Dictionary of Pali Proper Names v2.c29.520

v2.c29.520

The Buddha is omniscient, not in the sense that he knows everything, but that he could know anything should he so desire.⁴⁷ His ñāṇa is one of the four illimitables.⁴⁸ He converts people in one of three ways: by exhibition of miraculous powers (iddhipāṭihāriya), by reading their thoughts (ādesanāpāṭihāriya), or teaching them what is beneficial to them according to their character and temperament (anusāsanīpāṭihāriya). It is the last method which the Buddha most often uses.⁴⁹ Though the Buddha’s teaching is never really lost on the listener, he sometimes preaches knowing that it will be of no immediate benefit.⁵⁰ It is said that wherever a monk dwells during the Buddha’s time, in the vicinity of the Buddha, he would always have ready a special seat for the Buddha because it is possible that the Buddha would pay him a special visit.⁵¹ Sometimes the Buddha will send a ray of light from his Gandhakuṭi to encourage a monk engaged in meditation and, appearing before him in this ray of light, preach to him. Stanzas so preached are called obhāsa-gāthā.⁵²