SN 51.27

Paṭhamaānandasutta

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

With Ānanda (1st)

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

“Katamā nu kho, bhante, iddhi, katamo iddhipādo, katamā iddhipādabhāvanā, katamā iddhipādabhāvanāgāminī paṭipadā”ti? “Idhānanda, bhikkhu anekavihitaṁ iddhividhaṁ paccanubhoti—ekopi hutvā bahudhā hoti, bahudhāpi hutvā eko hoti …pe… yāva brahmalokāpi kāyena vasaṁ vatteti— ayaṁ vuccatānanda, iddhi.

“Sir, what is psychic power? What is the basis of psychic power? What is the development of the bases of psychic power? And what is the practice that leads to the development of the bases of psychic power?” “Ānanda, take a mendicant who wields the many kinds of psychic power: multiplying themselves and becoming one again … controlling the body as far as the realm of divinity. This is called psychic power.

Katamo cānanda, iddhipādo? Yo, ānanda, maggo yā paṭipadā iddhilābhāya iddhipaṭilābhāya saṁvattati— ayaṁ vuccatānanda, iddhipādo.

And what is the basis of psychic power? The path and practice that leads to gaining psychic power. This is called the basis of psychic power.

Katamā cānanda, iddhipādabhāvanā? Idhānanda, bhikkhu chandasamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti, vīriyasamādhi …pe… cittasamādhi … vīmaṁsāsamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti— ayaṁ vuccatānanda, iddhipādabhāvanā.

And what is the development of the bases of psychic power? It’s when a mendicant develops the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm … energy … mental development … inquiry, and active effort. This is called the development of the bases of psychic power.

Katamā cānanda, iddhipādabhāvanāgāminī paṭipadā? Ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, seyyathidaṁ— sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi— ayaṁ vuccatānanda, iddhipādabhāvanāgāminī paṭipadā”ti.

And what is the practice that leads to the development of the bases of psychic power? It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion. This is called the practice that leads to the development of the bases of psychic power.”