Dutiyabalasutta — Reader

Powers (2nd)

Dutiyabalasutta

Then Venerable Sāriputta went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him: “Sāriputta, how many powers does a mendicant who has ended the defilements have that qualify them to claim:

Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ bhagavā etadavoca: “kati nu kho, sāriputta, khīṇāsavassa bhikkhuno balāni, yehi balehi samannāgato khīṇāsavo bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayaṁ paṭijānāti:

‘My defilements have ended’?” “Sir, a mendicant who has ended the defilements has eight powers that qualify them to claim: ‘My defilements have ended.’ What eight?

‘khīṇā me āsavā’”ti? “Aṭṭha, bhante, khīṇāsavassa bhikkhuno balāni, yehi balehi samannāgato khīṇāsavo bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayaṁ paṭijānāti: ‘khīṇā me āsavā’ti. Katamāni aṭṭha?

Firstly, a mendicant with defilements ended has clearly seen with right wisdom all conditions as truly impermanent. This is a power that a mendicant who has ended the defilements relies on to claim:

Idha, bhante, khīṇāsavassa bhikkhuno aniccato sabbe saṅkhārā yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya sudiṭṭhā honti. Yampi, bhante, khīṇāsavassa bhikkhuno aniccato sabbe saṅkhārā yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya sudiṭṭhā honti, idampi, bhante, khīṇāsavassa bhikkhuno balaṁ hoti, yaṁ balaṁ āgamma khīṇāsavo bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayaṁ paṭijānāti:

‘My defilements have ended.’ Furthermore, a mendicant with defilements ended has clearly seen with right wisdom that sensual pleasures are truly like a pit of glowing coals. This is a power that a mendicant who has ended the defilements relies on to claim:

‘khīṇā me āsavā’ti. Puna caparaṁ, bhante, khīṇāsavassa bhikkhuno aṅgārakāsūpamā kāmā yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya sudiṭṭhā honti. Yampi, bhante, khīṇāsavassa bhikkhuno aṅgārakāsūpamā kāmā yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya sudiṭṭhā honti, idampi, bhante, khīṇāsavassa bhikkhuno balaṁ hoti, yaṁ balaṁ āgamma khīṇāsavo bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayaṁ paṭijānāti:

‘My defilements have ended.’ Furthermore, the mind of a mendicant with defilements ended slants, slopes, and inclines to seclusion. They’re withdrawn, loving renunciation, and have totally eliminated defiling influences. This is a power that a mendicant who has ended the defilements relies on to claim:

‘khīṇā me āsavā’ti. Puna caparaṁ, bhante, khīṇāsavassa bhikkhuno vivekaninnaṁ cittaṁ hoti vivekapoṇaṁ vivekapabbhāraṁ vivekaṭṭhaṁ nekkhammābhirataṁ byantibhūtaṁ sabbaso āsavaṭṭhāniyehi dhammehi. Yampi, bhante, khīṇāsavassa bhikkhuno vivekaninnaṁ cittaṁ hoti vivekapoṇaṁ vivekapabbhāraṁ vivekaṭṭhaṁ nekkhammābhirataṁ byantibhūtaṁ sabbaso āsavaṭṭhāniyehi dhammehi, idampi, bhante, khīṇāsavassa bhikkhuno balaṁ hoti, yaṁ balaṁ āgamma khīṇāsavo bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayaṁ paṭijānāti:

‘My defilements have ended.’ Furthermore, a mendicant with defilements ended has well developed the four kinds of mindfulness meditation. This is a power that a mendicant who has ended the defilements relies on to claim:

‘khīṇā me āsavā’ti. Puna caparaṁ, bhante, khīṇāsavassa bhikkhuno cattāro satipaṭṭhānā bhāvitā honti subhāvitā. Yampi, bhante, khīṇāsavassa bhikkhuno cattāro satipaṭṭhānā bhāvitā honti subhāvitā, idampi, bhante, khīṇāsavassa bhikkhuno balaṁ hoti, yaṁ balaṁ āgamma khīṇāsavo bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayaṁ paṭijānāti:

‘My defilements have ended.’ Furthermore, a mendicant with defilements ended has well developed the four bases of psychic power … the five faculties … the seven awakening factors …

‘khīṇā me āsavā’ti. Puna caparaṁ, bhante, khīṇāsavassa bhikkhuno cattāro iddhipādā bhāvitā honti subhāvitā …pe… pañcindriyāni bhāvitāni honti subhāvitāni …pe… satta bojjhaṅgā bhāvitā honti subhāvitā …pe…

the noble eightfold path. This is a power that a mendicant who has ended the defilements relies on to claim: ‘My defilements have ended.’ A mendicant who has ended the defilements possesses these eight powers that qualify them to claim:

ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo bhāvito hoti subhāvito. Yampi, bhante, khīṇāsavassa bhikkhuno ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo bhāvito hoti subhāvito, idampi, bhante, khīṇāsavassa bhikkhuno balaṁ hoti, yaṁ balaṁ āgamma khīṇāsavo bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayaṁ paṭijānāti: ‘khīṇā me āsavā’ti. Imāni kho, bhante, aṭṭha khīṇāsavassa bhikkhuno balāni, yehi balehi samannāgato khīṇāsavo bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayaṁ paṭijānāti:

‘My defilements have ended.’”

‘khīṇā me āsavā’”ti. Aṭṭhamaṁ.