Identity and Experience_Hamilton_1996

Manomaya 161
Siima33aphala Sutta, he teaches that they are acquired as part of the
meditative process.l12 The Suttas also refer to the development of the
iddhipiidas, the 'bases of supernormal power'. l3 There are four bases:
resolution (chanda), energy (uiriya), thought (or ?concentration) (citta) and
investigation (utmamsG). One might suggest from these four that the
collective purpose of developing the iddhipiidas is the focussing of the power
of the mind. In the Aligwttara Nika'ya, the Buddha is stated to have identified
disciples according to their specific mastery of such powers: Maha
Moggallana is most skilled in the psychic powers, and Culla-panthaka is
most skilled at the creating of a mind-made body, for example.l14
It is stated elsewhere that the iddhis are either worldly (zmisa) or in accord
with dhamma (sometimes called 'spiritual').l15 In the finaya the iddhis
described here are called puthujanika iddhi and these are contrasted with the
three knowledges (Eirso uzz9 and the divine sight (dibba cakkhum), which are
considered desirable for a disciple to acquire.l16 In the Keuaddha Sutta the
Buddha explicitly states that he is concerned about, ashamed of and detests
the special psychic powers because he sees danger in the practice of
them."' For the Buddha, the real wonder or miracle is education.l18 He
explains that this begins with exercises in reasoning (VitaWEa and manasikiira)
and proceeds through the entire range of teachings he has given, culminating
in the realisation of the Four Truths and the destruction of the iia~as.~l~
There are also strict rules in the Enqa about inappropriate practice of the
iddhis: the display of iddhis beyond the capacity of ordinary men is
prohibited,lZ0 and a bhikkhu who falsely claims possession of such powers
expels himself from the Sangha.121 There are, however, several references in
canonical material to the use of iddhis in contexts where they are considered
acceptable. The several references to the practice of disappearing from one
place and reappearing in another is a good example, and one which the
Buddha himself practises.122 In the Keua&ha Sutta, this 'magical' form of
transport is explicitly associated with the power of the mind: "Then,
Kevaddha, the bhikkhu attained such a level (riipa) of concentration that,
when his mind was completely concentrated, the way leading to the dm
appeared [to him]".123 Later in the same Sutta, the bhikkhu uses the same
technique when moving to the next de~aloka.~*~ The Mahzparinibbiina Sutta
also relates that the Buddha magically transports both himself and his
following of disciples across a river. lZ5
The concern of the Buddha about the practice of the iddhis and the presence
of the rules in the Vinaya together suggest that the distinction between
these two types of iddhi, worldly or in accord with dhamma, is considered of
great importance. Concern about abuse of the iddhis probably reflects the
fact that such powers were abused by some who perhaps were believed to
practise certain meditations specifically in order to acquire the more sensational
powers. In India such people became known as siddhas, the same
term used for the powers themselves in the Yoga tradition. In Pataiijali's