Buddha has predicted that in the dharma-ending age, which is now, fake monks will florish everywhere preaching distorted dharma and confusing the masses.

There is a saying that goes， "地狱门前佛僧多“ - The entrance to Hell, is crowded with monks and priests.

http://www.dharmasite.net/bdh70/TheOffspringoftheDemonKing.html

There had never been more con-men and swindlers like now, putting on monk robes, going around attracting followers and cheating them.  Most of these people have supernatural ability and most commonly it is mind-reading.

They will use psychology tactics such as fear to manipulate followers.

That goes the same for any spiritual help outside of religion, such as the new-age, witch-craft, sorcery, etc.  More and more people are using such means to make money.  If you fall for it, you are creating more problems for yourself in future.  They use fear and threat to control you.  Making you superstition and losing your logical reasoning.

Most of the new-age practitioners have schizophrenia problem.

http://ybamswk.cdc.net.my/ebook/faq/quest40.htm (For those who read Chinese).

Please be extra careful.  Don't seek help for spiritual or psychic problem from outside of your religion belief.  Even if you seek help from your own religious authority, be extra selective and check the background of the person.  Be sensible.  Don't end up losing all your have and having to see psychiatrist every week.

 

Haha , mind reading is called 它心通

 

Please look at the 6 general supernatural abilities of buddhism

 

By the way there's a sutra which purely teaches supernatural powers written by the tibetans

 

幻变经 of 时轮乘

 

Those who understand tibetan language can go and find

Originally posted by maggot:

 

By the way there's a sutra which purely teaches supernatural powers written by the tibetans

 

幻变经 of 时轮乘

 

Those who understand tibetan language can go and find

It is taught in Theravada and Mahayana as well, though Buddhists never encourage people to develope these powers, until you have developed sufficient insights and wisdom which is much much more important, which otherwise becomes a distraction. Without wisdom it can also land you in lots of trouble.

Do listen to http://www.fallingfruit.tv/episodes/buddhist-magic-what-possible-powers

23:46 Hosted by:

Guests:

Have you ever considered what it would be like to cultivate, what in the Buddhist tradition are called the siddhis or magical powers? Buddhist magic is an endlessly fascinating topic, and in this episode we speak with Daniel Ingram, one of our favorite guests here on Buddhist Geeks, about the powers.

We cover their historical treatment by some of the major traditions, including the Zen, Tibetan, and Theravada. Daniel also gives us his first-hand experience having explored the powers, and considers the implications of doing public magic, and whether or not this kind of magic is "objectively real". We also discuss the ethical issues involved in using magic and issues of reproducibility.

Finally, we take a look at the ancient text, The Fruits of the Homeless Life, and explore what was said in that text about the powers, especially about the greatest power of all, the power of insight.

Supernatural power is a by-product of cultivation.  When you are able to tame, quiet and focus your mind to one-pointedness, you could achieve the state of samadhi.  When you achieved that one-pointedness, the supernatural powers your mind originally has, are now restored.

Think of the common mind as a fluorescent light.  The light-rays are scattered around shedding lights on everything around it.  On the other hand, a laser light-rays are focused to a point althought the light-rays are the same.  But we can cut diamonds with laser.  The principle is the same.

Buddhist do not aim to develop supernatural power.  It is just a by-product rather than an end itself.  It could hinters cultivation if one do not know how to deal with it.  It is like money.

The purpose of this topic is to warn fellow Buddhists not to fall prey to scam and bogus monks, or seek help outside Buddhism which we called "wai dao".

Originally posted by Caitaokue:

Supernatural power is a by-product of cultivation.  When you are able to tame, quiet and focus your mind to one-pointedness, you could achieve the state of samadhi.  When you achieved that one-pointedness, the supernatural powers your mind originally has, are now restored.

Think of the common mind as a fluorescent light.  The light-rays are scattered around shedding lights on everything around it.  On the other hand, a laser light-rays are focused to a point althought the light-rays are the same.  But we can cut diamonds with laser.  The principle is the same.

Buddhist do not aim to develop supernatural power.  It is just a by-product rather than an end itself.  It could hinters cultivation if one do not know how to deal with it.  It is like money.

The purpose of this topic is to warn fellow Buddhists not to fall prey to scam and bogus monks, or seek help outside Buddhism which we called "wai dao".

