4.
The Discourse on Moggallāna
826.
Thus have I heard -
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in the Eastern Park, in Migāramātā's mansion.
Now at that time many monks were dwelling below Migāramātā's mansion, agitated, arrogant, fickle, garrulous, of loose speech, unmindful, not fully aware, unconcentrated, with wandering minds, with uncontrolled faculties.
Then the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna: "These fellows in the holy life, Moggallāna, are dwelling below Migāramātā's mansion, agitated, arrogant, fickle, garrulous, of loose speech, unmindful, not fully aware, unconcentrated, with wandering minds, with uncontrolled faculties. Go, Moggallāna, stir those monks."
"Yes, venerable sir," the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, having assented to the Blessed One, performed such a feat of supernormal power that he shook, made tremble, and made quake Migāramātā's mansion with his big toe. Then those monks, agitated, with their hair standing on end, stood to one side: "Wonderful indeed, friend, marvellous indeed, friend! Although there is no wind, and this Migāramātā's mansion has deep foundations, is well planted, immovable, unshakeable, yet it has been shaken, made to tremble, made to quake!"
Then the Blessed One approached those monks; having approached, the Blessed One said this to those monks: "Why are you, monks, agitated, with your hair standing on end, standing to one side?" "Wonderful, venerable sir, marvellous, venerable sir! Although there is no wind, and this Migāramātā's mansion has deep foundations, is well planted, immovable, unshakeable, yet it has been shaken, made to tremble, made to quake!" "It was for you indeed, monks, that the monk Moggallāna, wishing to stir you, shook, made tremble, and made quake Migāramātā's mansion with his big toe. What do you think, monks, because of having developed and cultivated which qualities is the monk Moggallāna of such great supernormal power, of such great majesty?" "The teachings have the Blessed One as their root, venerable sir, have the Blessed One as their guide, have the Blessed One as their refuge. It would be good indeed, venerable sir, if the meaning of this statement would occur to the Blessed One himself. Having heard from the Blessed One, the monks will remember it."
"Well then, monks, listen. Because of having developed and cultivated the four bases for spiritual power, monks, the monk Moggallāna is of such great supernormal power, of such great majesty. Which four? Here, monks, the monk Moggallāna develops the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to desire and volitional activities of striving, concentration due to energy, etc. concentration due to mind, etc. he develops the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to investigation and volitional activities of striving - 'Thus my investigation will not be too slack, nor too tense; nor contracted internally, nor distracted externally.' And he dwells perceiving after and before - as before so after, as after so before; as below so above, as above so below; as by day so by night, as by night so by day. Thus with an open mind, unobstructed, he develops a mind of luminosity. Because of having developed and cultivated these four bases for spiritual power, monks, the monk Moggallāna is of such great supernormal power, of such great majesty. And because of having developed and cultivated these four bases for spiritual power, monks, the monk Moggallāna experiences the various kinds of supernormal power, etc. he exercises mastery with his body even as far as the Brahma world, etc. And because of having developed and cultivated these four bases for spiritual power, monks, the monk Moggallāna, with the elimination of the mental corruptions, in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge himself, having attained, dwells in the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom that are without mental corruptions." The fourth.