Any Super Powers yet?

lobster

Through meditation my level of calm or times of calm and non suffering have gone up. That quality effects the situations and people I come across. My empathy gives me insight into my thought patterns and greater awareness of others processing. Animals seem much calmer in the presence of calm.

Coincidence or synchronicity seems quite common for me. Being in the zone seems more natural.

Nothing mysterious or inexplicable and preferable to woo-woo dharma? I think so.

Will you be using your super powers any day soon?

robot

I like your description of how your practice is improving your experience and I can relate to it.
You lost me when you went after mine.

Jeffrey

I still like boogying to music after my football team of interest won the game. Why not? I think I have a greater beed on sitting still. I meditate every day and it is very peaceful though a lot of times I am wondering for 'what nest'.

Shoshin

I vowed not to disclose my secret identity but seeing that you asked me nicely...I'm none other than "Super Dharma Woman" I'm faster than a monk on speed-calmer than a nun on valium...And with my psyche super powers I know all that there is to know and more....I knew that you were going to start this thread even before you did-I'm in your mind...

BTW you were joking with the title weren't you ? . .. (If not Oooppsss sorry)

Just in case....No I haven't really developed any super powers yet, not that I would really know if I have, it might just become part of the norm "Nothing Special"

David

I use them all the time.

I admit it bugs me when others take credit for my crop circles.

how

@ Lobster

If the path towards sufferings cessation is your thing, then isn't a super power just what aids anyone on that path?

Can you even swing a cat without first clearing the room of all ones super powers?

Jeffrey

Are these super powers?

``Principle Practice

The principle practice of The Great Perfection can be divided into two aspects Trekcho or breakthrough and Togel or leap over, of these two, this section is concerned with the practice of Togel. The practice of breakthrough or Trekcho is the basis for the teachings and practice of the six lamps, which constitute the path of the leap over. The practice of Togel in itself has two aspects, the preliminaries and the main practice.

Now we come to the presentation of the actual practice, which is called, the introduction of the six lamps. The use of the term lamp or torch, connotes or denotes something that dispels darkness. What we are trying to do in our practice is recognize in direct experience the Dharmata, or nature of all dharmas or things. And this is of course the nature of our own mind. Principally we recognize it by looking at our own mind. The first thing that you can say about your own mind is that it is emptiness, because it is empty of any substantial existence. But if that was all the mind was, just emptiness, and it was nothing, then we could not call the mind or the nature of the mind a lamp. It would not have the capacity to dispel darkness, in fact it would be darkness itself. While your mind's nature is emptiness it is not obscurity or darkness, it is illumination. Along with the mind's emptiness, the other character that defines the mind is cognitive lucidity or awareness. So here the first use of the term lamp, is to refer to the nature of your mind which is like a lamp, in being the unity of cognitive lucidity and emptiness.

There are six aspects to this lamp or the illuminating quality of ones basic nature. The first is called the abiding lamp of the ground. And, this is what was pointed out in the chapter which introduced Mahamudra and Trekcho or breakthrough. Any sentient being by definition has a mind. Any being that has a mind possesses the same fundamental nature. All minds are of the same nature and this nature is emptiness, not obscurity. It is an emptiness that is an inseparability from lucidity. This lucidity which is the defining characteristic of a mind, or of a cognition, is at the same time the innate ability to achieve the perfect wisdom of buddhahood, the innate ability to realize the nature of all things. Therefore, this lucidity which characterizes any and all minds is called Sugatagarba or the seed or nature of those who have gone to bliss. Now, the term sugata refers to a buddha and it means those who have gone to bliss, those who no longer are remaining in a state of suffering. When its said that we all possess the basic nature of that, it means that we all possess the ability to transcend suffering, the ability to achieve buddahood. So cognitive lucidity in and of itself is the seed of the potential to achieve and the ability to achieve awakening. And this is so because we always have this as our basic nature.

The first of the six lamps, the abiding lamp of the ground, is in a sense an explanation or common to Togel and Trekcho. The others are uncommon, in that they are only explained or pointed out in the contents of Togel instruction. Now Dharmata, the nature of things, if you look at it from the point of view of its vastness in scope is literality the nature of all things. Therefore, it is all pervasive. But the root of Dharmata is the mind and therefore the primary observation of Dharmata is in one's own mind.

