6.
The First Discourse on Ascetics and Brahmins
828.
"Whatever ascetics or brahmins, monks, in the past period of time were of great supernormal power and great majesty, all of them were so because of having developed and cultivated the four bases for spiritual power.
Whatever ascetics or brahmins, monks, in the future period of time will be of great supernormal power and great majesty, all of them will be so because of having developed and cultivated the four bases for spiritual power.
Whatever ascetics or brahmins, monks, at present are of great supernormal power and great majesty, all of them are so because of having developed and cultivated the four bases for spiritual power.
"Which four? Here, monks, a monk 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. develops the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to investigation and volitional activities of striving. Whatever ascetics or brahmins, monks, in the past period of time were of great supernormal power and great majesty, all of them were so because of having developed and cultivated these same four bases for spiritual power. Whatever ascetics or brahmins, monks, in the future period of time will be of great supernormal power and great majesty, all of them will be so because of having developed and cultivated these same four bases for spiritual power. Whatever ascetics or brahmins, monks, at present are of great supernormal power and great majesty, all of them are so because of having developed and cultivated these same four bases for spiritual power." The sixth.