Pathikasutta 1.4.1-18

1.4.1

‘Na hi pana me, bhante, bhagavā uttari manussadhammā iddhipāṭihāriyaṃ karotī’ti.

‘But sir, the Buddha never performs any superhuman demonstrations of psychic power for me.’

1.4.2

‘Api nu tāhaṃ, sunakkhatta, evaṃ avacaṃ—

‘But Sunakkhatta, did I ever say to you:

1.4.3

ehi tvaṃ, sunakkhatta, mamaṃ uddissa viharāhi, ahaṃ te uttari manussadhammā iddhipāṭihāriyaṃ karissāmī’ti?

“Come, live dedicated to me and I will perform a superhuman demonstration of psychic power for you”?’

1.4.4

‘No hetaṃ, bhante’.

‘No, sir.’

1.4.5

‘Tvaṃ vā pana maṃ evaṃ avaca—

‘Or did you ever say to me:

1.4.6

ahaṃ, bhante, bhagavantaṃ uddissa viharissāmi, bhagavā me uttari manussadhammā iddhipāṭihāriyaṃ karissatī’ti?

“Sir, I shall live dedicated to the Buddha, and the Buddha will perform a superhuman demonstration of psychic power for me”?’

1.4.7

‘No hetaṃ, bhante’.

‘No, sir.’

1.4.8

‘Iti kira, sunakkhatta, nevāhaṃ taṃ vadāmi—

‘So it seems that I did not ask this of you, and you did not require it of me.

1.4.9

ehi tvaṃ, sunakkhatta, mamaṃ uddissa viharāhi, ahaṃ te uttari manussadhammā iddhipāṭihāriyaṃ karissāmīti;

1.4.10

napi kira maṃ tvaṃ vadesi—

1.4.11

ahaṃ, bhante, bhagavantaṃ uddissa viharissāmi, bhagavā me uttari manussadhammā iddhipāṭihāriyaṃ karissatīti.

1.4.12

Evaṃ sante, moghapurisa, ko santo kaṃ paccācikkhasi?

In that case, you futile man, who are you and what do you disavow?

1.4.13

Taṃ kiṃ maññasi, sunakkhatta,

What do you think, Sunakkhatta?

1.4.14

kate vā uttari manussadhammā iddhipāṭihāriye akate vā uttari manussadhammā iddhipāṭihāriye yassatthāya mayā dhammo desito so niyyāti takkarassa sammā dukkhakkhayāyā’ti?

Whether or not there is a demonstration of psychic power, and regardless of the goal for which I taught the Dhamma, does it deliver one who applies it to the complete ending of suffering?’

1.4.15

‘Kate vā, bhante, uttari manussadhammā iddhipāṭihāriye akate vā uttari manussadhammā iddhipāṭihāriye yassatthāya bhagavatā dhammo desito so niyyāti takkarassa sammā dukkhakkhayāyā’ti.

‘It does, sir.’

1.4.16

‘Iti kira, sunakkhatta, kate vā uttari manussadhammā iddhipāṭihāriye, akate vā uttari manussadhammā iddhipāṭihāriye, yassatthāya mayā dhammo desito, so niyyāti takkarassa sammā dukkhakkhayāya.

‘So it seems that whether or not there is a demonstration of psychic power, and regardless of the goal for which I taught the Dhamma, it delivers one who applies it to the complete ending of suffering.

1.4.17

Tatra, sunakkhatta, kiṃ uttari manussadhammā iddhipāṭihāriyaṃ kataṃ karissati?

In that case, what is the point of superhuman demonstrations of psychic power?

1.4.18

Passa, moghapurisa, yāvañca te idaṃ aparaddhan’ti.

See how far you have strayed, you silly man!’