We saw before that the mind has two aspects, what it is or how it really is, and what it appears to be, or how it appears. In terms of how the mind appears, the mind appears to reside in the body. The way we experience is, our appearing to be a resident of our body. Page 14

This means that while Dharmata is all pervasive, because it is the nature of mind, and because the mind appears to reside within the body, Dharmata is most apparent within your body. Now your mind pervades your whole body, but especially the mind itself
.
In the primordial wisdom of the sugatas, the principle mind is seated within the heart. Therefore, the second lamp is called the citta flesh lamp. So the heart is the lamp made of flesh or living tissue. The reason for this is, that as we saw earlier while you are alive the fundamental seat of the eighth consciousness is your heart. Now when you die and your mind leaves your body, that's a whole different thing. Your body becomes a corpse. But as long as you are alive, your body and mind are interconnected. Therefore, the second lamp is the heart which is the seat of mind.

The third lamp is called the smooth white channel lamp. This is the channel which connects the heart to the eyes. The eyes are the fourth lamp and the third lamp is the channel that connects these two. It is this channel that causes the appearances of Dharmata, seated in the heart to be visible. In order to be visible obviously they have to appear to the eyes and the connections between the heart and eyes is called the smooth white channel lamp. Now, it is a channel, but it is a channel that does not contain either blood or lymph. It is empty of everything except wind. For example in some Dzogchen tantras it says, " it is in the white place of the brain that the appearances arise to the senses." This refers to the vision of the eyes, because this channel passing from the heart, the smooth white channel lamp passes via or through the brain.

The fourth lamp is called the distant lasso water lamp. This refers to something that is in the center of the eyes. And, because you can see things that are distant, it's called the distant lasso water; because of the composition of the eye. it refers not to the entire eye but to the sense faculty within the eye that's at the end of the smooth white channel lamp. The smooth white channel lamp starts at the heart and ends at the optic nerve.

The fourth lamp is the gate for the appearance of wisdom. And, the wisdom in this case refers to the display of Dharmata, and the condition for its appearance is the use of the eyes in a particular way or gaze, in connection with a source of light. Traditionally the sun is given as the main example, but it can also be the light of the moon, an electric light, or a light from a flame. Through the application of gaze you cause to appear to the fourth lamp, or in the fourth lamp, the eyes, a rainbow like light phenomenon. And this embodies the purity of the Dharmakaya and the five certainties of the Sambhogakaya, initially appearing as multi colored light and circles of light. The gate for that appearance is the distant lasso water lamp. When you do this and apply the gaze and make use of the four lamps explained thus far, what you will see looks something like the tail of a peacock which contains circles, which are often five different colors one surrounding another like circular shields used in warfare.

What you are seeing with the fourth lamp is the fifth lamp which is called, the pure lamp of the expanse. Here it's called the pure lamp of Dharmadhatu. Through the meeting of the fifth and fourth lamps you experience the spontaneous display of the nature of all things. Which means that what you are seeing is not a created or composite physical phenomenon. Within the rays of light which are created by the gaze you see not only large circles or spheres but lots of minute or little ones, like a net of pearls or little drops like fish eyes, and sometimes they appear in moving patterns of lattice networks. That aspect of what your seeing is the appearance of the unceasing activity of Nirmanakaya. Page 15

What you experience is called the display of the Trikaya in the form of rainbow light; they are the unlimited display of the same nature the Dharmata. What you are seeing is the three kayas as the unified appearances. Know that they appear in different ways; know that in reality the different modes of appearances of the three embodiments are in essence indivisible from reality itself.

From Thrangu Rinpoche's commmentary on a text by Karma Chagme

lobster

@how said:
@ Lobster

If the path towards sufferings cessation is your thing, then isn't a super power just what aids anyone on that path?

Can you even swing a cat without first clearing the room of all ones super powers?

Exactly so.
By clearing our clutter, mundane and supernatural attachments, delusions, illusions and arisings, space for clarity arises. The space or clarity, the emptiness or Buddha Nature if you prefer, is always there.

What happens when this application of dharma arises? Well the vision and other sense gates are not hindered by imperfections. More refined or subtle sensing and knowing is possible. We are no longer the roots of the lotus in mud but arising into the flowering . . .

bookworm

@lobster saying that there is a Buddha Nature is not a sure thing, no one can say that unless they realized it for themselves, i'm not saying there isn't a Buddha Nature, Nibbana, Moksa, or whatever, but one thing that is always there and is absolute to everyone on this planet regardless of there religion is " I AM "

lobster

@bookworm‌ the 'I am' and 'I am not' is part of the same continuum. I speak from experience.

