42nd-45th Imperishable, The Four Bases of Magical Power.

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Further, reverend Śāradvatīputra, the bodhisattvas’ four bases of magical power are also imperishable.

What four? [Classification (prabheda):] 1) eagerness, 2) vigour, 3) thought, and 4) examination.

[Their cause (hetu):] The basis and place of their root is the four immeasurables of friendliness, compassion, equanimity and joy. By practising [for the first time], cultivating [again and again by meditation] and increasing [not interrupting meditation so as to perfect] these immeasurables he attains fitness of thought [that is, being able to stay concentrated (cittaîkāgryasthitibhavya) ].

[Their foundation (āśraya):] Attaining fitness of thought he reaches the first state of meditation, and thus he reaches the second, thus the third and thus the fourth [depending on (āśritya) the states of meditation mentioned he produces magical power (ṛddhi) ]. By attaining these states of meditation he attains lightness of body and thought [that is, swiftness and the absence of sloth in action].

[Attaining their fruit (phalâbhinirhāra):] With lightness of body and thought he brings about the way into supernormal knowledge [that is, the supernormal knowledge of magical power (ṛddhyabhijñā) ]. With the way into supernormal knowledge he produces magical power by eagerness, vigour, thought or examination.

Eagerness is to be concerned with those moments of existence [the concentration of eagerness (chandaḥsamādhi) or the qualities of a buddha (buddhadharma) ]; vigour is to acquire those moments of existence [the immeasurables (apramāṇa), meditation (dhyāna) and magical power (ṛddhi) ]; thought is reflecting [or concentrating] on the moments of existence [mentioned, if they are there or not]; examining is skill [being insight (prajñā) ] with [the characteristics (lakṣaṇa) of] those moments of existence.

He accomplishes [magical powers (ṛddhi) ] by bringing about the bases of magical power, and that is why they are called bases of magical power. Here he creates [magical powers] by eagerness, fulfils them by vigour, arranges them with thought and discerns them with examining.

The bases of the bodhisattvas’ magical power stem from confidence and are unconditioned [being spontaneously attained (anābhoga) ], they constitute lordship and the ability to go where one pleases since it is a matter of producing one’s own thoughts [not dependent on other causes and conditions (aparahetupratyayâpekṣa) like the practice of concentration (samādhisamādhāna), etc., when acting], they are the proper accomplishment of all preparations, complete establishment in the roots [of faith (śraddhā), etc., or in the immeasurables (apramāṇa) of friendliness (maitrī), etc.], moving about anywhere [to any buddha-land (buddhakṣetra), being present everywhere (samantagata) ], being unhindered like the wind, having the same bounds as empty space.

Those, reverend Śāradvatīputra, are called the bodhisattvas’ four imperishable bases of magical power.