Special Knowledge

Many wonder in what way a person, emerging from meditation, comes out knowing, having understood, seen and even contemplated aspects of reality of which he did not even know his very existence, and even more, refuting topics on which he had developed a incorrect conception, giving them of course by having read or studied them in wrong sources. Unfortunately, it is not common.

Special Knowledge has three properties that distinguish it from any other kind of knowledge:

True
Utility
It is external to the sphere of language, they are unlearned teachings.

We define truth as any assertion that derives strictly from dependent origination, and utility is that which leads to the extinction of existence. The rest is a lie or, as we saw, shit.

That it is true implies that it is logically demonstrable, and that it is useful implies that it is not repeated.

It is not a dictated knowledge, of faith. It is a complete understanding that does not require words or deductions. And it differs from intuition in that it does not require a prior question. What makes Special Knowledge great is that it starts with the question, gives the understanding and gives clues to reach the solution using verbal logic. In this way, it allows its dissemination to those who can not develop this faculty.

It was precisely this Special Knowledge that led the Buddha to its full enlightenment, so he has it in the highest esteem.

The Buddha gives four factors that lead to psychic power, all of them always accompanied by effort: Energy, enthusiasm, mental development and research. We remember that we saw that the Buddha puts the effort as the highest quality, since it leads to Special Knowledge and this to end Ignorance and Final Liberation. And it does not need to be studied or read. That is why, using this way it is totally inconvenient to have any previous knowledge or to have teachers, because they only serve to interfere and provoke prejudices against the truth, which makes this learning difficult.

The set of psychic powers to be developed together, are grouped in pāli, under the Abhiñña concept. A rare term in the oldest texts. It appears in two contexts: first, it is said that certain conditions lead (among other things) to serenity, to special knowledge (Abhiññā), to special wisdom and to Nibbāna.

These precedent conditions are the Path (SN.v.421 = Vin.i.10 = SN). iv.331), the best knowledge of the Way and complete emancipation (AN.v.238), the Four Applications of Attention (SN.v.179) and the Four Steps to Iddhi (SN.v.255).

The opposite is three. indicated times the bad actions, the priestly superstitions and the vain speculations do not lead to Abhiññā and the rest (DN.iii.131; AN.iii.325 and AN.v.216).

Second, we find a list of what we might now call psychic powers. They give us:

Iddhi (cp. Levitation); This point, although it is named in several passages, is reviled by the Buddha, apart from the fact that it does not appear as if someone has done it.
The Divine Ear (cp Clariaudience);
Knowledge of the thoughts of others (cp Reading of thought);
Memory of previous births;
Knowledge of the rebirths of others;
Certainty of the emancipation already reached (final assurance)

This list appears only in DN.iii.281 as a list of Abhiññās.

It is there in a kind of index of main themes that is attached to the end of the Dīgha, and therefore belongs to the very narrow of the Nikāya period. But it is based on older material.

Collection of Long Speeches DN 34 The Ten-Time Series

What six must be done?

The six super-knowledge. Here, friends, a brother

(1) enjoy the wonderful gift in its various ways: – by becoming one, it becomes many, or by becoming many it becomes one again; it becomes visible or invisible;goes, without feeling obstructions, to the other side of a wall or bulwark or hill, as through the air; Penetrates up and down through a solid floor, as through water;He walks on the water without breaking through, as if he were on solid ground; he travels with his legs crossed in the sky, like the birds in the wing; even the Moon and the Sun, so powerful, however powerful, if you touch them and feel them with your hand; He reaches into the body to the heaven of Brahmā.

(2) With that clear celestial ear that surpasses the ear of men, he hears sounds both human and celestial, far or near.

(3) Penetrating with his own heart the hearts of other beings, of other men, he knows them. He discerns the passionate mind to be passionate, and the calm mind calms; the angry mind to get angry, and the peaceful mind to peace; the boring mind to be boring, and the mind alert; the attentive mind to be attentive, and the wandering mind wandering; the broad mind is broad, and the mind narrow, narrow; the bad mind to be bad, and the noble elevated mind; the firm mind to be firm, and the mind hesitant to be hesitant; The free mind to be free, and the mind enslaved.