Super powers, often the result of intense concentration in wizarding dharma styles can be acquired without any mystical or dharma insight. Magicians, charismatics and other 'attach to me' merchants, do not have to be ethical or even decent human beings.

I would suggest that someone recovering from alcohol addiction, hearing voices or in the process of dying or other difficulties can be a greater inspiration than Marvel the Magnificient, Gnu Guru or some zen zany.

Most of the people here are in my estimation, improving their behaviour. Personally I am inspired.

The reason I ask about for example the ability to speak the meta-language of metta to effect matter, is so we become aware of the source and nature of progress, without being impressed by superficial phenomena. Advanced meditators and the awake can read me like an open book. Why? Because like a lotus they are open.

@how makes an important point about how these subtle mind abilities can entrap us. We can for example feel, 'I am awake and in the moment, mindful, therefore a stream entrant' or minor Buddha. Irrelevant.

Are you human and humane, are you empowering and healing? That is the Buddha I bow before. That is the path. The precious jewel in the mud, waiting to bud into a lotus . . .

Theswingisyellow

---

bookworm

@lobster I do not know what you mean when you say 'I am' and 'I am not' are part of the same continuum, but what I do know that the very brief moment that I regain consciousness when waking up from sleep, even before opening my eyes, there is no Buddha, no Mom,no Dad, no Brother, no worries, no thoughts, and no world, but just the pure feeling of 'I am' there is no 'I am not' in that short precious moment, can anyone really feel 'I am not' when regaining consciousness from sleep?

bookworm

Of course waking up from sleep is not the only time we feel I am.

Jeffrey

@bookworm, sirens go off for buddhists when you say "I".

bookworm

@Jeffrey said:
bookworm, sirens go off for buddhists when you say "I".

Oh how right you are Jeffrey lol, anyway I have come to realize that 'I am' is the only real thing that i know, trying to find the very source of where the thought 'I' arises from is the only thing i can do, we say not self but we need to know thyself first and then we will come know what is not-self in my opinion.

bookworm

Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj said to know what you are, you must first investigate and know what you are not.

Jeffrey

I think the buddhists (Tibetan) call this alaya. It is the good earth. Alaya means abode like 'himalaya' means abode of snow.

Alaya is the 8th mode of consciousness where the 7th manos might also be what you mean? But Manos is the 'problem consciousness' and it has separated 'me' and 'you'.

Manos is where the kleshas or poisons come from.

So it depends what you mean by "I".

David

@Jeffrey said:
bookworm, sirens go off for buddhists when you say "I".

I do see a difference though. Sirens go off for me when I hear "I am "this"" or "I am "that"" but simply I am doesn't have any baggage really.

When considering "I am not" it only makes sense to say "I am not "this"" or "I am not "that"". To posit that I am not at all is as much delusion as saying "I am "this"" or I am "that"".

After all, how can that which is not be deluded?

David

@bookworm said:
Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj said to know what you are, you must first investigate and know what you are not.

Exactly... "What" we are not, not "that" we are not.

Being is a verb mistaken for a noun.

Greg911

To know ones self is to know all others.
The point of view doesn't change. The knowledge of the view does.
Powers come like finding your foot or fingers. It is what you do with it that matters. It can very easily become the next place you are stuck.
We are all stuck until we are there.

lobster

@bookworm said:
lobster I do not know what you mean when you say 'I am' and 'I am not' are part of the same continuum

It has layers of application.

We all have a mundane sense of being a self. However the spiritual 'I AM' is awareness of pure being independent of 'me, myself, I'. So it is not the same as ego.

Buddhist experience goes further. The sense of Being can be increasingly emptied of experiencer.

It unfolds with practice.

anataman

Nice place to mention Nirvilkalpa samadhi! - it's a super dooper powerful state when the knower and known are identical, and although some people misidentify it as a state of no knower and nothing known - they are the same 'continuum' to use @lobsters terminology - I know that's gonna get someones goaty beard lol, but it can't be helped. First Nirvilkalpa samadhi can be understood, and thats a really powerful statement to make to all you people out there seeking powerfully enlightening experiences - it can be understood intellectually. Then with practice it can be experienced. And once you've experienced it ... just let it be, you can't change the spontaneously perfected.

But no - I don't have any super human powers yet!

