The Buddhist Path to Enlightenment (study)
by Dr Kala Acharya | 2016 | 118,883 words
This page relates ‘Psychic Power of Consciousness (Cittiddhipada or Citta)’ of the study on the Buddhist path to enlightenment. The Buddha was born in the Lumbini grove near the present-day border of India and Nepal in the 6th century B.C. He had achieved enlightenment at the age of thirty–five under the ‘Bodhi-tree’ at Buddha-Gaya. This study investigates the teachings after his Enlightenment which the Buddha decided to teach ‘out of compassion for beings’.
3.2.3. Psychic Power of Consciousness (Cittiddhipāda or Citta)
[Full title: The Fourfold Psychic Power (cattāro iddhipāda)—(3): The Psychic Power of Consciousness (Cittiddhipāda or Citta)]
The Cittiddhipāda is explained in the Chanda sutta under the following:
“Bhikkhus, if a monk gains concentration, gains one-pointedness of mind, relying on mind (citta), this is called concentration due to mind (citta-samādhi).
He brings for the desire for the non-arising of unarisen evil unwholesome states. He makes an effort, rouses energy, applies his mind and strives;
he brings for the desire for the abandoning of arisen evil unwholesome states. He makes an effort, rouses energy, applies his mind and strives;
he brings for the desire for the arising of unarisen wholesome states. He makes an effort, rouses energy, applies his mind and strives;
he brings for the desire for the maintaining of arisen wholesome states. He makes an effort, rouses energy, applies his mind and strives—there are called the forces of exertion (padhānasaṅkhāra).
Thus, there are this desire and the concentration due to desire and these forces of exertion—this, bhikkhu, is called the psychic powers accomplished in concentration due to the desire and these forces of exertion (these forces and abandoning).[1]
Citta means: attachment to iddhis when one comes in contact with the Sāsana and hears the Dhamma. It is attachment that is extremely ardent and strong.
Although one lives amidst the beauties and luxuries of the world, amidst acquired powers and fortunes, amidst the sacred books and the study of them, one is not allured, but one’s mind is always turned towards the iddhis. One attains satisfaction and tranquility only when one’s mind is absorbed in matters connected with the iddhis. It is like the absorption of the alchemist engaged in the transmutation of the baser metals into gold or silver. Such an alchemist has no interest in anything else but his alchemy. He forgets to sleep or eat, or whether he had slept or eaten. He does not notice anything when out walking. Citta is great absorption or attachment of this nature.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
SN 51.13/V: p. 268