Categories: Dhyana: Practical Training
May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you all!
Before we begin today’s reflection, I wish to address two important points for those of you exploring the spiritual life through these teachings. Firstly, many of you have reached out with questions about your spiritual journey through our contact channels.
I have received a great number of messages, and while I try my best, my own spiritual duties and practice mean I don’t always have the time to reply to each one individually. I do make every effort to answer where I can, and many have received responses, but please understand if I am unable to get back to you personally.
Often, the questions you ask are ones we have already explored in previous articles and teachings. Sometimes, a person reads one or two articles and immediately asks a question that is answered in a different part of the series. Therefore, I kindly encourage you to explore the full library of teachings first.
The answer to your question is very likely waiting for you within them. If, after engaging with all the material, your question remains, please feel free to send it. I will do my utmost to address it in a future teaching that can benefit everyone, as our time is dedicated primarily to spiritual practice.
How to Best Engage with These Spiritual Teachings
The second point is for those who might be new to our articles or are joining this path midway. I have seen questions arise like, “Where are the practical instructions?” or “You haven’t shown us the actual meditation technique.” To those of you wondering this, I warmly invite you to navigate to the beginning of our article series. If you are new, it is essential to start from the very first teachings.
We have organized our guidance into clear series, such as the Practical Meditation Program on the Third Eye and the Practical Meditation Program to the Brahma Worlds. By following these articles in order, you will build a solid foundation. You will gain a much deeper understanding, find answers to future challenges before they even arise, and learn the practical steps you need. This sequential approach is the key to progress. I kindly ask that you follow this structure to receive the full benefit of these teachings.
The Core Question: Are Psychic Abilities and Dhyana Linked?
Now, let us turn to the topic for today’s reflection: Are deep meditative states, or Dhyana, necessary to attain psychic abilities? This is a question that requires a nuanced understanding.
First, what do we mean by Dhyana? In Buddhism, this refers to states of deep meditative absorption, often called Jhana in the Pali language. These are profound states of concentration where the mind becomes unified, still, and incredibly powerful. In our teachings, we have provided pathways to these states.
For those whose Third Eye is awakened, the formless absorptions, such as the sphere of infinite space or infinite consciousness, become very accessible. For others, we have introduced the Practical Program to the Brahma Worlds, a step-by-step method to cultivate the first Dhyana and beyond. We have provided detailed guidance up to the second Dhyana level.
I have shared teachings up to this point because this is where practitioners have reported reaching. I prefer to guide you based on real, practical progress. When someone sincerely reaches these stages and is ready for what is next, I will explain the path forward. Though no one has yet reported moving beyond this stage, I do intend to share the subsequent steps in the future. For now, mastering the practice up to the second Dhyana is more than sufficient for your spiritual development in this period.
When Abilities Emerge: The Subtle Role of Meditative States
So, when you practice meditation, whether for a short time or over many years, whether with a teacher or independently, you may find that certain spiritual or psychic abilities begin to emerge. One of the most common abilities I have seen people develop is the opening of the Third Eye, which in Buddhism is called Dibba-cakkhu, the Divine Eye. This is the capacity for clairvoyance, to see things not visible to the physical eyes.
When this happens, a question naturally arises: Does this person have Dhyana? According to the scriptures, it is often said that for someone to possess any kind of spiritual ability, they must have attained at least the first Dhyana to some degree. If you have read the texts, this idea may be familiar to you.
However, in practical experience, the person themselves may have no awareness of being in a Dhyana state. The feeling might be so subtle that it is almost unnoticeable. This is because the experience of Dhyana is not uniform. The texts describe three levels of intensity for how these states are felt: a subtle or ‘weak‘ experience, a medium one, and a ‘sublime‘ or exquisite one.
At its most powerful, the experience can feel like a blissful thrill coursing through the entire body. Each of the eight Dhyana’s can manifest with this range of intensity. A person may be accessing a very subtle level of Dhyana to power their ability without consciously recognizing it as such. This brief explanation is just to give you context; we will not delve deeper into the theory of Dhyana today.
