Buddhism and Magical Powers

[jonesboy]

The following is about Moggallana who was one of the Buddha's chief disciples as well as examples of the Buddha.

In the discourse about the disciples who excelled in special capacities and qualities (A. I, 13), the Buddha said that Moggallana was foremost among the Bhikkhus who possessed magical faculties. One day when Moggallana with some of his disciples walked up and down, the Buddha told his monks that Moggallana possessed great supernormal powers, and so did his pupils; thus beings congregate according to their nature and disposition. (S. 14, 15) There were, of course, also other prominent disciples highly skilled in one or the other of the various magical powers. But they mastered only some of them: the monk Anuruddha and the nun Sakula, for instance, possessed the supernormal vision of the Divine Eye; the monk Sobhita and the nun Bhadda Kapilani could recollect far into the past; the monk Sagalo had masterly control of the fire element; Cula Panthaka was skilled in "astral travel"; and Pilinda excelled in communication with heavenly beings. Maha Moggallana, however, was perfect master of the magical faculties in a very comprehensive way. He mastered the various kinds of supernormal powers altogether, surpassing in them the other disciples. He also excelled by far the nun Uppallavanna who was foremost among the nuns in regard to magical faculties.

For appreciating the old reports on Moggallana's magical (parapsychological) faculties, one ought to know how such things can be possible at all. The world of so-called matter as perceived through our five senses — which to-day's physicists conceive as a manifestation of energy — is only a small section of that much wider reality which consists of other vibrational forms of energy. Inklings of it, under terms like "anti-matter," "Psi-power," the "Astral," or "Prana," have penetrated into our range of experience. As we perceive only the narrow sector of our human world, we are inclined to regard its limited laws as absolutes. But the universe as experienced by the wise, is much larger, and the laws in force in it have also an impact upon our own world. It is that impact of different laws which is called a miracle. But whenever a higher or wider world manifests itself, the true miracle is that people can be so imprisoned within their narrow outlook that they just ignore all what is beyond their limited faculties, in spite of the fact that the effects of those other forces and laws are undeniably present. But whosoever, as the Buddha and Moggallana, has highly developed his capacity to experience that wider reality with his higher sense faculties refined by cultivating the Four Ways of Power (iddhipada), will realize a sheer infinite widening of experience in space and time. His horizon and experiential knowledge will grow universal and immeasurable, transcending all boundaries and limitations.

When Sariputta asked (in M. 32) to which type of monk those assembled would give the highest praise, Moggallana replied that from his point of view such a monk would be truly brilliant who can engage best in dialogues and discussions on the Teaching. Later the Buddha confirmed that Moggallana was indeed a very capable speaker on Dhamma. In fact, talks on Dhamma gain in range and depth when they issue from an experience that transcends the realm of the senses. The more one had widened one's consciousness by such experiences, the more one had to say. One who has personal experience of those many avenues of liberating wisdom will best be able to conduct talks on Dhamma and make them lively and stimulating. Examples of such discourses given by Maha-Moggallana are M. 15 and 37, A, X. 84, S. 35, 202, S. 44, 7-8.

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/...el263.html#ch7

Any thoughts?

[sky]

Originally Posted by jonesboy

The following is about Moggallana who was one of the Buddha's chief disciples as well as examples of the Buddha.



Any thoughts?

Myths do have their purpose for some, but not for me....

[jonesboy]

Originally Posted by sky123

Myths do have their purpose for some, but not for me....

So more pick and choose which teachings to believe?

[Rain95]

Originally Posted by jonesboy

So more pick and choose which teachings to believe?

Drop all beliefs! There is only now and much better places for ones attention.

[jonesboy]

Originally Posted by Rain95

Drop all beliefs! There is only now and much better places for ones attention.

