Ṛddhi (Sanskrit; Pali iddhi) is a term that refers to "psychic powers",[1] one of the five[1] or six[2] supernormal powers (abhijñā) of the mundane plane attained by performing the four dhyānas[3] in Buddhism. The normal Sanskrit meaning of ṛddhi is "increase, growth, prosperity, success, good fortune, wealth, abundance".
List of Ṛddhi powers
According to Bowker, there are eight ṛddhi powers:[4]
- replicate and project bodily-images of oneself,
- make oneself invisible,
- pass through solid objects,
- sink into solid ground,
- walk on water,
- fly,
- touch the sun and moon with one's hand,
- ascend to the world of the god Brahmā in the highest heavens
Saletore and Pio mention ten ṛddhi powers:[3][1]
- addhitana iddhi, willpower
- vikubbana iddhi, the power of transformation
- manomaya iddhi, the power of the mind
- eliminiation of unwholesome states by developing insight knowledge
- samadhi-vippara iddhi, concentration to overcome the hindrances in the jhanic state
- arya-iddhi, the ability of the noble ones
- the power of traversing the skies like birds
- special gifts
- the power of magicians
- the power of overcoming unwholesome states
Guiley mentions eight iddhi powers:[5]
- mastery over the body and nature
- invincibility
- invisibility
- fleetness in running
- ability to see the gods
- control over spirits and demons
- the ability to fly
- preservation of youth
- the ability to make certain pills
In the book Great Disciples of the Buddha by Nyanaponika Thera and Hellmuth Hecker, there are several additional powers described:
- The Divine Eye (Clairvoyance)- this power allows one to see beings in other realms as well as see the future
- The Divine Ear (Clairaudience)
- Travel by Mind-Made Body(Astral Travel)
- Travel with the Physical Body (to other realms)
- Telekinesis (Supernormal Locomotion)
- Flying
- The power of Transformation
- The ability to replicate one's body
- Penetration of others' minds (Thought Reading)
- Passing through solid objects
- Diving in and out of the earth as if through water
- Walking on water
- Touching the sun and the moon with one's fingers
- Becoming invisible
- Recollection of past lives (some would call this a power, some would call it true knowledge)
See also
References
- ^ a b c Pio 1988, p. 60.
- ^ Schober 2002, p. 138.
- ^ a b Saletore 1981, p. 17.
- ^ John Bowker (1997), Iddhi. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions
- ^ Guiley 2006, p. 197.
Sources
- Guiley, Rosemary (2006), The Encyclopedia of Magic and Alchemy, Infobase Publishing
- Pio, Edwina (1988), Buddhist Psychology: A Modern Perspective, Abhinav Publications
- Saletore, R.N., Indian Witchcraft, Abhinav Publications
- Schober, Juliane (2002), Sacred Biography in the Buddhist Traditions of South and South-East Asia, Motilal Banarsidass Publ.