21.4 Of Supernormal Potency (iddhi) (KV21.4)

Controverted Point: That either a Buddha or his disciples have the power of supernormally performing what

they intend.

Theravādin: Do you imply that the one or the other could effect such wishes as “Let trees be ever green! ever blossoming! ever in fruit! Let there be perpetual moonlight! Let there be constant safety! Let there be constant abundance of alms! Let there be always abundance of grain”? Or such wishes as “Let this factor of consciousness that has arisen contact, feeling, etc., not cease!”

Or such wishes as “Let this body, this mind, become permanent!” Or such wishes as “Let beings subject to birth, old age, disaster, death, not be born, grow old, be unfortunate, die!” All this you deny. Where then is your proposition?

Andhaka: But if I am wrong, how was it that when the venerable Pilindavaccha resolved: “Let the palace of Seniya Bimbisāra, King of Magadha, be only of gold!” it was even so? … .

The Points of Controversy, an English translation of the Pali Abhidhamma Kathāvatthu. Translated by Shwe Zan Aung and C.A.F. Rhys Davids. First published by Pali Text Society, 1915.

This SuttaCentral edition was prepared by Manfred Wierich and Ven. Vimala and proofread by Josephine Tobin. Some changes were introduced:

Abbreviations, i.e., those of cited works and the participants in the controversies, were expanded.

Cross-references were linked.

Some typographic changes were introduced, among others, i.e.: the phonetic symbol “ŋ” was changed to the Pāli diacritical letter “ṃ”, “ô” to “o”, single quotes to double quotes, and “:—” to “:”.

Letter-spacing with fixed spaces was replaced with bold font.

The corrigenda were merged into the text. Some could not be resolved, though.

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