Do you believe in the real possibility of developing psychic powers (walking on water, crossing walls, levitating, etc.)

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Mahabrahma
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Re: Do you believe in the real possibility of developing psychic powers (walking on water, crossing walls, levitating, e

Post by Mahabrahma »

Fun Supernatural Powers: (perhaps too fun)

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at the summit of spiritual perfection:
that’s who I call a brahmin.

-Dhammapada.
Sha Bac
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Re: Do you believe in the real possibility of developing psychic powers (walking on water, crossing walls, levitating, e

Post by Sha Bac »

Without powers, I don't know what my meditative experience would have been like. I never learned how to master them, but something happened very frequently.

What do you do without them? Don't you hit a plateau or something? Can you imagine what Buddha's meditation would be like without them?
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Re: Do you believe in the real possibility of developing psychic powers (walking on water, crossing walls, levitating, e

Post by Dxm10 »

Without being able to teleport, I wouldn't have been able to get out of prison and meditate properly in my nice home environment. So yeah, I would say they are a pretty integral part of the path.

On a more serious note, we have this sutta about how to develop psychic powers:
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Re: Do you believe in the real possibility of developing psychic powers (walking on water, crossing walls, levitating, e

Post by Coëmgenu »

Wasn't the last man fortunate enough to have the prerequisite merit to develop psychic iddhis the compiler of the Kathāvatthu? What am I half-remembering here? I'm pretty sure it's mainstream Theravāda.
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Re: Do you believe in the real possibility of developing psychic powers (walking on water, crossing walls, levitating, e

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

The late Venerable Taung Pulu Sayādaw is said to have had psychic powers. He followed the Sitter's Ascetic Practice until his demise. I can testify to him still practising it when he stayed in the Barrowgate Road Vihāra, Chiswick for two weeks. At that time, he was over 80 years of age, and used a reclining chair to sleep in, which is the mild grade according to the Visuddhimagga.
Visuddhimagga, The Ascetic Practices, page 79 wrote:The mild one is allowed a back-rest, a cloth band, a binding-strap, a cushion, a “five limb” and a “seven-limb.” A “five-limb” is one made with [four legs,] and a support for the back. A “seven-limb” is one with [four legs,] a support for the back, and an [arm] support on each side.
During his many years of dwelling as a forest monk, he would have undertaken other ascetic practices too; dwelling under a tree, using only three robes, eating only food gathered on alms-round, etc.
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Re: Do you believe in the real possibility of developing psychic powers (walking on water, crossing walls, levitating, e

Post by form »

Why wouldn't the Buddha just fly from place to place and just communicate telepathically all the time. Wouldn't that be more convenient?
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Re: Do you believe in the real possibility of developing psychic powers (walking on water, crossing walls, levitating, e

Post by santa100 »

form wrote: Thu Mar 30, 2023 1:36 pm Why wouldn't the Buddha just fly from place to place and just communicate telepathically all the time. Wouldn't that be more convenient?
He did use them but only when absolutely necessary, like performing the "earth-skipping" move to stay ahead of Angulimala when being chased by him in order to subdue his pride so that he finally gave up his evil way and took refuge in the Triple-Gem. The Buddha also communicated with devas and various other non-human beings when it's the proper time and place so that they could reap the maximum amount of benefit.
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Re: Do you believe in the real possibility of developing psychic powers (walking on water, crossing walls, levitating, e

Post by Sha Bac »

I have a question. When and how does a person know they HAVE powers?

The reason I ask is because I had experience with them, but it never seemed to be in my control. But things would happen, and I know they happened.

It's a weird question. I suppose this is the importance of having teachers and being open about your experiences. I never told anyone about my experiences, and I always just thought they were beyond my control.

I saw a deva and have no clue how. The medium was darkness, but I didn't actively conjure this deva. And I wasn't meditating at the time.
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Re: Do you believe in the real possibility of developing psychic powers (walking on water, crossing walls, levitating, e

Post by confusedlayman »

Adam1234 wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 9:04 pm I have a question. When and how does a person know they HAVE powers?

The reason I ask is because I had experience with them, but it never seemed to be in my control. But things would happen, and I know they happened.

It's a weird question. I suppose this is the importance of having teachers and being open about your experiences. I never told anyone about my experiences, and I always just thought they were beyond my control.

I saw a deva and have no clue how. The medium was darkness, but I didn't actively conjure this deva. And I wasn't meditating at the time.
How do you know that you wrote this post? Same
I may be slow learner but im at least learning...
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Re: Do you believe in the real possibility of developing psychic powers (walking on water, crossing walls, levitating, e

Post by Sha Bac »

confusedlayman wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 9:45 pm
Adam1234 wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 9:04 pm I have a question. When and how does a person know they HAVE powers?

The reason I ask is because I had experience with them, but it never seemed to be in my control. But things would happen, and I know they happened.

It's a weird question. I suppose this is the importance of having teachers and being open about your experiences. I never told anyone about my experiences, and I always just thought they were beyond my control.

I saw a deva and have no clue how. The medium was darkness, but I didn't actively conjure this deva. And I wasn't meditating at the time.
How do you know that you wrote this post? Same
I'm not sure I agree. Around October 2021, I spoke in tongues and the content of my brothers mind emerged out of the darkness. I didn't try to do that. I also didn't know that could happen. It never occurred to me that I could control anything...
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Re: Do you believe in the real possibility of developing psychic powers (walking on water, crossing walls, levitating, e

Post by confusedlayman »

Adam1234 wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 9:50 pm
confusedlayman wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 9:45 pm
Adam1234 wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 9:04 pm I have a question. When and how does a person know they HAVE powers?