Well said... in Buddhism, supernatural powers are treated as the byproduct of Precept, Samadhi, Wisdom..

But unfortunately as you've known... not all supernatural powers are by-products of proper cultivation -- in fact "wai4 dao4" are the easiest and fastest way to cultivate supernatural powers (with exception of the 6th supernatural power which is peculiar to Buddhism, the power of insight and liberation). I think what is important is to let go of these and simply be a sincere Buddhist practitioners, this will do us and others much more good.. especially when we become true Bodhisattvas.

Anyway, our moderator Thusness also said before that he dabbled with powers during a young age... sometimes we go through certain phase of facination with these things, but eventually we must go pass them.

http://buddhism.sgforums.com/forums/1728/topics/262408

Participant 1: Is it that when that arises, the so called momentum cause us to label it?

Thusness: Yes, the first thing {inaudible} the Seventh Consciousness will actually label it and then lead to the “self”. But there are other forms of attachment, other forms of thoughts, that are as strong as “self”. Like for example, Nub, to look for spiritual powers. {laughs} It’s a momentum that actually controls his entire mind, but it’s OK you know, just like Ren Cheng said you know, it is ok to seek, but you cannot let things control you that way. To know something that is beyond has always been inside us. Even for scientists. It has always been part of us. Curiosity to know that we are more than this. We are more than what you see as surface. It’s ok to have that. But we’re so engrossed and so controlled by it that you fail to see what it is it, what it means. To me, it is our nature. But if you were to see it as something to seek, to go for, to find, and then to grab, then you are leading to a very dangerous path because there is a momentum that you cannot control. Alright?

I think when we are young, somehow we are very attracted by all these, it’s OK. You know when I was very young, probably 20 years ago. I can stare at a candle day and night for six hours, ten hours. Then everytime I practise one hour, one and a half hour, without blinking my eyes, then tears kept running down my eyes. I just stared at the candle only. This is what we call “Qi Men Tian Shu”, one of the practise. We are so excited by all these. Then because of the power of concentration, because you kept on concentrating, it was so intense... then your concentration becomes very powerful and it just stays there. Then one day, you close your eyes, the next stage, I practised that for a few months and then just close your eyes, and you just focus something on your forehead... Wah, that one is very.... Then later the thing that you focus in your forehead, you just cannot get rid of it. You know how painful is that? When you sleep, it is also there. It is something like sticking down there, you know. But it’s fun mah, just dunno mah, read some books {laughs} then looked for some master and then start practising. Can you see what I mean? That is very dangerous. You see, everybody goes through certain phases. So the right kind of understanding is very important.

 

p.s. as you can see in what Thusness said, Daniel (Dharma Dan)'s case, and the tantric practices, usually powers are developed through visualisations and visualisation of deep colours... My Master also practiced I think 8 years of tantra and through visualisation developed powers through it, but eventually dropped those practices, thinking that the powers aren't ultimately helpful to one's liberation and also that he didn't have much affinity with tantra practice.

But as Thusness said, this is dangerous and we should not practice all these at all without proper guidance.. and in the first place we should have the right understanding and motivation of practice (to awaken/liberate self and others, attain buddhahood).

And then there are also people who seem to have supernatural powers with little or no cultivation... they may think they have these powers but actually, its the spirits and ghosts giving them such "abilities". They're building a very dangerous connection with the ghosts and the spirit world... both in this life and after death...

Ok anyway, let's get back to topic.

I don’t have this book at all only heard there is such a book

幻变经

Don’t ask me for the book

Originally posted by maggot:

Haha , mind reading is called 它心通

Please look at the 6 general supernatural abilities of buddhism

By the way there's a sutra which purely teaches supernatural powers written by the tibetans

幻变经 of 时轮乘

Those who understand tibetan language can go and find

oh shit, you have know the secret already...
But there is another bigger secret you may not know.

i abide by middle way. i don't totally reject non agree. eveything boils down to skillfulness.

yes what it's said is a common begginer/hina teaching in Buddhism. Buddha never encourage spiritual powers, because He afraid people can become very greedy for these powers and in the end become a fetter of the path.

 

however for the path toward bodhisattvahood, they are not totally rejected, after they have accomplish bodhicitta and Prajnaparamita.

 

I concur that we should not focus on supernatural powers.Observe the precepts and practise honestly,and such abilities come naturally with time if one is diligent and follow the right path.