6 : Psychic Powers

§ 6.1  [From the origin story to the rule forbidding monks from displaying psychic powers to lay people.] Now on that occasion a costly block of sandalwood, from sandalwood heartwood, accrued to the Rājagaha financier. The thought occurred to him, “What if I were to have an alms bowl carved from this block of sandalwood? The chips will be for my own enjoyment, and I’ll give the bowl as a gift.” So the financier, having had a bowl carved from the block of sandalwood, having looped a string around it, having hung it from the top of a bamboo pole, having had the bamboo pole fastened on top of a series of bamboo poles, one on top of another, announced: “Any brahman or contemplative who is a worthy one [arahant] with psychic powers: Fetch down the bowl and it is given to you.”

Then Pūraṇa Kassapa went to the Rājagaha financier and, on arrival, said to him, “Because I am a worthy one with psychic powers, give me the bowl.” “If, venerable sir, you are a worthy one with psychic powers, fetch down the bowl and it is given to you.”

Then Makkhali Gosāla … Ajita Kesakambalin … Pakudha Kaccāyana … Sañjaya Velaṭṭhaputta … Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta went to the Rājagaha financier and, on arrival, said to him, “Because I am a worthy one with psychic powers, give me the bowl.” “If, venerable sir, you are a worthy one with psychic powers, fetch down the bowl and it is given to you.”

Now on that occasion Ven. Mahā Moggallāna and Ven. Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja, each having dressed early in the morning, each taking his robe and bowl, had gone into Rājagaha for alms. Ven. Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja was a worthy one with psychic powers, and Ven. Mahā Moggallāna was a worthy one with psychic powers. Then Ven. Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja said to Ven. Mahā Moggallāna: “Go, friend Moggallāna, and fetch down the bowl. That bowl is yours.” Then Ven. Mahā Moggallāna said to Ven. Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja: “Go, friend Bhāradvāja, and fetch down the bowl. That bowl is yours.”

So Ven. Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja, rising up into the sky, took the bowl and circled three times around Rājagaha. Now at that time the Rājagaha financier was standing in his house compound with his wife & children, paying homage with his hands palm-to-palm over his heart, (saying,) “May Master Bhāradvāja land right here in our house compound.” So Ven. Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja landed in the financier’s house compound. Then the financier, having taken the bowl from Ven. Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja’s hand, having filled it with costly non-staple foods, presented it to Ven. Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja. Ven. Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja, taking the bowl, returned to the monastery.

People, hearing that “Master Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja, they say, has fetched down the financier’s bowl,” followed right after him, making a shrill noise, a great noise. The Blessed One, hearing the shrill noise, the great noise, asked Ven. Ānanda, “Ānanda, what is that shrill noise, that great noise?”

“Ven. Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja has fetched down the Rājagaha financier’s bowl, venerable sir. People, hearing that ‘Master Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja, they say, has fetched down the financier’s bowl,’ are following right after him, making a shrill noise, a great noise. That is the shrill noise, the great noise, that the Blessed One (hears).”

Then the Blessed One, with regard to this cause, to this incident, had the Saṅgha of monks convened and questioned Ven. Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja: “Is it true, as they say, Bhāradvāja, that you fetched down the financier’s bowl?”

“Yes, venerable sir.”

The Awakened One, the Blessed One, rebuked him: “It’s not appropriate, Bhāradvāja, not fitting for a contemplative, improper, and not to be done. How can you display a superior human state, a wonder of psychic power, to lay people for the sake of a miserable wooden bowl? Just as a woman might expose her sexual organ for the sake of a miserable wooden coin, so too have you displayed a superior human state, a wonder of psychic power, to lay people for the sake of a miserable wooden bowl.”— Cv V.8

§ 6.2  [From the origin story to the rule against drinking alcoholic beverages.] Then Ven. Sāgata went to the hermitage of the coiled-hair ascetic of Ambatittha, and on arrival—having entered the fire building and arranged a grass mat—sat down cross-legged with his body erect and mindfulness to the fore. The nāga [living in the fire building] saw that Ven. Sāgata had entered and, on seeing him, was upset, disgruntled, and emitted smoke. Ven. Sāgata emitted smoke. The nāga, unable to bear his rage, blazed up. Ven. Sāgata, entering the fire element, blazed up. Then Ven. Sāgata, having consumed the nāga’s fire with his own fire, left for Bhaddavatikā.

