Viyahapannatti 3.5.189

3.5.189

“Venerable Sir, is a cultivated homeless ascetic able, without taking up external pudgalas, to transform into a single large form of a woman, or up to the form of a litter?”
“That meaning is not competent.”
“Venerable Sir, is a cultivated homeless ascetic able, having taken up external pudgalas, to transform into a single large form of a woman, or up to the form of a litter?”
“Yes, he is able.”
“Venerable Sir, how many forms of women is a cultivated homeless ascetic able to transform into?”
“Gautama, just as a young man might grasp a young woman by the hand with his hand, or as the hub of a wheel might be fitted with spokes, in the very same way a cultivated homeless ascetic also undergoes transmutation through transformational samavaghāta up to—a cultivated homeless ascetic is indeed able, Gautama, to make the entire Jambūdvīpa continent filled, interspersed, covered, spread over, pervaded, and deeply immersed with many forms of women. This, Gautama, is the scope of a cultivated homeless ascetic of such a kind; it is spoken of merely as his scope, but in actuality they have not transformed, nor do they transform, nor will they transform [in this manner]. In this order it is to be understood up to the litter.
Just as a man holding a sword and shield might go, in the very same way would a cultivated homeless ascetic, with himself engaged in the act of having a sword and shield in hand, fly up into the open sky?”
“Yes, he would fly up.”
“Venerable Sir, how many forms engaged in having a sword and shield in hand is a cultivated homeless ascetic able to transform into?”
“Gautama, just as a young man might grasp a young woman by the hand with his hand—the same up to: they have not transformed, nor do they transform, nor will they transform.
Just as a man holding a single banner might go, in the very same way would a cultivated homeless ascetic, with himself engaged in the act of having a single banner in hand, fly up into the open sky?”
“Yes, he would fly up.”
“Venerable Sir, how many forms engaged in having a single banner in hand is a cultivated homeless ascetic able to transform into?”
“The very same up to: they have not transformed, nor do they transform, nor will they transform.
Likewise also with banners on both sides.
Just as a man wearing a sacrificial thread on one side might go, in the very same way would a cultivated homeless ascetic, with himself engaged in the act of wearing a sacrificial thread on one side, fly up into the open sky?”
“Yes, he would fly up.”
“Venerable Sir, how many forms engaged in the act of wearing a sacrificial thread on one side is a cultivated homeless ascetic able to transform into?”
“The very same up to: they have not transformed, nor do they transform, nor will they transform.
Likewise also with a sacrificial thread on both sides.
Just as a man sitting with one leg crossed might remain, in the very same way would a cultivated homeless ascetic, with himself engaged in the act of sitting with one leg crossed, fly up into the open sky?”
“The very same up to: they have not transformed, nor do they transform, nor will they transform.
Likewise also with both legs crossed.
Just as a man sitting in a half-lotus posture might remain, in the very same way would a cultivated homeless ascetic, with himself engaged in the act of sitting in a half-lotus posture, fly up into the open sky?”
“The very same up to: they have not transformed, nor do they transform, nor will they transform.
Likewise also with a full-lotus posture.
Venerable Sir, is a cultivated homeless ascetic able, without taking up external pudgalas, to magically assume a single large form of a horse, or a form of an elephant, or a form of a lion, or a form of a tiger, or a form of a wolf, or a form of a leopard, or a form of a bear, or a form of a hyena, or a form of a śarabha?”
“That meaning is not competent.”
“Venerable Sir, is a cultivated homeless ascetic able, having taken up external pudgalas, to magically assume a single large form of a horse, or a form of an elephant, or a form of a lion, or a form of a tiger, or a form of a wolf, or a form of a leopard, or a form of a bear, or a form of a hyena, or a form of a śarabha?”
“Yes, he is able.”
“Venerable Sir, is a cultivated homeless ascetic able, having magically assumed a single large form of a horse, to travel many yojanas?”
“Yes, he is able.”
“Venerable Sir, does he travel by his own supernatural power, or by another’s supernatural power?”
“Gautama, he travels by his own supernatural power, not by another’s supernatural power.”
“Venerable Sir, does he travel by his own karma, or by another’s karma?”
“Gautama, he travels by his own karma, not by another’s karma.”
“Venerable Sir, does he travel by his own exertion, or by another’s exertion?”
“Gautama, he travels by his own exertion, not by another’s exertion.”
“Venerable Sir, does he travel facing upwards, or facing downwards?”
“Gautama, he travels facing upwards, and he also travels facing downwards.”
“Venerable Sir, is he a homeless ascetic, or a horse?”
“Gautama, he is indeed a homeless ascetic; he is certainly not a horse.”
“In this way up to the form of a śarabha.
Venerable Sir, does one with deceit transform, or one without deceit transform?”
“Gautama, one with deceit transforms, not one without deceit.”
“Venerable Sir, if one with deceit dies without having confessed and repented of that state, where is he reborn?”
“Gautama, he is reborn as a deity among any of the menial heavens.”
“Venerable Sir, if one without deceit dies having confessed and repented of that state, where is he reborn?”
“Gautama, he is reborn as a deity among any of the non-menial heavens.”
“Truly so, Venerable Sir! Truly so, Venerable Sir!”