The Buddha teaches about psychic power, the basis of psychic power, the development of the bases of psychic power, and the way of practice leading to the development of the bases of psychic power.
“Iddhiṁ vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi iddhipādañca iddhipādabhāvanañca iddhipādabhāvanāgāminiñca paṭipadaṁ. Taṁ suṇātha.
“Bhikkhus, I will teach you about psychic powers, the basis of psychic powers, the development of the bases of psychic powers, and the way of practice leading to the development of the bases of psychic powers. Listen to this.
Katamā ca, bhikkhave, iddhi? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anekavihitaṁ iddhividhaṁ paccanubhoti—ekopi hutvā bahudhā hoti, bahudhāpi hutvā eko hoti; āvibhāvaṁ tirobhāvaṁ, tirokuṭṭaṁ tiropākāraṁ tiropabbataṁ asajjamāno gacchati seyyathāpi ākāse; pathaviyāpi ummujjanimujjaṁ karoti seyyathāpi udake; udakepi abhijjamāne gacchati seyyathāpi pathaviyaṁ; ākāsepi pallaṅkena kamati seyyathāpi pakkhī sakuṇo; imepi candimasūriye evaṁmahiddhike evaṁmahānubhāve pāṇinā parāmasati parimajjati; yāva brahmalokāpi kāyena vasaṁ vatteti—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, iddhi.
And what, bhikkhus, are psychic powers? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu experiences various kinds of psychic powers—being one, one becomes many; being many, one becomes one; one appears and disappears; one passes through walls, enclosures, and mountains as though through space; one dives in and out of the earth as though it were water; one walks on water without sinking as though on solid ground; one flies through the air cross-legged like a bird with wings; one touches and strokes with one’s hand the sun and moon, so mighty and powerful; and one wields mastery with the body even as far as the |Brahma::God, the first deity to be born at the beginning of a new cosmic cycle and whose lifespan lasts for the entire cycle [brahma]| world—this, bhikkhus, are called psychic powers.
Katamo ca, bhikkhave, iddhipādo? Yo so, bhikkhave, maggo yā paṭipadā iddhilābhāya iddhipaṭilābhāya saṁvattati—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, iddhipādo.
And what, bhikkhus, is the basis of psychic powers? The path and practice that lead to the attainment of psychic powers—this, bhikkhus, is called the basis of psychic powers.
Katamā ca, bhikkhave, iddhipādabhāvanā? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu chandasamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti, vīriyasamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti, cittasamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, iddhipādabhāvanā.
And what, bhikkhus, is the development of the bases of psychic powers? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops the basis of psychic powers that is endowed with |collectedness::stability of mind, stillness of mind, mental composure [samādhi]| arising from |aspiration::a goal, an interest, an objective, i.e. a wholesome motivation [chanda]| and accompanied by intentional effort, develops the basis of psychic powers that is endowed with collectedness arising from |determination::will power, energy [vīriya]| and accompanied by intentional effort, and develops the basis of psychic powers that is endowed with collectedness arising from |[purification of] mind::clearing the affective awareness of hindrances [citta]| and accompanied by intentional effort, develops the basis of psychic powers that is endowed with collectedness arising from |investigation::consideration, reflection, and examination [vīmaṃsā]| and accompanied by intentional effort—this, bhikkhus, is called the development of the bases of psychic powers.
Katamā ca, bhikkhave, iddhipādabhāvanāgāminī paṭipadā? Ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, seyyathidaṁ—sammādiṭṭhi, sammāsaṅkappo, sammāvācā, sammākammanto, sammāājīvo, sammāvāyāmo, sammāsati, sammāsamādhi—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, iddhipādabhāvanāgāminī paṭipadā”ti.
And what, bhikkhus, is the way of practice leading to the development of the bases of psychic powers? It is this very Noble Eightfold Path, namely: right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right collectedness — this, bhikkhus, is called the way of practice leading to the development of the bases of psychic powers.”
“Bhikkhus, I will teach you about psychic powers, the basis of psychic powers, the development of the bases of psychic powers, and the way of practice leading to the development of the bases of psychic powers. Listen to this.
And what, bhikkhus, are psychic powers? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu experiences various kinds of psychic powers—being one, one becomes many; being many, one becomes one; one appears and disappears; one passes through walls, enclosures, and mountains as though through space; one dives in and out of the earth as though it were water; one walks on water without sinking as though on solid ground; one flies through the air cross-legged like a bird with wings; one touches and strokes with one’s hand the sun and moon, so mighty and powerful; and one wields mastery with the body even as far as the |Brahma::God, the first deity to be born at the beginning of a new cosmic cycle and whose lifespan lasts for the entire cycle [brahma]| world—this, bhikkhus, are called psychic powers.
And what, bhikkhus, is the basis of psychic powers? The path and practice that lead to the attainment of psychic powers—this, bhikkhus, is called the basis of psychic powers.
And what, bhikkhus, is the development of the bases of psychic powers? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops the basis of psychic powers that is endowed with |collectedness::stability of mind, stillness of mind, mental composure [samādhi]| arising from |aspiration::a goal, an interest, an objective, i.e. a wholesome motivation [chanda]| and accompanied by intentional effort, develops the basis of psychic powers that is endowed with collectedness arising from |determination::will power, energy [vīriya]| and accompanied by intentional effort, and develops the basis of psychic powers that is endowed with collectedness arising from |[purification of] mind::clearing the affective awareness of hindrances [citta]| and accompanied by intentional effort, develops the basis of psychic powers that is endowed with collectedness arising from |investigation::consideration, reflection, and examination [vīmaṃsā]| and accompanied by intentional effort—this, bhikkhus, is called the development of the bases of psychic powers.
And what, bhikkhus, is the way of practice leading to the development of the bases of psychic powers? It is this very Noble Eightfold Path, namely: right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right collectedness — this, bhikkhus, is called the way of practice leading to the development of the bases of psychic powers.”
“Iddhiṁ vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi iddhipādañca iddhipādabhāvanañca iddhipādabhāvanāgāminiñca paṭipadaṁ. Taṁ suṇātha.
Katamā ca, bhikkhave, iddhi? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anekavihitaṁ iddhividhaṁ paccanubhoti—ekopi hutvā bahudhā hoti, bahudhāpi hutvā eko hoti; āvibhāvaṁ tirobhāvaṁ, tirokuṭṭaṁ tiropākāraṁ tiropabbataṁ asajjamāno gacchati seyyathāpi ākāse; pathaviyāpi ummujjanimujjaṁ karoti seyyathāpi udake; udakepi abhijjamāne gacchati seyyathāpi pathaviyaṁ; ākāsepi pallaṅkena kamati seyyathāpi pakkhī sakuṇo; imepi candimasūriye evaṁmahiddhike evaṁmahānubhāve pāṇinā parāmasati parimajjati; yāva brahmalokāpi kāyena vasaṁ vatteti—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, iddhi.
Katamo ca, bhikkhave, iddhipādo? Yo so, bhikkhave, maggo yā paṭipadā iddhilābhāya iddhipaṭilābhāya saṁvattati—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, iddhipādo.
Katamā ca, bhikkhave, iddhipādabhāvanā? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu chandasamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti, vīriyasamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti, cittasamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, iddhipādabhāvanā.
Katamā ca, bhikkhave, iddhipādabhāvanāgāminī paṭipadā? Ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, seyyathidaṁ—sammādiṭṭhi, sammāsaṅkappo, sammāvācā, sammākammanto, sammāājīvo, sammāvāyāmo, sammāsati, sammāsamādhi—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, iddhipādabhāvanāgāminī paṭipadā”ti.