The Related Discourses
11. Powers
| （六八四） | 41 (684). The Tathāgata and the Arhat |
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| 如是我聞： 一時，佛住舍衛國、祇樹、給孤獨園。 | 1. Thus I have heard:1 One time, the Buddha was staying at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in Jeta’s Grove of Śrāvastī. |
| 爾時，世尊告諸比丘： 「若比丘於色生厭、離欲。 滅盡、不起、解脫。 是名阿羅訶三藐三佛陀。 受、想、行、識亦如是說。 若復比丘於色生厭、離欲。 不起、解脫者，是名阿羅漢慧解脫。 受、想、行、識亦如是說。 諸比丘，如來應等正覺、阿羅漢慧解脫有何種種別異？」 | 2. It was then that the Bhagavān addressed the monks, “Suppose a monk grows tired of form and parts with desire for it. It ceases completely, doesn’t arise, and he’s liberated from it. This is called the unsurpassed, correct, and complete awakening. Feeling, conception, volition, and awareness are likewise. Suppose, again, a monk grows tired of form and parts with desire for it. When it doesn’t arise and he’s liberated from it, he’s called an arhat liberated by wisdom. Feeling, conception, volition, and awareness are likewise. Monks, what are the various differences between the Tathāgata, Arhat, and Completely Awakened One and an arhat who’s liberated by wisdom?” |
| 諸比丘白佛： 「世尊是法根、法眼、法依！ 唯願為說。 諸比丘聞已，當受奉行。」 | The monks said to the Buddha, “The Bhagavān is the Dharma root, the Dharma eye, and the Dharma support! Please let him explain it. Once they hear it, the monks will accept and approve of it.” |
| 佛告比丘： 「諦聽，善思！ 當為汝說。 如來、應、等正覺者，先未聞法，能自覺知。 現法自知，得三菩提。 於未來世能說正法，覺諸聲聞，所謂四念處、四正斷、四如意足、五根、五力、七覺分、八聖道分。 是名如來、應、等正覺。 | 3. The Buddha told the monks, “Listen closely, and consider it well! I’ll explain this for you. Before the teaching had yet to be heard, the Tathāgata, Arhat, and Completely Awakened One was able to realize it himself. Knowing it himself in the present life, he attained complete awakening. He was able at a future time to explain the correct teaching that awakened his disciples, namely the four abodes of mindfulness, four right abandonments, four miraculous abilities, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of awakening, and the eightfold path. This is called the Tathāgata, Arhat, and Completely Awakened One. |
| 「所未得法能得，未制梵行能制，能善知道、善說道，為眾將導。 然後，聲聞成就隨法隨道。 樂奉大師教誡、教授，善於正法。 是名如來應等正覺、阿羅漢慧解脫種種別異。 | 4. “He was able to attain the Dharma that had yet to be attained, able to manage the religious practice that had yet to be managed, and able to know the path well and teach the path well as the leader of this assembly. Afterward, his disciples succeeded in following the Dharma and the path. They are happily accept the great teacher’s instruction, teaching, and skill in the correct Dharma. These are called the various differences between the Tathāgata, Arhat, and Completely Awakened One and an arhat who’s liberated by wisdom. |
| 「復次，五學力、如來十力。 何等為學力？ 謂信力、精進力、念力、定力、慧力。 | 5. “Furthermore, there are the five training powers and the Tathāgata’s ten powers. What are the training powers? They are the powers of faith, effort, mindfulness, samādhi, and wisdom. |
| 「何等為如來十力？ 謂如來處非處如實知。 是名如來初力。 若成就此力者，如來、應、等正覺。 得先佛最勝處智，轉於梵輪，於大眾中能師子吼而吼。 | 6. “What are the Tathāgata’s ten powers? The Tathāgata truly knows what’s possible and what’s impossible. This is called the Tathāgata’s first power. If someone accomplished this power, it would be the Tathāgata, Arhat, and Completely Awakened One. He attained knowledge of the highest abode of prior buddhas, turned the Brahma wheel, and roared the lion’s roar amid his great assembly. |
| 「復次，如來於過去、未來、現在業法，受因事報如實知。 是名第二如來力。 如來、應、等正覺成就此力。 得先佛最勝處，能轉梵輪，於大眾中作師子吼而吼。 | 7. “Furthermore, the Tathāgata truly knows that past, future, and present deeds incur their resulting events. This is called the Tathāgata’s second power. The Tathāgata, Arhat, and Completely Awakened One achieved this power. He attained knowledge of the highest abode of prior buddhas, turned the Brahma wheel, and roared the lion’s roar amid his great assembly. |
