{"collection":"Samyutta Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_sn51.20/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_sn51.20","id":"suttacentral_sn51.20","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/sn51.20/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Samyutta Nikaya"],"text":"\u201cMendicants, when the four bases of psychic power are developed and cultivated they\u2019re very fruitful and beneficial. How so? It\u2019s when a mendicant develops the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm, and active effort. They think: \u2018My enthusiasm won\u2019t be too lax or too tense. And it\u2019ll be neither constricted internally nor scattered externally.\u2019 And they meditate perceiving before and behind: as before, so behind; as behind, so before; as below, so above; as above, so below; as by day, so by night; as by night, so by day. And so, with an open and unenveloped heart, they develop a mind that\u2019s full of radiance. They develop the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to energy \u2026 mental development \u2026 inquiry, and active effort. They think: \u2018My inquiry won\u2019t be too lax or too tense. And it\u2019ll be neither constricted internally nor scattered externally.\u2019 And they meditate perceiving before and behind: as before, so behind; as behind, so before; as below, so above; as above, so below; as by day, so by night; as by night, so by day. And so, with an open and unenveloped heart, they develop a mind that\u2019s full of radiance. And what is enthusiasm that\u2019s too lax? It\u2019s when enthusiasm is coupled with laziness. This is called lax enthusiasm. And what is enthusiasm that\u2019s too tense? It\u2019s when enthusiasm is coupled with restlessness. This is called tense enthusiasm. And what is enthusiasm that\u2019s constricted internally? It\u2019s when enthusiasm is coupled with dullness and drowsiness. This is called enthusiasm constricted internally. And what is enthusiasm that\u2019s scattered externally? It\u2019s when enthusiasm is frequently scattered and diffused externally on account of the five kinds of sensual stimulation. This is called enthusiasm scattered externally. And how does a mendicant meditate perceiving before and behind: as before, so behind; as behind, so before? It\u2019s when the perception of before and behind is properly grasped, focused on, borne in mind, and penetrated with wisdom by a mendicant. That\u2019s how a mendicant meditates perceiving before and behind: as before, so behind; as behind, so before. And how does a mendicant meditate as below, so above; as above, so below? It\u2019s when a mendicant examines their own body up from the soles of the feet and down from the tips of the hairs, wrapped in skin and full of many kinds of filth. \u2018In this body there is head hair, body hair, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, undigested food, feces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, snot, synovial fluid, urine.\u2019 That\u2019s how a mendicant meditates as below, so above; as above, so below. And how does a mendicant meditate as by day, so by night; as by night, so by day? It\u2019s when a mendicant develops the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm, and active effort, with the same features, attributes, and signs by day as by night. And they develop it with the same features, attributes, and signs by night as by day. That\u2019s how a mendicant meditates as by day, so by night; as by night, so by day. And how, with an open and unenveloped heart, does a mendicant develop a mind that\u2019s full of radiance? It\u2019s when a mendicant has properly grasped the perception of light, and has properly grasped the perception of day. That\u2019s how, with an open and unenveloped heart, a mendicant develops a mind that\u2019s full of radiance. And what is energy that\u2019s too lax? \u2026 And what is mental development that\u2019s too lax? \u2026 And what is inquiry that\u2019s too lax? It\u2019s when inquiry is coupled with laziness. This is called lax inquiry. And what is inquiry that\u2019s too tense? It\u2019s when inquiry is coupled with restlessness. This is called tense inquiry. And what is inquiry that\u2019s constricted internally? It\u2019s when inquiry is coupled with dullness and drowsiness. This is called inquiry constricted internally. And what is inquiry that\u2019s scattered externally? It\u2019s when inquiry is frequently scattered and diffused externally on account of the five kinds of sensual stimulation. This is called inquiry scattered externally. \u2026 That\u2019s how, with an open and unenveloped heart, a mendicant develops a mind that\u2019s full of radiance. When the four bases of psychic power have been developed and cultivated in this way they\u2019re very fruitful and beneficial. When the four bases of psychic power have been developed and cultivated in this way, a mendicant wields the many kinds of psychic power: multiplying themselves and becoming one again \u2026 controlling the body as far as the realm of divinity. \u2026 When the four bases of psychic power have been developed and cultivated in this way, they realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom. And they live having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements.\u201d","title":"Analysis","tradition":"Samyutta Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":821}