(4) Remember to remember your various temporal states in the past days: one birth, two or three or four or five births, or ten or twenty or thirty or forty or fifty or one hundred or one thousand or one hundred thousand births, through many a eon of dissolution, many an eon of evolution, many an eon of dissolution and evolution. «In such a place, such was my name, my family, my caste, my food, my experience of discomfort or ease and the limits of my life. When I died from that state, I took shape again in that place. There I had such and such a name and family and caste and food and experience of discomfort or ease, such was the limit of my life. When I died from that state, I came back to take shape here. « Thus, remember its temporary states in days gone by, in all its details and in all its modes.

(5) With the pure Celestial Eye, surpassing that of men, he sees beings as they pass from one form of existence and take form in another; recognizes the evil and the noble, the favored and the favored, the happy and the unfortunate, dying according to their actions: «Such and such beings, my brothers, evildoers in act and word and thought, villains of the nobles, clinging to wrong views, acquiring for themselves the Karma that results from mistaken points of view, they, in the dissolution of the body, after death, are reborn in an unhappy state of suffering or affliction. But such and such beings, my brothers, benefactors in act, word and thought, are not evil-doers of the nobles, hold the correct views, acquiring for themselves that the Karma that results from the correct views, they, in the dissolution of the body.After death, they are reborn in some happy state in heaven. « Thus, with the pure celestial eye, surpassing that of men, it sees beings when they pass from one state of existence and take form in another; recognizes the evil and the noble, the favored and the favored, the happy and the unfortunate, dying according to their deeds.

(6) Live in achievement, personal knowledge and fulfillment, through the extinction of intoxicants, of the healthy and immune freedom of the heart and mind. Now these Six Things are genuine, true, therefore, not otherwise, not different, perfectly understood by the Tathagata.

Collection of Thematically Grouped Speeches 51.1 From the nearby shore

«Mendicants, when these four bases of psychic power are developed and cultivated, they lead to go from the shore near the far shore.

What four?

When a mendicant develops the base of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm and active effort.
They develop the base of psychic power that has immersion due to energy and active effort.
They develop the base of psychic power that has immersion due to mental development and active effort.
They develop the base of the psychic power that has immersion due to the research and the active effort.

When these four bases of psychic power are developed and cultivated, they lead to go from the coast near the far coast. «

Collection of Thematically Grouped Speeches 51.2 Lost

«Mendicants, whoever has lost the four foundations of psychic power has lost the noble path to the complete end of suffering. Whoever has undertaken the four foundations of psychic power has embarked on the noble path to the complete end of suffering.

What four?

When a mendicant develops the base of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm and active effort.
They develop the base of psychic power that has immersion due to energy and active effort.
They develop the base of psychic power that has immersion due to mental development and active effort.
They develop the base of the psychic power that has immersion due to the research and the active effort.

Whoever has lost these four bases of psychic power has lost the noble path to the full end of suffering. Whoever has undertaken these four bases of psychic power has embarked on the noble path to the complete end of suffering. «

Collection of Thematically Grouped Speeches 51.3 Noble

«Mendicants, when these four bases of psychic power are developed and cultivated, are noble and emancipatory, and lead the practitioner to the full end of suffering.

What four?

When a mendicant develops the base of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm and active effort.
They develop the base of psychic power that has immersion due to energy and active effort.
They develop the base of psychic power that has immersion due to mental development and active effort.
They develop the base of the psychic power that has immersion due to the research and the active effort.

When these four bases of psychic power are developed and cultivated, they are noble and emancipatory, and lead to those who practice them to the complete termination of suffering. «

Collection of Thematically Grouped Speeches 51.4 Disappointment

«Mendicants, these four bases of psychic power, when developed and cultivated, lead only to disillusionment, detachment, cessation, peace, perception, awakening and extinction.

What four?