Then the Blessed One, having stayed at Bhaddavatikā as long as he liked, left on a walking tour to Kosambī. The lay followers of Kosambī heard, “They say that Ven. Sāgata did battle with the Ambatittha nāga!”

Then the Blessed One, having toured by stages, came to Kosambī. The Kosambī lay followers, after welcoming the Blessed One, went to Ven. Sāgata and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As they were sitting there they said to him, “What, venerable sir, is something the masters like that is hard for you to get? What can we prepare for you?”

When this was said, some group-of-six monks said to the Kosambī lay followers, “Friends, there is a strong liquor called pigeon’s liquor [the color of pigeons’ feet, according to the Commentary] that the monks like and is hard for them to get. Prepare that.”

Then the Kosambī lay followers, having prepared pigeon’s liquor in house after house, and seeing that Ven. Sāgata had gone out for alms, said to him, “Master Sāgata, drink some pigeon’s liquor! Master Sāgata, drink some pigeon’s liquor.” Then Ven. Sāgata, having drunk pigeon’s liquor in house after house, passed out at the city gate as he was leaving the city.

Then the Blessed One, leaving the city with a number of monks, saw that Ven. Sāgata had passed out at the city gate. On seeing him, he addressed the monks, saying, “Monks, pick up Sāgata.”

Responding, “As you say, venerable sir,” to the Blessed One, the monks took Ven. Sāgata to the monastery and laid him down with his head toward the Blessed One. Then Ven. Sāgata turned around and went to sleep with his feet toward the Blessed One. So the Blessed One addressed the monks, saying, “In the past, wasn’t Sāgata respectful to the Tathāgata and deferential?”

“Yes, venerable sir.’”

“But is he respectful to the Tathāgata and deferential now?”

“No, venerable sir.’

“And didn’t Sāgata do battle with the Ambatittha nāga?”

“Yes, venerable sir.”

“But could he do battle with even a salamander now?”

“No, venerable sir.” — Pc 51

§ 6.3  [From the origin story to the rule against keeping tonics—such as honey, butter, or sugar—for more than seven days.] Now on that occasion, early in the morning, Ven. Pilindavaccha adjusted his under robe and—carrying his bowl & robes—went into Pilinda Village for alms. And at that time in the village there was a festival. Little girls—ornamented & garlanded—were playing.

As he was going through Pilinda Village for alms without bypassing a donor, Ven. Pilindavaccha came to the house of a certain monastery attendant and, on arrival, sat down on a seat made ready. And at that time, the daughter of the monastery attendant’s wife, seeing other little girls ornamented & garlanded, was crying, “Give me an ornament! Give me a garland!”

So Ven. Pilindavaccha said to the monastery attendant’s wife, “What is this little girl crying about?”

“Venerable sir, this little girl, seeing other little girls ornamented & garlanded, is crying, ‘Give me an ornament! Give me a garland!’ But from where is there an ornament for those of us who are poor? From where a garland?”

Then Ven. Pilindavaccha, taking a circle of grass, said to the monastery attendant’s wife, “Now set this circle of grass on this little girl’s head.”

Then the monastery attendant’s wife, taking that circle of grass, set it on the little girl’s head. It became a garland of gold: beautiful, attractive, exquisite. There was no garland of gold like it even in the king’s harem.

People said to King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha, “In the house of that monastery attendant over there is a garland of gold: beautiful, attractive, exquisite. There is no garland of gold like it even in your majesty’s harem. So from where did that poor man (get it)? It must have been taken by theft.”

So King Seniya Bimbisāra had the monastery attendant’s family imprisoned.

Then a second time, early in the morning, Ven. Pilindavaccha adjusted his under robe and—carrying his bowl & robes—went into Pilinda Village for alms. As he was going through Pilinda Village for alms without bypassing a donor, he came to the house of the monastery attendant and, on arrival, asked the neighbors, “Where has the monastery attendant’s family gone?”

“Venerable sir, the king has had them imprisoned on account of that garland of gold.”

