The Buddhist Path to Enlightenment (study)
by Dr Kala Acharya | 2016 | 118,883 words
This page relates 鈥楾he Fourfold Psychic Power (Introduction)鈥� of the study on the Buddhist path to enlightenment. The Buddha was born in the Lumbini grove near the present-day border of India and Nepal in the 6th century B.C. He had achieved enlightenment at the age of thirty鈥揻ive under the 鈥楤odhi-tree鈥� at Buddha-Gaya. This study investigates the teachings after his Enlightenment which the Buddha decided to teach 鈥榦ut of compassion for beings鈥�.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
3.2. The Fourfold Psychic Power (Introduction)
[Full title: The Fourfold Psychic Power (肠补迟迟腻谤辞 颈诲诲丑颈辫腻诲补; Sanskrit: 峁沝诲颈辫腻诲补)鈥擨苍迟谤辞诲耻肠迟颈辞苍闭
There are the four psychic powers (肠补迟迟腻谤辞 颈诲诲丑颈辫腻诲补, Skt. 峁沝诲丑颈辫腻诲补); namely,
- psychic power of desire (chad颈诲诲丑颈辫腻诲补, S. chanda),
- psychic power of effort (v墨riy颈诲诲丑颈辫腻诲补, S. 惫墨谤测补),
- psychic power of consciousness (citt颈诲诲丑颈辫腻诲补, S. citta) and
- psychic power of investigation (vima峁僺颈诲诲丑颈辫腻诲补, S. 尘墨尘腻峁僺腻).
The Ap膩ra sutta in Sa峁儁utta Nik膩ya a brief definition of four psychic powers following:
Bhikkhus, there are these four psychic powers, when cultivated and often developed, lead to going from the near shore to the far shore. What are four?
Here, bhikkhus, a monk develops the basis for spiritual power that is accomplished in concentration due to the desire (chanada) and the forces of exertion.
He develops the basis for spiritual power that is accomplished in concentration due to effort (惫墨谤颈测补) and the forces of exertion.
He develops the basis for spiritual power that is accomplished in concentration due to mind (citta) and the forces of exertion.
He develops the basis for spiritual power that is accomplished in concentration due to investigation (惫墨尘补峁僺补) and the forces of exertion.
These, bhikkhus are the four psychic powers, when cultivated and often developed, lead to going from the near shore to the far shore.[1]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
SN 51.1/V: p. 254