"It is not by that which is low,[1] monks, that the highest is attained; it is by the highest that the highest is attained. Most excellent[2] is the holy life. The teacher has come to you face to face. Therefore stir up energy, monks, to gain what has not been gained, to attain what has not been attained, to realize what has not been realized. Then this our leaving the world[3] will not prove a barren thing, but fruitful and productive of results. So too the requisites[4] we enjoy — robe, alms, lodging, medicine in sickness — trifling as they are, will be very fruitful for us, very profitable. For thus, monks, you must train yourselves: perceiving his own benefit[5] a man should exert himself tirelessly,[6] perceiving the benefit to others, he should exert himself tirelessly, perceiving the benefit to both, he should exert himself tirelessly."

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipi...022x.wlsh.html

You have to do the work.

[sky]

Originally Posted by jonesboy

So more pick and choose which teachings to believe?

You ask ' Any thoughts ' and when I post my thoughts you become irritated.
You show time and time again that you are very much attached to the idea that everyone should believe what you believe.

Yes I do pick what Teachings are of value to my life which like the ripples from a pebble also affects the lives of others and Magic/Mystical are not of interest to me personally.

[sky]

Originally Posted by Rain95

Drop all beliefs! There is only now and much better places for ones attention.

Drop all beliefs is a belief There is nothing wrong with beliefs if they give value to your life...

[jonesboy]

Originally Posted by sky123

You ask ' Any thoughts ' and when I post my thoughts you become irritated.
You show time and time again that you are very much attached to the idea that everyone should believe what you believe.

Yes I do pick what Teachings are of value to my life which like the ripples from a pebble also affects the lives of others and Magic/Mystical are not of interest to me personally.

I am not irritated. It was an honest question is all. I just wanted to know your view beyond myth when it comes to Buddhist teachings.

Honestly I don't expect anyone to believe such teachings. Just more interested in everyone's view is all.

[Rain95]

Originally Posted by jonesboy

You have to do the work.

I would say the opposite. You are already doing the work. You have to stop doing the work.

The work is creating and asserting this "person" with it's beliefs and opinions and assertions and demands.

There are 7 billion persons on this planet. One less will not be missed. Now I'm not saying don't fully exist and live. I am saying just stop being a person. Too many already.

You and me have spent hundreds of incarnations and thousands of years sustaining these persons we become. Look where it has got us! Back on earth as another person. I say it's a good time to stop this cycle of birth and rebirth right now.

It's been raining here for a week and today is warm and sunny. I went to the park and saw a toddler get out of his parents car and run across the green grass squealing with delight.

That child, in that moment of joy, was not a person. They were not focused on any ideas or beliefs or religious or spiritual dogma. They were not thinking of something they needed to do.

Our minds are so burdened with these ideas we are not ok, we need to meditate, pray, practice this or that.... the original premise we accept is wrong. That we are not ok!

Yes we are unhappy, and aggressive, and full of desires and sufferings, but that's all because we are a person. Drop that and all is solved.

This is what enlightened teachers were pointing at. This is the whole point of something like the Satipatṭhāna Sutta.

But the person reads the Sutta....and so stays lost.

[jonesboy]

Originally Posted by Rain95

I would say the opposite. You are already doing the work. You have to stop doing the work.

The work is creating and asserting this "person" with it's beliefs and opinions and assertions and demands.

There are 7 billion persons on this planet. One less will not be missed. Now I'm not saying don't fully exist and live. I am saying just stop being a person. Too many already.

You and me have spent hundreds of incarnations and thousands of years sustaining these persons we become. Look where it has got us! Back on earth as another person. I say it's a good time to stop this cycle of birth and rebirth right now.

It's been raining here for a week and today is warm and sunny. I went to the park and saw a toddler get out of his parents car and run across the green grass squealing with delight.

That child, in that moment of joy, was not a person. They were not focused on any ideas or beliefs or religious or spiritual dogma. They were not thinking of something they needed to do.

Our minds are so burdened with these ideas we are not ok, we need to meditate, pray, practice this or that.... the original premise we accept is wrong. That we are not ok!

Yes we are unhappy, and aggressive, and full of desires and sufferings, but that's all because we are a person. Drop that and all is solved.

This is what enlightened teachers were pointing at. This is the whole point of something like the Satipatṭhāna Sutta.

But the person reads the Sutta....and so stays lost.

Thank you, but your end results and what true being is, is not an accepted view by any tradition.