Then Ven. Pilindavaccha went to the residence of King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha and, on arrival, sat down on a seat made ready. Then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha went to Ven. Pilindavaccha and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, Ven. Pilindavaccha said to him: “Why, great king, has the monastery attendant’s family been imprisoned?”

“Venerable sir, in the monastery attendant’s house was a garland of gold: beautiful, attractive, exquisite. There is no garland of gold like it even in our own harem. So from where did that poor man (get it)? It must have been taken by theft.”

Then Ven. Pilindavaccha willed that the palace of King Seniya Bimbisāra be gold. And it became made entirely of gold. “But from where did you get so much of this gold, great king?”

(Saying,) “I understand, venerable sir. This is simply the master’s psychic power,” the king had the monastery attendant’s family released.

The people, saying, “A psychic wonder, a superior human feat, they say, was displayed to the king and his retinue by Master Pilindavaccha,” were pleased and delighted. They presented Ven. Pilindavaccha with the five tonics: ghee, fresh butter, oil, honey, and sugar.

Now ordinarily Ven. Pilindavaccha was already a receiver of the five tonics, so he distributed his gains among his company, who came to live in abundance. They put away their gains, having filled pots and pitchers. They hung up their gains in windows, having filled water strainers and bags. These kept oozing and seeping, and their dwellings were crawling and creeping with rats. People, engaged in a tour of the dwellings and seeing this, criticized and complained and spread it about, “These Sakyan-son monks have inner storerooms like the king.” — NP 23

§ 6.4  [From the origin story to the rules governing the protocols for monks to follow when newly arriving at a monastery.] As for those monks who came at night, Ven. Dabba Mallaputta would enter the fire element for them [so that his finger would glow, like a lamp] and by that light would assign them dwellings—so much so that monks arrived at night on purpose, thinking, “We will see the marvel of Ven. Dabba Mallaputta’s psychic power.” Approaching him, they said, “Friend Dabba, assign us dwellings.”

Ven. Dabba Mallaputta said, “Where would you like? Where shall I assign them?”

Then they named a distant place on purpose: “Friend Dabba, assign us a dwelling on Vulture’s Peak Mountain. Friend Dabba, assign us a dwelling on Robber’s Cliff.…”

So Ven. Dabba Mallaputta, entering the fire element for them, went before them with his finger glowing, while they followed right behind him with the help of his light. — Cv IV.4.4

§ 6.5  When the night had passed, the senior monks adjusted their lower robes in the early morning and—taking their bowls & outer robes—went to Citta’s residence. There they sat down on seats made ready. Then Citta the householder, with his own hand, served & satisfied them with exquisite milk-rice mixed with ghee. When the senior monks had finished eating and had rinsed their bowls & hands, they got up from their seats and left. Citta the householder, having said, “Give away the rest,” followed behind the senior monks.

Now on that occasion it was hot & sweltering. The senior monks went along with their bodies melting, as it were, from the meal they had finished. And on that occasion Ven. Mahaka was the most junior of all the monks in that Saṅgha. He said to the senior monk: “Wouldn’t it be nice, venerable elder, if a cool wind were to blow, and there were a thundering cloud, and rain would fall in scattered drops?”

“Yes, friend Mahaka, that would be nice.…”

Then Ven. Mahaka willed a psychic feat such that a cool wind blew, a thundering cloud developed, and the rain fell in scattered drops. The thought occurred to Citta the householder, “Such is the psychic power of the most junior of all the monks in this Saṅgha!”

Then when Ven. Mahaka reached the monastery/park, he said to the senior monk, “Is that enough, venerable sir?”

“That’s enough, friend Mahaka—what you have done, what you have offered.”

Then the monks went to their separate dwellings, and Ven. Mahaka went to his.

Then Citta the householder went to Ven. Mahaka and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to him, “It would be good, venerable sir, if Master Mahaka would show me a superior human attainment, a miracle of psychic power.”

“In that case, householder, spread out your upper robe on the porch and put a pile of grass on it.”

Responding, “As you say, venerable sir,” to Ven. Mahaka, Citta the householder spread out his upper robe on the porch and put a pile of grass on it.