| 「復次，如來、應、等正覺禪解脫，三昧正受，染惡清淨，處淨如實知。 是名如來第三力。 若此力成就，如來、應、等正覺。 得先佛最勝處智，能轉梵輪，於大眾中師子吼而吼。 | 8. “Furthermore, the Tathāgata, Arhat, and Completely Awakened One truly knows the liberation of meditation, proper attainment of samādhi, purification of defilements and bad [qualities], and dwelling in purity. This is called the Tathāgata’s third power. If someone accomplished this power, it would be the Tathāgata, Arhat, and Completely Awakened One. He attained knowledge of the highest abode of prior buddhas, turned the Brahma wheel, and roared the lion’s roar amid his great assembly. |
| 「復次，如來知眾生種種諸根差別如實知。 是名如來第四力。 若成就此力，如來、應、等正覺。 得先佛最勝處智，能轉梵輪，於大眾中師子吼而吼。 | 9. “Furthermore, the Tathāgata truly knows the various distinctions of sentient beings’ faculties. This is called the Tathāgata’s fourth power. If someone accomplished this power, it would be the Tathāgata, Arhat, and Completely Awakened One. He attained knowledge of the highest abode of prior buddhas, turned the Brahma wheel, and roared the lion’s roar amid his great assembly. |
| 「復次，如來悉知眾生種種意解如實知。 是名第五如來力。 若此力成就，如來、應、等正覺。 得先佛最勝處智，能轉梵輪，於大眾中師子吼而吼。 | 10. “Furthermore, the Tathāgata truly knows the various mental understandings of sentient beings. This is called the Tathāgata’s fifth power. If someone accomplished this power, it would be the Tathāgata, Arhat, and Completely Awakened One. He attained knowledge of the highest abode of prior buddhas, turned the Brahma wheel, and roared the lion’s roar amid his great assembly. |
| 「復次，如來悉知世間眾生種種諸界如實知。 是名第六如來力。 若於此力成就，如來、應、等正覺。 得先佛最勝處智，能轉梵輪，於大眾中師子吼而吼。 | 11. “Furthermore, the Tathāgata truly knows the various interests2 of worldly sentient beings. This is called the Tathāgata’s sixth power. If someone accomplished this power, it would be the Tathāgata, Arhat, and Completely Awakened One. He attained knowledge of the highest abode of prior buddhas, turned the Brahma wheel, and roared the lion’s roar amid his great assembly. |
| 「復次，如來於一切至處道如實知。 是名第七如來力。 若此力成就，如來、應、等正覺。 得先佛最勝處智，能轉梵輪，於大眾中師子吼而吼。 | 12. “Furthermore, the Tathāgata truly knows all the places where the path goes. This is called the Tathāgata’s seventh power. If someone accomplished this power, it would be the Tathāgata, Arhat, and Completely Awakened One. He attained knowledge of the highest abode of prior buddhas, turned the Brahma wheel, and roared the lion’s roar amid his great assembly. |
| 「復次，如來於過去宿命種種事憶念： 『從一生至百千生、從一劫至百千劫，我爾時於彼生如是族、如是姓、如是名、如是食。 如是苦樂覺、如是長壽、如是久住、如是壽分齊。 我於彼處死、此處生，[1]彼處生。 此處死，如是行、如是因、如是方。』 宿命所更悉如實知。 是名第八如來力。 若此力成就，如來、應、等正覺。 得先佛最勝處智，能轉梵輪，於大眾中師子吼而吼。 | 13. “Furthermore, the Tathāgata remembers the events of his past lives: ‘From one birth to a hundred thousand births or from one eon to a hundred thousand eons, I was born there at that point to such a tribe, such a clan, with such a name, and such food. Such were the pains and pleasures I felt, such was the length of my life, such was my duration, and such was the extent of my life. I died there in that place and was born here in this place. Dying there in that place and born here in this place, such were my deeds, such were the causes, and such were the ways.’ He then truly knows all his past lives. This is called the Tathāgata’s eighth power. If someone accomplished this power, it would be the Tathāgata, Arhat, and Completely Awakened One. He attained knowledge of the highest abode of prior buddhas, turned the Brahma wheel, and roared the lion’s roar amid his great assembly. |
