Reading guide
The questioning, reversed
Confirmed by direct reading, this discourse's own structure mirrors SN 51.27 exactly, but flips who speaks first: “the Buddha said to Venerable Ānanda: 'Ānanda, what is psychic power?...'” — the same four questions, now directed at Ānanda rather than asked by him.
Ānanda's own deferral, a familiar formula
This project's own cross-reference: Ānanda's own reply — “our teachings are rooted in the Buddha. He is our guide and our refuge...” — is the same deferral formula this project has already met used by a group of mendicants at SN 51.14, here spoken by Ānanda himself in response to the Buddha's own direct question.
The same answer, given a third time
Confirmed by direct reading, the Buddha's own answer, once Ānanda defers, is word-for-word identical to SN 51.19 and SN 51.27 — ending, a third time, with the noble eightfold path named as the deepest layer beneath the four bases.
Key terms
The text
§1The Buddha said to Venerable Ānanda: “Ānanda, what is psychic power? What is the basis of psychic power? What is the development of the bases of psychic power? And what is the practice that leads to the development of the bases of psychic power?” “Our teachings are rooted in the Buddha. He is our guide and our refuge. …”
§2“Ānanda, take a mendicant who wields the many kinds of psychic power: multiplying themselves and becoming one again … controlling the body as far as the realm of divinity. This is called psychic power.
§3And what is the basis of psychic power? The path and practice that leads to gaining psychic power. This is called the basis of psychic power.
§4And what is the development of the bases of psychic power? It’s when a mendicant develops the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm … energy … mental development … inquiry, and active effort. This is called the development of the bases of psychic power.
§5And what is the practice that leads to the development of the bases of psychic power? It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion. This is called the practice that leads to the development of the bases of psychic power.”
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