Insight Knowledge
"With his mind thus concentrated, purified, and bright,
unblemished, free from defects, pliant, malleable, steady, and
attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines it to
knowledge and vision. He discerns: 'This body of mine is endowed
with form, composed of the four primary elements, born from mother
and father, nourished with rice and porridge, subject to
inconstancy, rubbing, pressing, dissolution, and dispersion. And
this consciousness of mine is supported here and bound up here.'
Just as if there were a beautiful beryl gem of the purest water
eight faceted, well polished, clear, limpid, consummate in all its
aspects, and going through the middle of it was a blue, yellow,
red, white, or brown thread and a man with good eyesight, taking
it in his hand, were to reflect on it thus: 'This is a beautiful
beryl gem of the purest water, eight faceted, well polished, clear,
limpid, consummate in all its aspects. And this, going through the
middle of it, is a blue, yellow, red, white, or brown thread.' In
the same way with his mind thus concentrated, purified, and
bright, unblemished, free from defects, pliant, malleable, steady,
and attained to imperturbability the monk directs and inclines it
to knowledge and vision. He discerns: 'This body of mine is endowed
with form, composed of the four primary elements, born from mother
and father, nourished with rice and porridge, subject to
inconstancy, rubbing, pressing, dissolution, and dispersion. And
this consciousness of mine is supported here and bound up
here.'
"This, too, is called the miracle of instruction.
The Mind-made Body
"With his mind thus concentrated, purified, and bright,
unblemished, free from defects, pliant, malleable, steady, and
attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines it to
creating a mind-made body. From this body he creates another body,
endowed with form, made of the mind, complete in all its parts, not
inferior in its faculties. Just as if a man were to draw a reed
from its sheath. The thought would occur to him: 'This is the
sheath, this is the reed. The sheath is one thing, the reed
another, but the reed has been drawn out from the sheath.' Or as if
a man were to draw a sword from its scabbard. The thought would
occur to him: 'This is the sword, this is the scabbard. The sword
is one thing, the scabbard another, but the sword has been drawn
out from the scabbard.' Or as if a man were to pull a snake out
from its slough. The thought would occur to him: 'This is the
snake, this is the slough. The snake is one thing, the slough
another, but the snake has been pulled out from the slough.' In the
same way with his mind thus concentrated, purified, and bright,
unblemished, free from defects, pliant, malleable, steady, and
attained to imperturbability, the monk directs and inclines it to
creating a mind-made body. From this body he creates another body,
endowed with form, made of the mind, complete in all its parts, not
inferior in its faculties.
"This, too, is called the miracle of instruction.
Supranormal Powers
"With his mind thus concentrated, purified, and bright,
unblemished, free from defects, pliant, malleable, steady, and
attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines it to the
modes of supranormal powers. He wields manifold supranormal powers.
Having been one he becomes many; having been many he becomes one.
He appears. He vanishes. He goes unimpeded through walls, ramparts,
and mountains as if through space. He dives in and out of the earth
as if it were water. He walks on water without sinking as if it
were dry land. Sitting cross-legged he flies through the air like a
winged bird. With his hand he touches and strokes even the sun and
moon, so mighty and powerful. He exercises influence with his body
even as far as the Brahma worlds. Just as a skilled potter or his
assistant could craft from well-prepared clay whatever kind of
pottery vessel he likes, or as a skilled ivory-carver or his
assistant could craft from well-prepared ivory any kind of
ivory-work he likes, or as a skilled goldsmith or his assistant
could craft from well-prepared gold any kind of gold article he
likes; in the same way with his mind thus concentrated, purified,
and bright, unblemished, free from defects, pliant, malleable,
steady, and attained to imperturbability the monk directs and
inclines it to the modes of supranormal powers... He exercises
influence with his body even as far as the Brahma worlds.
"This, too, is called the miracle of instruction.
Clairaudience
"With his mind thus concentrated, purified, and bright,
unblemished, free from defects, pliant, malleable, steady, and
attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines it to the
divine ear-element. He hears by means of the divine ear-element,
purified and surpassing the human both kinds of sounds: divine
and human, whether near or far. Just as if a man traveling along a
highway were to hear the sounds of kettledrums, small drums,
conchs, cymbals, and tom-toms. He would know, 'That is the sound of
kettledrums, that is the sound of small drums, that is the sound of
conchs, that is the sound of cymbals, and that is the sound of
tom-toms.' In the same way with his mind thus concentrated,
purified, and bright, unblemished, free from defects, pliant,
malleable, steady, and attained to imperturbability the monk
directs and inclines it to the divine ear-element. He hears by
means of the divine ear-element, purified and surpassing the human
both kinds of sounds: divine and human, whether near or
far.
"This, too, is called the miracle of instruction.
