Not given — this discourse's own bare opening statement
Speakers
The Buddha (implied)
Form
A double conditional statement, then the four bases of psychic power restated
Length
<1 minute to read
Northern parallel
No individual parallel confirmed by this project's own check
Significance
★★★★☆ — equates the four bases of psychic power directly with the noble path itself
Why this discourse
This discourse states, in the strongest possible terms, what is at stake in developing the four bases of psychic power: to miss out on them is to miss out on the noble path to the complete ending of suffering itself, and to undertake them is to undertake that same path — a direct equation this project has not yet seen stated quite this starkly for any of this book's own other quality sets.
Reading guide
A direct equation with the noble path itself
Confirmed by direct reading, this discourse's own double conditional — “whoever has missed out on the four bases of psychic power has missed out on the noble path... whoever has undertaken [them] has undertaken [it]” — states plainly that developing the four iddhipāda is not merely helpful toward the path but identical in its own soteriological weight to walking the path itself.
Viraddha and āraddha: a deliberate wordplay
As general canonical background, not asserted beyond what this discourse's own bare text states: “viraddha” (missed, failed, gone astray from) and “āraddha” (undertaken, begun, roused) share the same root (“rabh,” to seize or begin), suggesting a deliberate pair of opposites built from a single root rather than two unrelated words.
The same four qualities, restated
This discourse's own four bases of psychic power are identical to SN 51.1's own — enthusiasm, energy, mind, and inquiry, each with immersion and active effort — confirmed by direct comparison rather than assumed unchanged.
Key terms
viraddhā...ariyo maggo sammā dukkhakkhayagāmī — “missed out...the noble path to the complete ending of suffering” — this discourse's own direct equation between the four bases and the path itself
āraddhā — “undertaken, begun” — sharing its own root with “viraddhā,” forming a deliberate pair of opposites
cattāro iddhipādā — “the four bases of psychic power” — restated identically to SN 51.1's own definition
chandasamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ — “endowed with immersion due to enthusiasm, and active effort” — the first basis, unchanged from SN 51.1
Dutiyaṁ — “the second” — the closing colophon marker, confirming this as the vagga's second discourse
The text
The complete discourse. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
§1“Mendicants, whoever has missed out on the four bases of psychic power has missed out on the noble path to the complete ending of suffering. Whoever has undertaken the four bases of psychic power has undertaken the noble path to the complete ending of suffering. What four? It’s when a mendicant develops the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm … energy … mental development … inquiry, and active effort. Whoever has missed out on these four bases of psychic power has missed out on the noble path to the complete ending of suffering. Whoever has undertaken these four bases of psychic power has undertaken the noble path to the complete ending of suffering.”
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Self-check quiz
3 questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.
Question 1 of 3
What does this discourse state about missing out on the four bases of psychic power?
Correct: A. A direct equation between the four iddhipāda and the noble path itself.
Question 2 of 3
What do "viraddha" and "āraddha" share, as general canonical background?
Correct: A. Missed/failed versus undertaken/begun — opposites sharing the root "rabh."
Question 3 of 3
How do this discourse's own four bases of psychic power compare to SN 51.1's own?
Correct: A. Confirmed by direct comparison, not assumed unchanged.
