or present who wield the various kinds of psychic power—multiplying themselves and becoming one again; materializing and dematerializing; going unobstructed through a wall, a rampart, or a mountain as if through space; diving in and out of the earth as if it were water; walking on water as if it were earth; flying cross-legged through the sky like a bird; touching and stroking with the hand the sun and moon, so mighty and powerful; controlling the body as far as the realm of divinity— do so by developing and cultivating the four bases of psychic power.
What four? It’s when a mendicant develops the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm … energy … mental development … inquiry, and active effort. Mendicants, all the ascetics and brahmins in the past,
Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, anāgatamaddhānaṁ samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā anekavihitaṁ iddhividhaṁ paccanubhossanti—ekopi hutvā bahudhā bhavissanti …pe… yāva brahmalokāpi kāyena vasaṁ vattissanti, sabbe te imesaṁyeva catunnaṁ iddhipādānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā.
or present who wield the many kinds of psychic power—multiplying themselves and becoming one again … controlling the body as far as the realm of divinity— do so by developing and cultivating these four bases of psychic power.”
Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, etarahi samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā anekavihitaṁ iddhividhaṁ paccanubhonti—ekopi hutvā bahudhā honti …pe… yāva brahmalokāpi kāyena vasaṁ vattenti, sabbe te imesaṁyeva catunnaṁ iddhipādānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā”ti. Sattamaṁ.
