verified
Overview
The Bases of Spiritual Power (Iddhipāda) are the foundations for achieving extraordinary concentration and psychic mastery, but more importantly, they are essential factors for attaining Nibbāna. They represent four distinct dominant mental forces that can drive a practitioner to complete success in mental cultivation.
The List
- Chandasamādhi - Concentration driven by desire/zeal: Achieving deep unified concentration because one has an overwhelming, pure aspiration and love for the Dhamma and the goal of liberation.
- Viriyasamādhi - Concentration driven by energy: Achieving deep unified concentration through sheer, unrelenting effort, persistence, and courageous striving.
- Cittasamādhi - Concentration driven by mind: Achieving deep unified concentration through a naturally powerful, pure, and highly focused consciousness.
- Vīmaṃsāsamādhi - Concentration driven by investigation: Achieving deep unified concentration through sharp wisdom, profound inquiry, and analytical penetration of the Dhamma.
Quote
7. iddhipādasaṃyuttaṃ
1. cāpālavaggo
1. apārasuttaṃ
813. cattārome bhikkhave, iddhipādā bhāvitā bahulīkatā apārā pāraṃ gamanāya saṃvattanti.
These four bases of spiritual power, bhikkhus, when developed and made abundant, lead to going from this shore to the other shore.
katame cattāro?
Which four?
idhā, bhikkhave, bhikkhu chandasamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṃ iddhipādaṃ bhāveti, vīriyasamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṃ iddhipādaṃ bhāveti, cittasamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṃ iddhipādaṃ bhāveti, vīmaṃsāsamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṃ iddhipādaṃ bhāveti.
Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops the basis of spiritual power endowed with concentration due to desire and volitional formations of striving; he develops the basis of spiritual power endowed with concentration due to energy and volitional formations of striving; he develops the basis of spiritual power endowed with concentration due to mind and volitional formations of striving; he develops the basis of spiritual power endowed with concentration due to investigation and volitional formations of striving.
ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro iddhipādā bhāvitā bahulīkatā apārā pāraṃ gamanāya saṃvattantī’’ti.
These four bases of spiritual power, bhikkhus, when developed and made abundant, lead to going from this shore to the other shore.’’
Textual References
- Canonical: Iddhipāda Saṃyutta (SN 51) – The Buddha explains that whoever neglects these four bases neglects the path to the end of suffering.