[retrahdggd]

With my meditation group, we are studying the Iddhipada-vibhanga Sutta: Analysis of the Four Bases of Power.

There's a translation at Access to Insight

I must say I'm finding it hard going, and I wonder if anyone here can say anything to help me with it.

In our translation (Thanissaro Bhikkhu modified by Rupert Gethin) the Four Bases are: The desire to act, strength, mind and investigation. Access To Insight has them as: desire, persistence, intent and discrimination.

The first two can be easily accepted as bases of power, as I think of them as sources of motivation. But I don't see how mind/intent and investigation/discrimination can be made to fit into that approach.

Then, there's much repetition in the Sutta, about perceiving what is in front and behind in the same way, perceiving what is above and below in the same way and dwelling by day and by night the same.

The Sutta goes on to explain how this is done, but only says it's done by discernment, reflection and modes, signs and themes.

I just don't understand what is meant by in front, behind, above and below. I also don't get how discernment and reflection are ways to do it.

I could start guessing what it means, but I wouldn't ever know if I was guessing right or not.

Any ideas?