The reason I ask is because I had experience with them, but it never seemed to be in my control. But things would happen, and I know they happened.

It's a weird question. I suppose this is the importance of having teachers and being open about your experiences. I never told anyone about my experiences, and I always just thought they were beyond my control.

I saw a deva and have no clue how. The medium was darkness, but I didn't actively conjure this deva. And I wasn't meditating at the time.
How do you know that you wrote this post? Same
I'm not sure I agree. Around October 2021, I spoke in tongues and the content of my brothers mind emerged out of the darkness. I didn't try to do that. I also didn't know that could happen. It never occurred to me that I could control anything...
Explain your deva encounter
I may be slow learner but im at least learning...
Sha Bac
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Re: Do you believe in the real possibility of developing psychic powers (walking on water, crossing walls, levitating, e

Post by Sha Bac »

confusedlayman wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 9:56 pm
Adam1234 wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 9:50 pm
confusedlayman wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 9:45 pm

How do you know that you wrote this post? Same
I'm not sure I agree. Around October 2021, I spoke in tongues and the content of my brothers mind emerged out of the darkness. I didn't try to do that. I also didn't know that could happen. It never occurred to me that I could control anything...
Explain your deva encounter
I keep saying I saw darkness. That's important. The darkness is a medium. I was laying in bed staring ahead of me, and a being sitting lotus appeared through the darkness. It immediately said. "What is it that you want?" I replied "nothing except that you have appeared before me." Then it vanished. I don't remember at all what it looked like. But I remember it was stunning.

I don't know if it was a deva or a boon-granting bodhisattva. These are mentioned in yoga. Some do yoga specifically for this purpose.

The darkness is the medium. It is WHERE the deva was. Think about it--it wasn't outside of me, where others could see. But I wasn't imagining it either. There has to be a medium.

I remembered a previous life in 2019, and those memories may be through darkness as well. I don't think it was in my brain...
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Re: Do you believe in the real possibility of developing psychic powers (walking on water, crossing walls, levitating, e

Post by confusedlayman »

Adam1234 wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 10:05 pm
confusedlayman wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 9:56 pm
Adam1234 wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 9:50 pm

I'm not sure I agree. Around October 2021, I spoke in tongues and the content of my brothers mind emerged out of the darkness. I didn't try to do that. I also didn't know that could happen. It never occurred to me that I could control anything...
Explain your deva encounter
I keep saying I saw darkness. That's important. The darkness is a medium. I was laying in bed staring ahead of me, and a being sitting lotus appeared through the darkness. It immediately said. "What is it that you want?" I replied "nothing except that you have appeared before me." Then it vanished. I don't remember at all what it looked like. But I remember it was stunning.

I don't know if it was a deva or a boon-granting bodhisattva. These are mentioned in yoga. Some do yoga specifically for this purpose.

The darkness is the medium. It is WHERE the deva was. Think about it--it wasn't outside of me, where others could see. But I wasn't imagining it either. There has to be a medium.

I remembered a previous life in 2019, and those memories may be through darkness as well. I don't think it was in my brain...
Tell about ur previous life
I may be slow learner but im at least learning...
Sha Bac
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Re: Do you believe in the real possibility of developing psychic powers (walking on water, crossing walls, levitating, e

Post by Sha Bac »

confusedlayman wrote: Sat Apr 01, 2023 8:32 pm
Adam1234 wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 10:05 pm
confusedlayman wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 9:56 pm

Explain your deva encounter
I keep saying I saw darkness. That's important. The darkness is a medium. I was laying in bed staring ahead of me, and a being sitting lotus appeared through the darkness. It immediately said. "What is it that you want?" I replied "nothing except that you have appeared before me." Then it vanished. I don't remember at all what it looked like. But I remember it was stunning.

I don't know if it was a deva or a boon-granting bodhisattva. These are mentioned in yoga. Some do yoga specifically for this purpose.

The darkness is the medium. It is WHERE the deva was. Think about it--it wasn't outside of me, where others could see. But I wasn't imagining it either. There has to be a medium.

I remembered a previous life in 2019, and those memories may be through darkness as well. I don't think it was in my brain...
Tell about ur previous life
I do not know if darkness was how I remembered it. I started to see darkness in 2018 after I started yoga.

I did a lot of concentration meditation in the sauna and had no thoughts. I wasn't suppressing them, but i prevented the energy of thought from attaching to my awareness. There was awareness, the energy of thought, and mindfulness. I kept the awareness pure without thoughts through mindfulness.

A few hours later, I was sitting on the couch. I just closed my eyes, and a blue and white radiance filled my head as bliss arose. Then I had these flashes of remembrance: I was in a cave, towards the back. A young boy appeared at the entrance of the cave and brought food. I walked out of the cave and was in a small community. I saw an ox pulling a cart. It looked like it was around noon. The sun was shining. Then I remember hovering above a body of water.

The memory fades. It seemed as though I was remembering in broad strokes...like, this is how it WAS.
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Re: Do you believe in the real possibility of developing psychic powers (walking on water, crossing walls, levitating, e

Post by Sha Bac »

My point is, I never thought I had powers. I also knew that you weren't supposed to try to develop them, or so I thought.

I mean, what if these things happened to anybody else? Was I a fool to not try to develop them? My approach was always just kind of passive. I meditated and just experienced what happened.

I guess maybe I was just ignorant.
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