There are three kinds of wonders, Kevaddha, which I, having myself understood and realized them, have made known to others.

And what are the three?

  1. The mystic wonder,
  2. The wonder of mind-reading, and
  3. The wonder of instruction.

(1) And what, Kevaddha, is the mystic wonder?

In this case, Kevaddha, suppose that a brother enjoys the possession, in various ways, of mystic power - from being one he becomes multiform, from being multiform he becomes one; from being visible he becomes invisible; he passes without hindrance to the further side of a wall or a battlement or a mountain, as if through air; he penetrates up and down through solid ground, as if through water; he walks on water without dividing it, as if on solid ground; he travels cross-legged through the sky, like the birds on wing; he touches and feels with the hand even the Moon and the Sun, beings of mystic power and potency though they be; he reaches, even in the body, up to the heavenly realm. And some believer, of trusting heart should behold him doing so. Then that believer should announce the fact to an unbeliever, saying: Wonderful, Sir, and marvelous is the mystic power and potency of that Ascetic.... Then that unbeliever should say to him: Well, Sir! there is a certain charm called the Gandhāra Charm. It is by his own ability that he performs all this.

Now what think you, Kevaddha? Might not the unbeliever so say?

‘Yes, Sir; he might.’

Well, Kevaddha! It is because I perceive danger in the practice of mystic wonders, that I disagree, and refrain from, and am reluctant to perform.