Commentary: Of the three miracles, the Lord Buddha held the
miracle of instruction in high regard as it allows for the instruction and the training of others to attain
Nibbana to and end suffering/stress/unsatisfactoriness (
dukkha). The miracles of
psychic power and
telepathy can be viewed as "cheap tricks" by others so was not held in high regard by the Lord Buddha.
...I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Nalanda in Pavarika's mango grove. Then Kevatta the householder approached the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One: "Lord, this Nalanda is powerful, both prosperous and populous, filled with people who have faith in the Blessed One. It would be good if the Blessed One were to direct a monk to display a miracle of psychic power from his superior human state so that Nalanda would to an even greater extent have faith in the Blessed One."
When this was said, the Blessed One said to Kevatta the householder, "Kevatta, I don't teach the monks in this way: 'Come, monks, display a miracle of psychic power to the lay people clad in white.'"
A second time... A third time, Kevatta the householder said to the Blessed One: "I won't argue with the Blessed One, but I tell you: Lord, this Nalanda is powerful, both prosperous and populous, filled with people who have faith in the Blessed One. It would be good if the Blessed One were to direct a monk to display a miracle of psychic power from his superior human state so that Nalanda would to an even greater extent have faith in the Blessed One."
A third time, the Blessed One said to Kevatta the householder, "Kevatta, I don't teach the monks in this way: 'Come, monks, display a miracle of psychic power to the lay people clad in white.'
"Kevatta, there are these three miracles that I have declared, having directly known and realized them for myself. Which three? The miracle of psychic power, the miracle of telepathy, and the miracle of instruction.
Explanation: The lay-person Kevatta requests the Lord Buddha to direct his monks to display their psychic powers in order for the lay people of the town of Nalanda to have greater confidence in the Lord Buddha. The Lord Buddha replies that he does not instruct his monks to display their psychic powers to the lay public.
The Miracle of Psychic Power
"And what is the miracle of psychic power? There is the case where a monk wields manifold psychic powers. Having been one he becomes many; having been many he becomes one. He appears. He vanishes. He goes unimpeded through walls, ramparts, and mountains as if through space. He dives in and out of the earth as if it were water. He walks on water without sinking as if it were dry land. Sitting cross-legged he flies through the air like a winged bird. With his hand he touches and strokes even the sun and moon, so mighty and powerful. He exercises influence with his body even as far as the Brahma worlds.
"Then someone who has faith and conviction in him sees him wielding manifold psychic powers... exercising influence with his body even as far as the Brahma worlds. He reports this to someone who has no faith and no conviction, telling him, 'Isn't it awesome. Isn't it astounding, how great the power, how great the prowess of this contemplative. Just now I saw him wielding manifold psychic powers... exercising influence with his body even as far as the Brahma worlds.'
"Then the person without faith, without conviction, would say to the person with faith and with conviction: 'Sir, there is a charm called the Gandhari charm by which the monk wielded manifold psychic powers... exercising influence with his body even as far as the Brahma worlds.' What do you think, Kevatta — isn't that what the man without faith, without conviction, would say to the man with faith and with conviction?"
"Yes, lord, that's just what he would say."
"Seeing this drawback to the miracle of psychic power, Kevatta, I feel horrified, humiliated, and disgusted with the miracle of psychic power.
Explanation: The Lord Buddha explains the various psychic powers that a monk can have, viz. a monk becomes many (copies of himself), and then becomes one again, he vanishes and re-appears, goes through walls, ramparts and mountains, dives in and out of earth, walks on water, flies through the air, with his hand touches and strokes the sun and the moon(!), and can reach even as far as the Brahma divine worlds. He says that someone who has conviction/confidence in the monk would be astounded by such powers; however someone who does not have conviction/confidence in the monk say that these powers were wielded by using a charm (called Gandhari), and seeing this risk the Lord Buddha was fearful of, ashamed of and was disgusted with the miracle of psychic power.
The Miracle of Telepathy
"And what is the miracle of telepathy? There is the case where a monk reads the minds, the mental events, the thoughts, the ponderings of other beings, other individuals, [saying,] 'Such is your thinking, here is where your thinking is, thus is your mind.'
"Then someone who has faith and conviction in him sees him reading the minds... of other beings... He reports this to someone who has no faith and no conviction, telling him, 'Isn't it awesome. Isn't it astounding, how great the power, how great the prowess of this contemplative. Just now I saw him reading the minds... of other beings...'
"Then the person without faith, without conviction, would say to the person with faith and with conviction: 'Sir, there is a charm called the Manika charm by which the monk read the minds... of other beings...' What do you think, Kevatta — isn't that what the man without faith, without conviction, would say to the man with faith and with conviction?"
"Yes, lord, that's just what he would say."
"Seeing this drawback to the miracle of telepathy, Kevatta, I feel horrified, humiliated, and disgusted with the miracle of telepathy.
Explanation: The Lord Buddha explains the telepathic (mind reading) power that a monk can have, viz. a monk reads the minds, mental events, thoughts and mental ponderings of other beings and is able to say 'You thought in such a way, this is where your thinking is upto now, this is the way your mind is.' He says that someone who has conviction/confidence in the monk would be astounded by such powers; however someone who does not have conviction/confidence in the monk could say that these powers were wielded by using a charm (called Manika), and seeing this risk the Lord Buddha was fearful of, ashamed of and was disgusted with the miracle of telepathy.
The Miracle of Instruction
"And what is the miracle of instruction? There is the case where a monk gives instruction in this way: 'Direct your thought in this way, don't direct it in that. Attend to things in this way, don't attend to them in that. Let go of this, enter and remain in that.' This, Kevatta, is called the miracle of instruction.
Explanation: The Lord Buddha explains the miracle of instruction, where a monk instructs another saying direct your thinking in this (positive) way and not in that (negative) way, do things in this (positive) way and not in that (negative) way, let go of this (negative thing) and become established in that (positive thing).
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