[166] "Sāriputta, there are these ten Tathāgata's powers (tathāgatabala) of the Tathāgata, endowed with which powers the Tathāgata claims the place of the leader of the herd (āsabhaṇṭhāna), roars the lion's roar (sīhanāda) in the assemblies, and sets rolling the Wheel of Brahmā (brahmacakka). What are the ten?
Here, Sāriputta, the Tathāgata understands as it really is (yathābhūta) the possible as possible and the impossible as impossible. That the Tathāgata understands as it really is the possible as possible and the impossible as impossible — this too, Sāriputta, is a Tathāgata's power of the Tathāgata, relying on which power the Tathāgata claims the place of the leader of the herd, roars the lion's roar in the assemblies, and sets rolling the Wheel of Brahmā.
Furthermore, Sāriputta, the Tathāgata understands as it really is the result (vipāka) of undertakings of kamma that are past, future, and present, by way of possibility and by way of cause. That the Tathāgata understands as it really is the result of undertakings of kamma that are past, future, and present, by way of possibility and by way of cause — this too, Sāriputta, is a Tathāgata's power of the Tathāgata, relying on which power the Tathāgata claims the place of the leader of the herd, roars the lion's roar in the assemblies, and sets rolling the Wheel of Brahmā.
Furthermore, Sāriputta, the Tathāgata understands as it really is the way of practice (paṭipadā) leading everywhere. That the Tathāgata understands as it really is the way of practice leading everywhere — this too, Sāriputta, is a Tathāgata's power of the Tathāgata, relying on which power the Tathāgata claims the place of the leader of the herd, roars the lion's roar in the assemblies, and sets rolling the Wheel of Brahmā.
Furthermore, Sāriputta, the Tathāgata understands as it really is the world with its many elements (dhātu) and diverse elements. That the Tathāgata understands as it really is the world with its many elements and diverse elements — this too, Sāriputta, is a Tathāgata's power of the Tathāgata, relying on which power the Tathāgata claims the place of the leader of the herd, roars the lion's roar in the assemblies, and sets rolling the Wheel of Brahmā.
Furthermore, Sāriputta, the Tathāgata understands as it really is the diversity of the dispositions of beings. That the Tathāgata understands as it really is the diversity of the dispositions of beings — this too, Sāriputta, is a Tathāgata's power of the Tathāgata, relying on which power the Tathāgata claims the place of the leader of the herd, roars the lion's roar in the assemblies, and sets rolling the Wheel of Brahmā.
Furthermore, Sāriputta, the Tathāgata understands as it really is the superiority and inferiority of the faculties (indriya) of other beings and other persons. That the Tathāgata understands as it really is the superiority and inferiority of the faculties of other beings and other persons — this too, Sāriputta, is a Tathāgata's power of the Tathāgata, relying on which power the Tathāgata claims the place of the leader of the herd, roars the lion's roar in the assemblies, and sets rolling the Wheel of Brahmā.
Furthermore, Sāriputta, the Tathāgata understands as it really is the defilement, the cleansing, and the emergence in regard to the meditative absorptions (jhāna), liberations (vimokkha), concentrations (samādhi), and attainments (samāpatti). That the Tathāgata understands as it really is the defilement, the cleansing, and the emergence in regard to the meditative absorptions, liberations, concentrations, and attainments — this too, Sāriputta, is a Tathāgata's power of the Tathāgata, relying on which power the Tathāgata claims the place of the leader of the herd, roars the lion's roar in the assemblies, and sets rolling the Wheel of Brahmā.
Furthermore, Sāriputta, the Tathāgata recollects his manifold past abodes (pubbenivāsa), that is: one birth, two births, three births, four births, five births, ten births, twenty births, thirty births, forty births, fifty births, a hundred births, a thousand births, a hundred thousand births, many eons (kappa) of world-contraction, many eons of world-expansion, many eons of world-contraction and expansion: 'There I was so named, of such a clan, of such an appearance, with such food, experiencing such pleasure and pain, with such a life-span; passing away from there, I arose in such a place; there too I was so named, of such a clan, of such an appearance, with such food, experiencing such pleasure and pain, with such a life-span; passing away from there, I arose here.' Thus with their aspects and particulars he recollects his manifold past abodes. That the Tathāgata recollects his manifold past abodes, that is: one birth, two births … thus with their aspects and particulars he recollects his manifold past abodes — this too, Sāriputta, is a Tathāgata's power of the Tathāgata, relying on which power the Tathāgata claims the place of the leader of the herd, roars the lion's roar in the assemblies, and sets rolling the Wheel of Brahmā.
Furthermore, Sāriputta, with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, the Tathāgata sees beings passing away and reappearing — inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate — and he understands beings as faring according to their kamma: 'These beings, alas, …' … he understands. That the Tathāgata, with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, sees beings passing away and reappearing — inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate — and understands beings as faring according to their kamma: 'These beings, alas, …' … he understands — this too, Sāriputta, is a Tathāgata's power of the Tathāgata, relying on which power the Tathāgata claims the place of the leader of the herd, roars the lion's roar in the assemblies, and sets rolling the Wheel of Brahmā.
Furthermore, Sāriputta, through the destruction of the taints (āsava), the Tathāgata, having realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life enters upon and dwells in the taintless liberation of mind (cetovimutti) and liberation by wisdom (paññāvimutti). That the Tathāgata, through the destruction of the taints, having realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life enters upon and dwells in the taintless liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom — this too, Sāriputta, is a Tathāgata's power of the Tathāgata, relying on which power the Tathāgata claims the place of the leader of the herd, roars the lion's roar in the assemblies, and sets rolling the Wheel of Brahmā.
These, Sāriputta, are the ten Tathāgata's powers of the Tathāgata, endowed with which powers the Tathāgata claims the place of the leader of the herd, roars the lion's roar in the assemblies, and sets rolling the Wheel of Brahmā.
Sāriputta, whoever should speak thus of me, knowing thus and seeing thus: 'The ascetic Gotama has no superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones; the ascetic Gotama teaches a Dhamma hammered out by reasoning, following his own line of investigation, as it occurs to him' — unless he abandons that speech, abandons that state of mind, and relinquishes that view, then, as if carried and placed there, so is he deposited in hell (niraya). Just as, Sāriputta, a bhikkhu accomplished in virtue, accomplished in concentration, accomplished in wisdom would attain final knowledge (aññā) in this very life, even so is the consequence here, I say: unless he abandons that speech, abandons that state of mind, and relinquishes that view, then, as if carried and placed there, so is he deposited in hell."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.