If sidhis exist

Jeffrey

If sidhis exist who do they belong to? I'm just leaving that open to view I am just asking a question to sharpen my mind. Trying to get that open light touch. Meditatively.

I think I asked a confused question but I am interested what the wisdom minds of the forum will say.

taiyaki

dependent on causes and conditions.

who, where and when do not apply.

"When we analyze the mind, we cannot find any essence,
But when we do not analyze, experiences of luminosity are unceasing.
Therefore, mind is luminosity and emptiness, primordially inseparable,
And this is known as luminous clarity, the buddha nature."

-from Stars of Wisdom by Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso

Everything is buddha nature. whether spiritual or mundane, all is luminous emptiness.


Who, when, where are only relevant to a reference points. There is only change. There are no "things" changing.

Much love.

person

I guess I'd say that they arise in dependence on causes and conditions. Primarily that of someone meditating and developing them. Then you get into infinite regression of the causes and conditions of the person... ad infinitum. But conventionally I think we can say that they belong to the person that develops them.

ThailandTom

I had no clue to what a siddhis was so I did some research and seriously? How correct is this from eHow.com

Siddhis are obtained through the practice of Sadhana, a highly disciplined meditation practice that is a necessary part of Buddhist tantrism. Sadhana practices are said to result in supernatural powers such as levitation, invisibility, psychic abilities, shape-shifting and flight. Siddhi actually means perfection or attainment in Sanskrit. Siddhis can be realized through any spiritual practice, and many religions have examples in their history. The abilities can emerge spontaneously as a realization of the nature of mind or through dedicated meditative practices. These powers are believed to be innate and available to each individual who is liberated from the constraints of conventional perspective and is able to experience an order of existence beyond the scientifically described reality. Siddhis are considered ascended skills of the super-conscious mind and represent attainment of "soul genius" in comprehension of human life. These skills may be represented by inspired science, music, math or any discipline whose characteristics engage with core meditative practices.

Read more: How to Obtain Siddhis | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5144315_obtain-siddhis.html#ixzz1nbRcuDhE

taiyaki

http://personallifemedia.com/podcasts/236-buddhist-geeks/episodes/3665-buddhist-magic-what-possible/play

person

Its hard to say if any of the siddhis, beyond maybe psychic abilities, actually occur.

I concieve of the possibility of such things as possible if conciousness exists as some subtle fabric of the universe below matter or energy. If it does, then someone who can quiet the mind sufficiently and dwell in that level of experience could conceivably be able to manipulate matter and energy. Just some speculation.

taiyaki

i'm not sure how my iphone works.

it's magic.

and you can give me some kind of scientific answer.
but its still magic.

kekehehe.

Jeffrey

Tom, I tend to think the eHow.com might not be a particularly reliable source. It does have the advantage of modernity, but there may have been a misunderstanding. Like some people take the Bible literally and some factual. But maybe that's because I gave up on a vast encompassing perspective.

And then there is still the prize or whatever for whoever displays sidhis.


Taiyaki, thanks for the ethereal still pool that motivates me to go for it all.


Person,

the idea of infinite regression really resonates with my past. I had this discussion with my roomate about 'truth'. For example if I know something someone else might point out that is wrong. And then a third person might again point out an error.

the huang tzu was my source of this. i'm afraid that since I have not been purchasing taoist literature in the recent past that no google search will draw that up.

person

http://personallifemedia.com/podcasts/236-buddhist-geeks/episodes/3665-buddhist-magic-what-possible/play

Fun stuff, thanks. :thumbsup:

Dakini

Siddhis are real, at least the psi-related ones, but why do they have to "belong" to anyone? They just are. I think they're a right-brain phenomenon that arises when the meditator has enough experience quieting the left brain. Some research by doctors in the last decade also links psi siddhis to the rise of the kundalini energy. See "A Farther Shore", by Yvonne Kason, MD.

Jeffrey

What do you mean by psi sidhis? Is that a correct translation from the historical Buddhist societies? For example in Buddhism the word compassion is used rather than love in most translations.

