Supernatural powers:
Just one reply post out of a few reply posts I made on the general subject of 'supernatural powers' in a discussion someone else started, on a video of a guy allegedly levitating above ground while sitting cross-legged, at the 'Dhamma Wheel' message board:
https://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=34682
Re: Levitation during meditation
Post by samsarictravelling » Fri Jun 28, 2019 3:48 pm
budo wrote: ↑I disagree.Fri Jun 28, 2019 12:16 pmThe video in OP looks very fake.
From my understanding, it's the mind made body that levitates and moves unimpeded, not the actual body.
My personal theory is that most lay people didn't meet the Buddha's actual body, but his mind made body. Hence when the serial killer chased him he couldn't catch him. The Buddha was probably meditating in a cave while that was happening.
Do you think disappearing in one location, then reappearing in another location is more wonderous than levitation? (And if someone can do that disappearing in one place and reappearing at some other location, then levitation would seem to be a simpler supernatural occurrence?)
In the MahaParinibbana Sutta the Buddha (as well as his retinue of monks, in one version, is also explicitly said to) does just that: he disappears on one side of the river, and reappears on the other side.
Here it is, from two different sources (I boldface the sentence that describes it):
Then the Blessed One, early in the morning, adjusted his lower robe and—taking his bowl & outer robe—went together with the Saṅgha of monks to the rest-house of Sunidha & Vassakāra, the chief ministers of Magadha. On arrival, he sat down on the seat laid out. Sunidha & Vassakāra, with their own hands, served & satisfied the Saṅgha of monks, with the Buddha at its head, with exquisite staple & non-staple food. Then, when the Blessed One had finished his meal and withdrawn his hand from the bowl, Sunidha & Vassakāra, taking a low seat, sat to one side. As they were sitting there, the Blessed One gave his approval with these verses:
In whatever place
a wise person makes his dwelling,
—there providing food
for the virtuous,
the restrained,
leaders of the holy life—
he should dedicate that offering
to the devas there.
They, receiving honor, will honor him;
being respected, will show him respect.
As a result, they will feel sympathy for him,
like that of a mother for her child, her son.
A person with whom the devas sympathize
always meets with auspicious things.
Then the Blessed One, having given his approval to Sunidha & Vassakāra with these verses, got up from his seat and left. And on that occasion, Sunidha & Vassakāra followed right after the Blessed One, (thinking,) “By whichever gate Gotama the contemplative departs today, that will be called the Gotama Gate. And by whichever ford he crosses over the Ganges River, that will be called the Gotama Ford.”
So the gate by which the Blessed One departed was called the Gotama Gate. Then he went to the Ganges River. Now on that occasion the Ganges River was full up to the banks, so that a crow could drink from it. Some people were searching for boats; some were searching for floats; some were binding rafts in hopes of going from this shore to the other. So the Blessed One—just as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm—disappeared from the near bank of the Ganges River and reappeared on the far bank together with the Saṅgha of monks. He saw that some people were searching for boats; some were searching for floats; some were binding rafts in hopes of going from this shore to the other.
Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:
Those
who cross the foaming flood,
having made a bridge, avoiding the swamps
—while people are binding rafts—
intelligent people
have already crossed.
Source: The Great Total Unbinding Discourse/Mahā Parinibbāna Sutta (DN 16). Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/DN/DN16.html
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33. But when the Blessed One came to the river Ganges, it was full to the brim, so that crows could drink from it. And some people went in search of a boat or float, while others tied up a raft, because they desired to get across. But the Blessed One, as quickly as a strong man might stretch out his bent arm or draw in his outstretched arm, vanished from this side of the river Ganges, and came to stand on the yonder side.
Source: DN 16/Maha-parinibbana Sutta: Last Days of the Buddha, translated from the Pali by Sister Vajira & Francis Story.
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .vaji.html
Please excuse me if I do not reply to any more replies from anyone.
samsarictravelling
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