ānanda, yasmiṁ samaye tathāgato kāyampi citte samodahati, cittampi kāye samodahati, sukhasaññañca lahusaññañca kāye okkamitvā viharati;

At that time his body becomes lighter, softer, more workable, and more radiant.

tasmiṁ, ānanda, samaye tathāgatassa kāyo lahutaro ceva hoti mudutaro ca kammaniyataro ca pabhassarataro ca.

Sometimes the Realized One submerges his body in his mind and his mind in his body. He meditates after sinking into a perception of bliss and lightness in the body.

Yasmiṁ, ānanda, samaye tathāgato kāyampi citte samodahati, cittampi kāye samodahati, sukhasaññañca lahusaññañca kāye okkamitvā viharati;

At that time his body easily rises up from the ground into the air.

tasmiṁ, ānanda, samaye tathāgatassa kāyo appakasireneva pathaviyā vehāsaṁ abbhuggacchati,

He wields the many kinds of psychic power: multiplying himself and becoming one again … controlling the body as far as the Brahmā realm.

so anekavihitaṁ iddhividhaṁ paccanubhoti—ekopi hutvā bahudhā hoti, bahudhāpi hutvā eko hoti …pe… yāva brahmalokāpi kāyena vasaṁ vatteti.

Suppose there was a light tuft of cotton-wool or kapok. Taken up by the wind, it would easily rise up from the ground into the air.

Seyyathāpi, ānanda, tūlapicu vā kappāsapicu vā lahuko vātūpādāno appakasireneva pathaviyā vehāsaṁ abbhuggacchati;

In the same way, sometimes the Realized One submerges his body in his mind and his mind in his body. He meditates after sinking into a perception of bliss and lightness in the body.

evameva kho, ānanda, yasmiṁ samaye tathāgato kāyampi citte samodahati, cittampi kāye samodahati, sukhasaññañca lahusaññañca kāye okkamitvā viharati;

At that time his body easily rises up from the ground into the air.

tasmiṁ, ānanda, samaye tathāgatassa kāyo appakasireneva pathaviyā vehāsaṁ abbhuggacchati,

He wields the many kinds of psychic power: multiplying himself and becoming one again … controlling the body as far as the Brahmā realm.”

so anekavihitaṁ iddhividhaṁ paccanubhoti—ekopi hutvā bahudhā hoti …pe… yāva brahmalokāpi kāyena vasaṁ vattetī”ti.