Dakini

I was going by Tom's siddhi list. Aside from levitation, shape-shifting and other difficult-to-believe siddhis, there are "psychic siddhis", like knowing what other people are thinking, reading someone's energy field, and other intuitive skills. The article he quotes also lists expressions of genius, like music or math prodigies, as siddhis, which is interesting. Dr. Kason discusses "inspired" writing, art, music, science, as being related to the kundalini phenomenon. "Ascended skills of the super-conscious mind"--wow! Quite a description! Thanks, @ThailandTom.

ThailandTom

@jeffrey I simply googled siddhis, which I have come to see is maybe the correct spelling, and looked on a few pages and found that in this instance eHow seemed to help me understand the most. Then again, I was totally ignorant to them before hand.

I remember Ajahn Brahm making a joke to a punch of prisoners when he was giving them a dharma talk, he said in buddhism you can levitate so you guys could hop over the prison wall lol...

Also I was thinking last night about David Blane. Yes I know, he is a magician. But something occurred to me about him. He seems to somehow harnaced the power of his brain to different levels. He holds the world record for holding your breath under water, he stood on top of that huge pole for over a day or however long it was, he was caved into a block of ice for hours and so on. He also levitated on the street in one of his shows. Now I am not saying he is buddhist, that his levitation he legit, but he has been doing some sort of mind cultivation for sure.

caz

If sidhis exist who do they belong to? I'm just leaving that open to view I am just asking a question to sharpen my mind. Trying to get that open light touch. Meditatively.

I think I asked a confused question but I am interested what the wisdom minds of the forum will say.

There is no Self or others no real difference between Animate and Inanimate phenomena they all arise from Emptiness, Likewise there is no real distinction between dreams and reality as they are both percieved via the mind rather then having any Self existence as we ordinarly think. Knowing this much of what we would ordinarly deem impossible can be possible the stories of the many miracle powers of great accomplished masters doesn't often go without mention in many a tradition of Buddhism.

When one has a controlled mind a deeply controlled mind that has unsurpassed concentration Siddhis can arise and with the guidence of a spiritual guide Siddhis will naturally arise but there is very little point in displaying them in these degenerate times. Centuries ago people had more faith when such was displayed what do people think now days if they hear of a man whom can walk on water ? Previously people would develop great faith in such a person and come to listen to their teachings now they would come just for the spectacal.

seeker242

Aside from levitation, shape-shifting and other difficult-to-believe siddhis,

If you think of them as using an "astral body' rather than a physical one, then they are not all that difficult to believe imo.

Dakini

If you think of them as using an "astral body' rather than a physical one, then they are not all that difficult to believe imo.

ok, seeker, I'm game. While they're shape-shifting or levitating with the astral body, what happens to the physical one?

seeker242

If you think of them as using an "astral body' rather than a physical one, then they are not all that difficult to believe imo.

ok, seeker, I'm game. While they're shape-shifting or levitating with the astral body, what happens to the physical one?

It just sits there. Like a Buddha statue.

Dakini

It just sits there. Like a Buddha statue.

Aha. So the physical body doesn't shape-shift or levitate. That's not a siddhi, in my book.Thanks for your input, though.

seeker242

It just sits there. Like a Buddha statue.

Aha. So the physical body doesn't shape-shift or levitate. That's not a siddhi, in my book.Thanks for your input, though.

Traveling out of your body and observing another place, flying in that "realm", shapeshifting to a spirit animal, etc. are all classified as siddhis by the ancient texts. According to the "experts", Siddhis are actually supernormal perceptual states. According to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, it is stated that the supernormal perceptual powers of Siddhis CAN be reached through the use of certain herbs, (Think native american shaman and peyote, etc., spirit walking, etc.) replicating on the short term a mind-strength ability and potential execution of powers similar to or equal to that of a person versed in Siddhis garnered via the highest levels of Spiritual Attainment. Siddhi is a psychological state beyond comprehension of ordinary people. You can't make your body float by ingesting peyote, but at the same time, you can.

Dakini

You're right, @seeker242. Astral projection, for example, I would consider to be a siddhi. But siddhis performed on the astral plane aren't verifiable. Is levitating on the astral plane really levitating? Some sadhus claim to be able to levitate physically. I thought that's what was being referred to in Tom's siddhi list, but maybe not. Thanks again for your input.