Principles Regarding the Use of Supernatural Powers

Question: When using supernatural powers, does one directly plant all of one's motives and traces in the other person's home? Does one have to bear the karmic consequences? How should supernatural powers be viewed? How can one avoid the shortcomings of supernatural powers while practicing the bodhisattva path well?

Answer: What modern people call supernatural powers are mostly retributive powers (vipāka-abhijñā), which are karmic retributions obtained from merit cultivated in past lives; when the retribution is exhausted, the powers disappear. True supernatural powers arise after one has attained the fourth dhyāna; as long as meditative concentration (samādhi) does not disappear, the powers remain constantly. Supernatural powers arising from the fourth dhyāna are possessed by bodhisattvas, by arhats and pratyekabuddhas, and also by non-Buddhists. Since bodhisattvas all understand cause and effect, they will not misuse supernatural powers and their conduct is measured; arhats and pratyekabuddhas, because their minds are pure, are not interested in worldly people and affairs, have moral discipline, and understand something of cause and effect, so they also will not misuse supernatural powers; non-Buddhists possess the fourth dhyāna, their minds are also pure, and they are likewise not interested in worldly people and affairs, so they too will not misuse supernatural powers. However, since their afflictions have not yet been fully eradicated or fully subdued, they may occasionally, due to some private interest, use certain supernatural powers, interfering with some cause-and-effect relationships and creating some unwholesome karma. Therefore, those whose supernatural powers arise from meditative concentration will not lightly use those powers to do anything contrary to the Dharma that harms the interests of sentient beings.

As for those with retributive powers, since they are all ordinary people whose afflictions have not been subdued and who lack wisdom, with generally unremarkable cultivation, it is actually quite common for them to use supernatural powers to interfere with cause and effect and to violate others—I have seen some of this. My advice on using supernatural powers is this: before a person has fully subdued their afflictions, and before they have sufficiently understood and recognized the stakes of cause and effect, since they cannot grasp the proper measure and boundaries involved, it is best not to use any powers at all, so as to avoid bearing karmic consequences and suffering the retribution of unwholesome karma. If there are people who have made great vows and wish to use supernatural powers to benefit sentient beings, they should use them carefully under the guidance of good spiritual friends who understand cause and effect. For example, if one uses supernatural powers to pry into another person's thoughts and past, this can easily violate the precept against stealing; what others do not permit, obtaining it counts as theft, an unlawful acquisition. The scope covered by the precept against stealing is extremely broad and detailed; ordinary people whose minds are not meticulous and whose considerations are not thorough may violate the precept without knowing it.

Some will say: since the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, through supernatural powers, know everything about sentient beings before and after beginningless kalpas, and even know future events that have not yet occurred, does this not count as violating the precept against stealing? This certainly does not count as violating the precept against stealing, for two reasons: first, the Buddhas and bodhisattvas know without intent—it is spontaneous knowing, without a thieving mind; second, the Buddhas and bodhisattvas and sentient beings are of one body, with no conflict of interest whatsoever; everything they do is for sentient beings, including the Dharma-protecting deities' protection of the Dharma, which is also to protect sentient beings, without any selfish personal purpose, so it does not involve anything like theft. Arhats and pratyekabuddhas also know the affairs of sentient beings spontaneously, without any prying mind; their minds are pure, and they have no conflict with the interests of sentient beings, so what they do likewise does not involve anything like theft. Non-Buddhists' minds are also pure, and generally they have no interest in others' affairs; special cases do exist, but people of virtue who understand cause and effect at least somewhat will avoid matters that others taboo, will be selective about what they learn through supernatural powers, and will also keep silent.

In summary, people in this life who have retributive powers, lacking meditative concentration to sufficiently subdue their afflictions and not possessing complete wisdom, can hardly grasp the proper measure, and should try not to use supernatural powers. The exception is for protecting one's own family: wanting to learn about the affairs of one's own family members and close ones is barely justifiable.