| 「復次，如來以天眼淨過於人眼，見眾生死時、生時。 妙色、惡色、下色、上色，向於惡趣、向於善趣，隨業法受。 悉如實知： 『此眾生身惡業成就、口⋯意惡業成就，謗毀賢聖，受邪見業。 以是因緣，身壞命終，墮惡趣，生地獄中。』 『此眾生身善行，口、意善行，不謗賢聖，正見業法受。 彼因彼緣，身壞命終，生善趣天上。』 悉如實知。 是名第九如來力。 若此力成就，如來、應、等正覺。 得先佛最勝處智，能轉梵輪，於大眾中師子吼而吼。 | 14. “Furthermore, the Tathāgata sees sentient beings as they are born and die with the clarity of his heavenly eye that transcends the human eye. With wonderful forms, ugly forms, lower forms, and higher forms, they head for bad destinations or head for good destinations, experiencing them according to their deeds. He truly knows about them all: ‘This sentient being has committed bad physical deeds … verbal … has committed bad mental deeds, criticized the noble ones, and takes on the deeds of wrong view. Because of these causes and conditions, they fall to the bad destination of being born in hell when their life ends and their body breaks up.’ [Or:] ‘This sentient being’s good physical deeds … verbal … good mental deeds, they don’t criticize the noble ones, and they take on the deeds of right view. Because of these causes and conditions, they’ll be born in a good destination up in heaven when their life ends and their body breaks up.’ He truly knowing all of this. This called the Tathāgata’s ninth power. If someone accomplished this power, it would be the Tathāgata, Arhat, and Completely Awakened One. He attained knowledge of the highest abode of prior buddhas, turned the Brahma wheel, and roared the lion’s roar amid his great assembly. |
| 「復次，如來諸漏已盡， 無漏心解脫、慧解脫， 現法自知身作證： 『我生已盡，梵行已立，所作已作。』 自知不受後有。 是名第十如來力。 若此力成就，如來、應、等正覺。 得先佛最勝處智，能轉梵輪，於大眾中師子吼而吼。 | 15. “Furthermore, the Tathāgata has ended the contaminants. Without contaminants, his mind is liberated, and his wisdom is liberated. In the present life, he knows and has personally realized, ‘My births have been ended, the religious practice has been established, and the task has been accomplished.’ He himself knew he wouldn’t be subject to a later existence. This is called the Tathāgata’s tenth power. If someone accomplished this power, it would be the Tathāgata, Arhat, and Completely Awakened One. He attained knowledge of the highest abode of prior buddhas, turned the Brahma wheel, and roared the lion’s roar amid his great assembly. |
| 「如此十力，唯如來成就。 是名如來與聲聞種種差別。」 | 16. “Such as these ten powers are only accomplished by the Tathāgata. These are called the various differences between the Tathāgata and the disciples.” |
| 佛說此經已，諸比丘聞佛所說歡喜，奉行。 | 17. After the Buddha spoke this sūtra, the monks who heard what the Buddha taught rejoiced and approved. |
Notes
This is sūtra no. 684 in the Taisho edition and nos. 881 in Yinshun (T99.2.186b26-7b6, Y30.314a14-7a2).
This sūtra has a number of different parallels. SN 22.58 shares the subject of the difference between the Tathāgata and an arhat liberated by wisdom, but it lacks the recitation of powers. AN 6.64 presents a list of six powers of the Tathāgata, and it includes a very similar refrain to each such as the mention of the “Brahma wheel.” AN 10.21 contains a list of ten powers and a similar refrain, as do MN 12, EĀ 46.4, SĀ 11.43-44, SĀ 11.58, T757, T780, T781, and T802. [back]
the various interests of worldly sentient beings. C. 世間眾生種種諸界. Here, I’ve translated 界 as “interest” with sūtras like SĀ 4.1-6 in mind, where dhātu is used very generally to mean the commonalities that cause people to associate with each other. These commonalities were explained with examples like shared goals, interests, or practices. The C. word 界 itself can mean “class, type, kind” as well as “realm, world, boundary.” [back]
Translator: Charles Patton
Last Revised: 24 March 2026
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