179. [Discourse on the Base of Supernormal Power of Desire] (SA179)

Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.

At that time the Blessed One said to the monks: “It is just as if a person's turban is burning with fire, what could help him?”

The monks said to the Buddha: “Blessed One, he should arouse supreme desire, zeal, and energy at that time to help him to get it extinguished.”

The Buddha said to the monks: “Although one might still forget about one's turban burning, one should extinguish and eradicate the thriving fire of impermanence. For the sake of eradicating the fire of impermanence, one should cultivate the base for supernormal power endowed with concentration due to desire and formations of striving. For the sake of eradicating what impermanent states? That is, one should eradicate impermanent bodily form, one should eradicate impermanent feeling … perception … formations … consciousness, for this sake one should cultivate the base for supernormal power endowed with concentration due to desire and formations of striving.”

Just as in [other] discourses to be recited in full up to: When the Buddha had spoken this discourse, hearing what the Buddha had said the monks were delighted and received it respectfully.

Just as “what is impermanent”, in the same way “what is impermanent and of the past”, “what is impermanent and of the future”, “what is impermanent and of the present”, “what is impermanent and of the past and the future”, “what is impermanent and of the past and the present”, “what is impermanent and of the future and the present”, “what is impermanent and of the past, the future, and the present”, eight discourses are also to be recited as above.

Just as for “cultivating the [base for supernormal power endowed] with concentration due to desire”, in the same way for “[cultivating the base for supernormal power endowed] with concentration due energy”, “[cultivating the base for supernormal power endowed] with concentration due the mind”, “[cultivating the base for supernormal power endowed] with concentration due to reflection” are also [to be recited] in the same way.

Just as the thirty-two discourses on “one should eradicate”, in the same way for “one should understand”, “one should vomit out”, “one should extinguish”, “one should end”, “one should relinquish”, “one should make cease”, “one should make disappear” thirty-two discourses are also to be recited for each of these as above.

Translated by Bhikkhu Anālayo. Originally published in ‘On Views and Penetrative Knowledge – A Translation of Saṁyukta-āgama Discourses 139 to 187 (Fascicle 7)’, Dharma Drum Journal of Buddhist Studies, 2015, vol. 17 pp. 43–100.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Seniya Ariyakumara and Ayya Vimala.