Two Paths to Spiritual Abilities: Through Dhyana and Beyond It
So, are the Dhyanas absolutely necessary for gaining psychic abilities? The answer is not a simple yes or no. It is not that Dhyanas are absolutely required, nor is it that they are completely unnecessary. The path is twofold.
One can certainly cultivate psychic abilities by mastering the Dhyanas. This is the classic path to what are known as the Pañca Abhiññā, or the Five Supernormal Knowledges. These include:
- Psychic powers (Iddhi-vidha), such as moving through the air or creating mind-made bodies.
- The Divine Ear (Dibba-sota), the ability to hear sounds from other realms.
- Mind-reading (Ceto-pariya-ñāṇa), the ability to know the minds of others.
- Remembering past lives (Pubbe-nivāsānussati-ñāṇa).
- The Divine Eye (Dibba-cakkhu), seeing the arising and passing of beings according to their kamma.
This is one structured way to develop these faculties. However, it is not the only way. Abilities can also arise spontaneously, without formal cultivation through Dhyana.
Psychic Abilities & Meditation: The Infinite Potential of Consciousness
These five categories are just a framework. Within them lies a vast and diverse range of abilities that can manifest based on an individual’s tendencies carried over from past lives, what we call samsara purudda. For example, the category of psychic powers, or Iddhi, is said in the Abhidhamma (the higher Buddhist teachings) to have ten different types, like the power of transformation or the power of determination. Because of this variety in karmic imprints, the abilities people develop are incredibly diverse.
You may encounter abilities you have never heard of or read about in any book. You may witness things you have never seen with your own eyes. This is why I always emphasize this: do not try to limit these phenomena. Do not think, “This is how it must be,” or “Only these specific psychic abilities exist.” The scope of these subjects is immeasurable. To put it simply, it is infinite. It is crucial to grasp this point.
How Latent Powers Awaken in the Stillness of Meditation
So, to be perfectly clear: you do not absolutely need Dhyana to gain an ability, but you cannot say Dhyana is irrelevant either. Let me give you a practical example of how these two paths can merge. Imagine a person who has practiced diligently and has stabilized their mind in the fourth Dhyana.
Their mind is incredibly pure and calm because the primary mental defilements, greed (rāga), aversion (dvesa), and delusion (moha), are suppressed. They are not eliminated, but they are held in check by the power of mental tranquility, known as Samatha.
While resting in this state of profound peace, a thought might arise, sparked by a latent karmic tendency from a past life. Perhaps they had a strong inclination for reading the minds of others in a previous existence. A thought surfaces: “It would be good if I could know what others are thinking,” or “Let me try to explore that faculty.” This deeply buried, karmic thought rises to the surface, and in that moment, within the powerful field of the Dhyana itself, the ability to read minds can awaken.
This same principle can be applied to other psychic abilities and other levels of Dhyana. This is a practical reality we have observed.
Psychic Abilities & Meditation: A Balanced Path Forward
By reflecting on these points, I hope you can develop a balanced and wise perspective on the question of whether Dhyana is necessary for developing psychic abilities. After considering the complete teaching, you can reconcile these ideas for yourself.
With that, I will conclude today’s sharing. May the power and blessings of the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha,the Triple Gem, guide you to understand these matters with clarity and to develop your own spiritual life and practical strength. May you all be well.
We invite you to walk this path with us. Read our teachings, and most importantly, apply them practically in your own life. as you practice, questions will naturally arise. Please feel free to share your experiences and questions in the comments below, via email or contact form. I will do my best to offer guidance in future talks based on your progress. For now, begin this practice with an open heart and a mind free from expectation. Cultivate it correctly, and may you find the clarity and peace you seek.
Thank you for joining us. We hope this blog will be of great benefit to your spiritual journey.
May you all be well and happy.
May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you all!
