Did the Buddha possess psychic powers?


Buddha at his encounter with Angulimala; not even running his hostility could reach the Buddha.

Buddha at his encounter with Angulimala; not even running his hostility could reach the Buddha.

The Buddha possessed many extraordinary psychic powers. Psychic powers may (but do not always) result from intensive training of the mind, and even today, there are advanced meditators who possess such powers. The Buddha used his psychic powers sparingly, usually as a teaching aid when all other method would be ineffective, the most renowned example occurring in his meeting with the notorious murderer, Angulimala. The Buddha considered that the faith people gained from seeing ‘miracles’ usually led them away from the path of wisdom rather than towards it. For this reason, he prohibited monks with psychic powers from revealing them to lay people. The possession of psychic powers can become intoxicating. The Buddha warned his disciples not to consider them as goals of the spiritual life.

 

More Questions and Answers HERE

Source: 

  • Without and Within – Ajahn Jayasaro

 

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *