Article shortcut: https://tinyurl.com/basesofpower
Series introduction:
While I reference some non-Buddhist material most everything in the notes and podcasts for this series on The Iddhipāda-Vibhaṅga Sutta are solely my effort to relate considerations, questions, experiences, explorations, suggestions, interpretations and practices involved and associated with this sutta.
This series comes via seven categories/blog posts/podcasts:
- Introduction; the key encapsulation/encoding/summary paragraph of the whole sutta which includes and weaves in the four powers; and a reading of one of two translations for the sutta
- Unpacking of the hindrances and the other of two translations for the sutta
- A (type of) situational awareness
- 32 parts of the body
- Perceptions of night, daytime and light
- “Psychic Powers,” practice combinations and miscellany
- Summary, findings, observations and comparisons
In more detail, the four Iddhipāda — sometimes translated as bases of psychic power, basis of psychic power, bases of power, base of spiritual power, wings to success, paths of accomplishment, accomplishments, or roads to power — are:
- chanda: desire; enthusiasm; purpose; wish
- viriya: persistence; energy; effort; will
- citta: intent; consciousness; knowing mind; mental development; devoting mind to; heart-mind
- vīmaṃsā: investigation; inquiry; discernment; discrimination; reason; interest; intelligent curiosity; [(perhaps a new contribution, or for chanda:) balanced and helpful enthrallment, fascination]; feedback and fine tuning, adjustment; learn from doing; circumspection
Along with aiding our even mundane accomplishments and mastery, perhaps the Iddhipāda play a significant role in approaching will — the way one decides on and initiates action — and at the core of The Iddhipāda-Vibhaṅga Sutta is an analysis of will along with instructions for its training, development, and use.
As for this second part of the series here is the portion of the sutta addressing hindrances followed by my general notes I draw on for the podcast episode (with italics and bold and bracketed text usually added by me):
Continue reading “Studying And Practicing With “The Iddhipāda-Vibhaṅga Sutta — An Analysis Of The Bases Of Power”: Unpacking Hindrances And Another Translation Reading (2 of 7)”“And how is desire [chanda] overly sluggish? Whatever desire is accompanied by laziness, conjoined with laziness, that is called overly sluggish desire.
And how is desire overly active? Whatever desire is accompanied by restlessness, conjoined with restlessness, that is called overly active desire.
And how is desire inwardly constricted? Whatever desire is accompanied by sloth & drowsiness, conjoined with sloth & drowsiness, that is called inwardly restricted desire.
And how is desire outwardly scattered? Whatever desire is stirred up by the five strands of sensuality, outwardly dispersed & dissipated, that is called outwardly scattered desire.
And how is persistence [viriya] overly sluggish? Whatever persistence is accompanied by laziness, conjoined with laziness, that is called overly sluggish persistence.
And how is persistence overly active? Whatever persistence is accompanied by restlessness, conjoined with restlessness, that is called overly active persistence.
And how is persistence inwardly constricted? Whatever persistence is accompanied by sloth & drowsiness, conjoined with sloth & drowsiness, that is called inwardly restricted persistence.
And how is persistence outwardly scattered? Whatever persistence is stirred up by the five strands of sensuality, outwardly dispersed & dissipated, that is called outwardly scattered persistence.
And how is intent [citta] overly sluggish? Whatever intent is accompanied by laziness, conjoined with laziness, that is called overly sluggish intent.
And how is intent overly active? Whatever intent is accompanied by restlessness, conjoined with restlessness, that is called overly active intent.
And how is intent inwardly constricted? Whatever intent is accompanied by sloth & drowsiness, conjoined with sloth & drowsiness, that is called inwardly restricted intent.
And how is intent outwardly scattered? Whatever intent is stirred up by the five strands of sensuality, outwardly dispersed & dissipated, that is called outwardly scattered intent.
And how is discrimination [vīmaṃsā] overly sluggish? Whatever discrimination is accompanied by laziness, conjoined with laziness, that is called overly sluggish discrimination.
And how is discrimination overly active? Whatever discrimination is accompanied by restlessness, conjoined with restlessness, that is called overly active discrimination.
And how is discrimination inwardly constricted? Whatever discrimination is accompanied by sloth & drowsiness, conjoined with sloth & drowsiness, that is called inwardly restricted discrimination.
And how is discrimination outwardly scattered? Whatever discrimination is stirred up by the five strands of sensuality, outwardly dispersed & dissipated, that is called outwardly scattered discrimination.
Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu translation of hindrance section from:
An Analysis of the Bases of Power
Iddhipāda-Vibhaṅga Sutta (SN 51:20) https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/SN/SN51_20.html
Integrating Presence 