Even in Meditative Absorption, There Are No Six Supernormal Powers

There Are No Six Supernormal Powers in Meditative Absorption

Can we obtain the six supernormal powers by entering deep meditative absorption? Is it true that knowledge of past lives lets me see myself in former lives? I will state the conclusion clearly from the beginning. Even if one enters meditative absorption, there are no such things as the six supernormal powers. They do not exist at all.

The answer does not change because it is written in Buddhist scriptures or because many teachers repeat it. Such claims come from people who have never entered meditative absorption and do not know what it is. They are fiction, and anyone who knows the truth yet still makes such claims is a swindler. Whether swindlers or ignorant people, they speak nonsense about meditative absorption, and that prevents people from entering it because they do not know what it actually is.

The Final Form of Meditative Absorption Is an Unmoving and Equanimous Mind

What is meditative absorption? The fourth absorption, its final form, is explained as an unmoving and equanimous mind. How, then, do we enter that state? Before searching for mysterious abilities, we must clearly observe movements of mind that we actually experience.

Even after hearing severe rebukes and insulting words from a supervisor, I apologize on the spot and turn away. Inside, I am boiling. If I keep cursing over drinks after work and repeatedly chew over the event, I continue the pain and stress of the moment when it happened. That is not meditative absorption.

Concentrating on Something Else Stops Painful Thoughts

Suppose I cannot bear the thought, so I play a favorite sport, go to the gym, play baduk or a game, or immerse myself in a book or film. Whether basketball, a mobile game, or absorption in reading, all have one thing in common: I stop replaying the supervisor’s abuse and that moment in my mind and concentrate on what I am doing now.

When I am under unbearable stress from a parent’s or teacher’s scolding or a fight with a friend or partner, becoming fully concentrated on something else stops the thought that was causing agony and surging anger moments earlier. Whether a game, book, film, exercise, baduk, janggi, or filming a video, no other thought can enter while I concentrate precisely on one thing. This uses the human characteristic that once we are immersed in one thing, thought cannot go elsewhere.

Everyday Immersion Shows the Meaning of Meditative Absorption

Complete immersion in winning a billiards game or full concentration on baduk also shows the meaning of meditative absorption. There may be slight differences, but familiar expressions such as absorption in reading and self-forgetfulness make it easy to understand. When miscellaneous thoughts disappear and concentration and immersion gather on one thing, other distracting thoughts cannot arise. Thoughts of the past and future depart, leaving only this present moment. Then an unmoving and equanimous mind appears.

From the First to the Fourth Absorption

There are stages from the first through the fourth absorption. Upon first entering absorption, the thoughts and attachments that tormented me had left me confused, but becoming free of them feels tremendously comfortable and joyful. This state, as though the mind had been tightly bound and was released, is described as liberation of mind. The first absorption carries that joy.

As concentration deepens, the initial intense joy passes and a subtle comfort and pleasantness remain. If that continues, even the sense of comfort and pleasantness disappears, and only an unmoving and equanimous mind remains. That is the fourth absorption. Where in this process could the six supernormal powers possibly enter?

Gathering Through Samatha and Entering Samadhi

Consider concentrating on the breath as it enters and leaves. The mind gathers on one thing. Gathering is called samatha, and the state gathered through concentration on one thing is called samatti, or sammae in Korean. Because Korean has the familiar expression for absorption in reading, the meaning of samatti is easy to understand.

If, however, we think samatti is a state filled with mysticism, fantasy, and supernatural powers, we cannot enter meditative absorption. Just as in absorption in reading, exercise, or baduk, when I concentrate on the activity itself, forget even myself, abandon thoughts of appearing impressive, and become purely immersed, self-forgetfulness arises. Samadhi is the disappearance of distracting thoughts and entry into an unmoving and equanimous mind.

The Six Supernormal Powers Have Nothing to Do with Meditative Absorption

Does complete immersion in baduk produce the six supernormal powers? Does gathering the mind on the breath let us see past lives or fly through the sky? Instead of claiming to communicate across the earth through miraculous powers, we can pick up a phone and speak immediately. If someone flies through the sky, is that person Superman? Claims that meditative absorption produces the six powers or knowledge of past lives are nonsense about things that do not exist.

Meditative absorption has been taught as something difficult and mysterious, while even the teachers do not know what it is and present such fiction as Buddhism. I go so far as to say that such fictional passages written in Buddhist scriptures over the past two thousand and several hundred years should all be burned. Do not be deceived by those swindling bastards who claim they entered meditative absorption; they should first enter it themselves before speaking.

Concentrating on the Breath Lets Me Rest While Staying Awake

Chanting was also discussed in the past as a way to concentrate, but here I present attention to the breath, which I say the Buddha first recommended. Breathing is something we do routinely every day, so it is not interesting and is difficult to concentrate on. Yet when I do nothing else and attend only to breathing, I rest while remaining awake.

When immersed in reading, exercise, baduk, drawing, or another activity, the brain continues working even while concentrated. By contrast, when I concentrate only on breathing, I rest while remaining awake. The characteristic of absorption, the way to enter it, and its final state are all here.

The Core of Buddhist Practice Is Stopping and Observing

The core of Buddhist practice is stopping and observing. Observing means seeing things as they are, and stopping means bringing activity to a halt. How do we stop? We gather the mind through samatha and stop. Once gathered, we enter samatti and self-forgetfulness, and an unmoving and equanimous mind appears.

Everyone already experiences this when becoming fully immersed in a hobby or work. A client’s demands or worries and scolding from family do not arise when we concentrate completely on the task at hand. If no other thought enters while filming, one is in the meditative absorption of filming. Immersion is the shortcut into meditative absorption.

Remove Mystical Imaginations

We must understand meditative absorption completely and remove its misconceptions. We must not fall for countless distracting thoughts and fantasies, lies and swindlers. We must ask how to obtain an unmoving and equanimous mind, how to gain prajna, and how to see things as they are. This is what meditative absorption is.