Pali Canon Search

Numbered Discourses · AN 6.70

  • Numbered Discourses 6.70Aṅguttara Nikāya 6.70
  • 7. A God7. Devatāvagga

ImmersionSamādhisutta

“Mendicants, it is quite impossible that a mendicant without immersion that is peaceful, refined, tranquil, and unified will wield the many 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. They control the body as far as the realm of divinity.“‘So vata, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na santena samādhinā na paṇītena na paṭippassaddhiladdhena na ekodibhāvādhigatena anekavihitaṁ iddhividhaṁ paccanubhavissati—ekopi hutvā bahudhā bhavissati, bahudhāpi hutvā eko bhavissati …pe… yāva brahmalokāpi kāyena vasaṁ vattessatī’ti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

It’s impossible that with clairaudience that is purified and superhuman, they’ll hear both kinds of sounds, human and heavenly, whether near or far.‘Dibbāya sotadhātuyā visuddhāya atikkantamānusikāya ubho sadde suṇissati—dibbe ca mānuse ca ye dūre santike cā’ti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

It’s impossible that they’ll understand the minds of other beings and individuals, having encompassed them with their own mind,‘Parasattānaṁ parapuggalānaṁ cetasā ceto paricca pajānissati— understanding mind with greed as ‘mind with greed’ …sarāgaṁ vā cittaṁ sarāgaṁ cittanti pajānissati …pe… and freed mind as ‘freed mind’.vimuttaṁ vā cittaṁ vimuttaṁ cittanti pajānissatī’ti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

It’s impossible that they’ll recollect many kinds of past lives, with features and details.‘Anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarissati, seyyathidaṁ—ekampi jātiṁ, dvepi jātiyo …pe… iti sākāraṁ sauddesaṁ anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarissatī’ti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

It’s impossible that with clairvoyance that is purified and surpasses the human, they’ll understand how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds.‘Dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena satte passissati …pe… yathākammūpage satte pajānissatī’ti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

It’s impossible that they’ll realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom, and live having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements.‘Āsavānaṁ khayā …pe… sacchikatvā upasampajja viharissatī’ti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

But it’s quite possible that a mendicant who has immersion that is peaceful, refined, tranquil, and unified will wield the many kinds of psychic power …‘So vata, bhikkhave, bhikkhu santena samādhinā paṇītena paṭippassaddhiladdhena ekodibhāvādhigatena anekavihitaṁ iddhividhaṁ paccanubhavissati …pe… yāva brahmalokāpi kāyena vasaṁ vattessatī’ti ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.

It’s possible that with clairaudience that is purified and superhuman, they’ll hear both kinds of sounds …‘Dibbāya sotadhātuyā visuddhāya atikkantamānusikāya ubho sadde suṇissati—dibbe ca mānuse ca ye dūre santike cā’ti ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.

It’s possible that they’ll understand the minds of other beings …‘Parasattānaṁ parapuggalānaṁ cetasā ceto paricca pajānissati—

It’s possible that they’ll recollect many kinds of past lives, with features and details.‘Anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarissati, seyyathidaṁ—ekampi jātiṁ, dvepi jātiyo …pe… iti sākāraṁ sauddesaṁ anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarissatī’ti ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.

It’s possible that with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, they’ll understand how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds.‘Dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena satte passissati cavamāne upapajjamāne hīne paṇīte suvaṇṇe dubbaṇṇe, sugate duggate yathākammūpage satte pajānissatī’ti ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.

It’s possible that they’ll realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom, and live having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements.”‘Āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ …pe… sacchikatvā upasampajja viharissatī’ti ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī”ti.

Similar passages elsewhere

Found by meaning, not by citation: the passages in other texts whose wording sits closest to a passage here.

  1. AN 3.102 Basis 0.64near 1.8‘With clairaudience that is purified and superhuman, may I hear both kinds of sounds, human and heavenly, whether near or far.’ … ‘May I recollect many kinds of past lives.’ … ‘With clairvoyance that is purified and supe…
  2. MN 119 Mindfulness of the Body 0.61near 1.8They wield the many kinds of psychic power: multiplying themselves and becoming one again … They control the body as far as the realm of divinity. With clairaudience that is purified and superhuman, they hear both kinds…
  3. AN 8.57 Worthy of Offerings Dedicated to the Gods (1st) 0.55near 1.8With clairvoyance that is purified and surpasses the human, they see how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds. They realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom. And they live having realized…
  4. MN 39 The Longer Discourse at Assapura 0.53near 1.8In the same way, a mendicant recollects their many kinds of past lives, with features and details. When their mind has become immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workabl…
  5. AN 5.28 With Five Factors 0.53near 1.8You’re capable of realizing it, since each and every one is within range. If you wish: ‘With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, may I see sentient beings passing away and being reborn according to their deeds.…
  6. AN 11.19 Immersion (2nd) 0.52near 0.1“A mendicant could gain such a state of immersion.” “But how could this be?” “It’s when a mendicant perceives: ‘This is peaceful; this is sublime—that is, the stilling of all activities, the letting go of all attachments…
  7. SN 43.12 The Unconditioned 0.50near 0.1Immersion without placing the mind or keeping it connected. … Emptiness immersion. … Signless immersion. … Undirected immersion. … A mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of…