But without effort in my little universe the sun rose again behind grey clouds and did light my day; my body and hands made me a double espresso coffee which my taste buds delighted in and out there, I know that there you are all as well, bless you, some are sitting on lotus flowers I am sure, some in cars, others standing in shopping queues. HI :wave: but I have no particular desire to do anything in particular today just sit and be, so be it, I'll sit, and be...

bookworm

@anatman I read about Nirvilkalpa samadhi, it sounds like it is a wild state.

anataman

@bookworm‌

It's wilder than wild,
yet tamer than tame
and all that you know
is it's the same and the same.

But super human powers
the aim of this thread
is to become something more
than just out of ya head

Buzzy bee,
be not my fuzz
your destructive sting
is not what it was

does the world have a point
and can we know what it is
my poems mean nothing
cos poetry is...

... \ lol / ...

Shoshin

Removing all the clutter . :rant: .. :
will lift the mind from the gutter . :om: ..
Then one will find
The true magic/nature of the mind ! . :thumbsup: ..

However if ones mind remains full of clutter . :rant: ..
weighed down in the gutter . :screwy: ..
Then one will continue to find
confusion rules the mind . :scratch: ..

Namada

What is superpower?

I think changing your old habbits its something of the most hardest you can do.

For me it can be:
Stopping eating food with alot of sugar.

Be the observer every moment, and dont get hooked if something "bad" happens.
And dont attach to good things either. Its just "not sure" and not stable, so just continue
to do the best of each situation and observe.

And also, always notice your craving. Then most of the job is done. Then you will not get hooked (most likely). Let say a nice good chocolate cake its standing alone on the table, you are so hungry, you run and grab it, headless and you feel so sorry for your self after a hard day at work. But bang, your superpower of observing button turns on and you can then tell you self, i will not get satsified, its just my feelings, its impermenant and not self, unsatsifactionary. And you will let it go, and eat one carrot instead, easy! :P

This is superpowers, dont get hooked, and go above good and bad and just watch it.

Is it easy? No, even superman would have some problems to do this. Just ask him

Toraldris

Is not having any superpowers a superpower? If so I claim dibs.

Buddhadragon

Any super powers I may be endowed with stem more from the fact of being a mother than a Dharma practitioner.
Beneath all that Dragon bravado, there's a Dharmamom, after all...

Greg911

superpowers are the fruit sometimes. looked for you cannot find them unlooked for they come rolling at your feet. When you have them you can spend the rest of your life perfecting them, or not. Hopefully not but hard to resist.

Jeffrey

I have an adamantium skeleton. I can also shoot lasers out of my eyes. Seriously it has been said to have compassion rather than super powers. As best as possible. What a struggle?

Greg911

I have something like that. When you see from your point of view to another's point of view. it is seen as connecting light.

anataman

I have just discovered we all have the same secret super-power! But I can't tell you what it is as it's sacred, and every time I try to tell someone it I appear to be gagged by an angel or something - it's 'muffle-mufmble'

Use it wisely!

lobster

@robot said:
I like your description of how your practice is improving your experience and I can relate to it.
You lost me when you went after mine.

The point is the personal and interior is subtle and we notice the effects, which are always natural and have no need for force.

Magical dharma and other force based Jedi systems sometimes get caught in the dank side of The Force . . .

robot

@lobster said:

>

Right. I understand that you directed your thread topic at those seekers who have yet to gain some experience and may still be imagining some type of mystical effects from meditating.
It sounded a bit sarcastic, maybe even judgemental, but that's ok. I was raised by a British mother, so maybe I'm over sensitive.

Buddhadragon

Let's say all those meditation hours we put in do yield certain results, like opening up our brain lobes, making us more intuitive, perceiving life differently and curbing more easily our lower impulses.
Stooping to reflect over these seeming "super powers" would be a hindrance to whatever progress we aspire to attain.
The toil never ends. We'll still have to show up on the cushion every day, face Dukkha, and not to get entangled by our ego's mirages.

lobster

It sounded a bit sarcastic, maybe even judgemental, but that's ok.

.
Fair comment. Being sarcastic and judgemental are my hindrances no doubt. Bad cructacean!

The point I was unskilfully exploring was the inevitable but subtle benefits of meditational side effects such as calm well being and attentive mindfulness. In this sense because we are not overwhelmed by the monkey mind, it over time becomes calmed. We can develop clarity and attention to our experience, which is heading towards a more mature experience of reality. Subtle but personally verifiable.