Then Ven. Mahaka, having entered his dwelling and bolted the door, willed a psychic feat such that flame shot through the keyhole and the space around the door, burning up the grass but not the robe.

Then Citta the householder, having shaken out the robe, stood to one side—in awe, his hair standing on end. Ven. Mahaka came out of his dwelling and said, “Is that enough, householder?”

“That’s enough, venerable sir—what you have done, what you have offered. May Master Mahaka delight in the charming Wild Mango Grove at Macchikāsaṇḍa. I will be responsible for your robes, almsfood, lodgings, & medicinal requisites.”

“That is admirably said, householder.”

Then Ven. Mahaka—having set his lodging in order and taking his bowl & robes—left Macchikāsaṇḍa. And in leaving Macchikāsaṇḍa, he was gone for good and never returned. — SN 41:4

§ 6.6  [From the origin story to the rule against making false claims to superior human states.] Then Ven. Mahā Moggallāna, as he was descending Vulture Peak Mountain, smiled at a certain place. Ven. Lakkhaṇa said to him, “Friend Moggallāna, what is the reason, what is the cause for your smile?”

“This is not the time, friend Lakkhaṇa, to answer this question. Ask me in the presence of the Blessed One.”

So Ven. Lakkhaṇa and Ven. Mahā Moggallāna… went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As they were sitting there, Ven. Lakkhaṇa said to Ven. Mahā Moggallāna, “Just now, friend Moggallāna… you smiled. What was the reason, what was the cause for your smile?”

“Just now, my friend… I saw a man immersed head and all in a pit of excrement, feeding on excrement with both hands. The thought occurred to me, “Isn’t it amazing, isn’t it astounding, that there is a being even like this.…”

Monks criticized and complained and spread it about, “Ven. Moggallāna is boasting of a superior human state!”

Then the Blessed One said to the monks, “Actually, monks, there are disciples of vision and knowledge who will know or see or bear witness like this. Once I myself saw that being but I didn’t disclose it. Had I disclosed it, others would not have believed me… and that would have been to their long-term pain and detriment. That being, monks, was once a corrupted brahman right in this very same Rājagaha. He, in the time of the Buddha Kassapa, having invited a Saṅgha of monks to a meal, having filled a trough with excrement and announcing the time, said, “Venerable sirs, eat from this and take with you as much as you like.” Having been boiled in hell as a result of that action for many years, many hundreds of years, many thousands of years, many hundreds of thousands of years, he is now—through the remainder of the result of that very same action—experiencing existence as an individual like this. Moggallāna spoke truly, monks. There is no offense for him.” — Pr 4

§ 6.7  [From the origin story to the rule forbidding a monk from exhorting nuns after sunset.] Now on that occasion it was Ven. Cūḷapanthaka’s turn to exhort the nuns. The nuns said, “Today the exhortation won’t be effective, for Master Cūḷapanthaka will simply say the same old stanza over and over again.”

Then the nuns went to Ven. Cūḷapanthaka and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As they were sitting there, Ven. Cūḷapanthaka said to them, “Are you all present, sisters?”

“Yes, venerable sir, we are all present.”

“Are the eight rules of respect being kept up?”

“Yes, venerable sir, they are being kept up.”

Having introduced (the exhortation, saying,) “This, sisters, is the exhortation,” he said this stanza over and over again:

The nuns said (to one another), “Didn’t we say so? Today the exhortation won’t be effective, for now Master Cūḷapanthaka will simply say the same old stanza over and over again.”

Ven. Cūḷapanthaka heard the nuns’ conversation. Rising up into the air, he walked back and forth in space, in the sky, stood, sat, lay down, emitted smoke, emitted flames, and disappeared, saying the same old stanza and many other sayings of the Buddha. The nuns said, “Isn’t it amazing? Isn’t it astounding? Never before has there been an exhortation as effective as Master Cūḷapanthaka’s!”

Then Ven. Cūḷapanthaka, having exhorted the nuns until nightfall, dismissed them: “You may go, sisters.” So the nuns—the gates of the city being closed—spent the night outside the city walls and entered the city only after daybreak. People criticized and complained and spread it about, “These nuns are unchaste. Having spent the night with the monks in the monastery, only now are they entering the city.” — Pc 22