When a mendicant develops the base of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm and active effort.
They develop the base of psychic power that has immersion due to energy and active effort.
They develop the base of psychic power that has immersion due to mental development and active effort.
They develop the base of the psychic power that has immersion due to the research and the active effort.

These four bases of psychic power, when developed and cultivated, lead only to disillusionment, detachment, cessation, peace, perception, awakening and extinction. «

Collection of Thematically Grouped Speeches 51.5 Partially

«Mendicants, all the ascetics and brahmins of the past who have partially manifested psychic powers, have done so by developing and cultivating the four bases of psychic power. All ascetics and brahmins in the future who will partly manifest psychic powers will do so by developing and cultivating the four bases of psychic power. All ascetics and brahmins in the present who in part manifest psychic powers do so by developing and cultivating the four bases of psychic power.

What four?

When a mendicant develops the base of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm and active effort.
They develop the base of psychic power that has immersion due to energy and active effort.
They develop the base of psychic power that has immersion due to mental development and active effort.
They develop the base of the psychic power that has immersion due to the research and the active effort.

All the ascetics and brahmins of the past who have partly manifested psychic powers have done so by developing and cultivating these four bases of psychic power. All the ascetics and brahmins in the future who will partly manifest psychic powers will do so by developing and cultivating these four bases of psychic power.«All ascetics and brahmins in the present who in part manifest psychic powers do so by developing and cultivating these four bases of psychic power.»

Collection of Thematically Grouped Speeches 51.6 Completely

«Mendicants, all the ascetics and brahmins of the past who have manifested psychic powers completely, have done so by developing and cultivating the four bases of psychic power. All the ascetics and brahmins in the future who will fully manifest psychic powers will do so by developing and cultivating the four bases of psychic power. All ascetics and brahmins in the present who are fully manifest psychic powers do so by developing and cultivating the four bases of psychic power.

What four?

When a mendicant develops the base of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm and active effort.
They develop the base of psychic power that has immersion due to energy and active effort.
They develop the base of psychic power that has immersion due to mental development and active effort.
They develop the base of the psychic power that has immersion due to the research and the active effort.

All ascetics and brahmins in the future who will fully manifest psychic powers will do so by developing and cultivating these four bases of psychic power. «All ascetics and brahmins in the present who are fully manifest psychic powers do so by developing and cultivating these four bases of psychic power.»

Collection of Thematically Grouped Speeches 51.7 Mendicant

«Mendicants, all mendicants in the past … the future … the present that realizes freedom of heart and freedom without blemish with wisdom in this very life, and that lives having realized it with its own perception due to the end of impurities, it does so by developing and cultivating the four bases of psychic power.

What four?

When a mendicant develops the base of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm and active effort.
They develop the base of psychic power that has immersion due to energy and active effort.
They develop the base of psychic power that has immersion due to mental development and active effort.
They develop the base of the psychic power that has immersion due to the research and the active effort.

All the mendicants in the past … future … present who realize the freedom of heart and freedom without blemish with wisdom in this very life, and who live having realized it with their own perception due to the end of the impurities, they do so by developing and cultivating these Four foundations of psychic power. «

Collection of Thematically Grouped Speeches 51.8 Awake

«Mendicants, there are these four bases of psychic power. That four Is when a mendicant develops the base of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm … energy … mental development … inquiry and active effort. These are the four bases of psychic power. It is because he has developed and cultivated these four bases of psychic power that the Realized one is called «the perfected, the fully awakened Buddha.»

Collection of Thematically Grouped Speeches 51.9 Knowledge

«Mendicants: ‘This is the basis of the psychic power that immersion has due to enthusiasm and active effort.’ Such was the vision, the knowledge, the wisdom, the realization and the light that arose in me with respect to the teachings I did not learn before another. «This base of psychic power … must be developed.» … «This base of psychic power … has been developed.» Such was the vision, the knowledge, the wisdom, the realization and the light that arose in me with respect to the teachings not learned before another person.

‘This is the basis of the psychic power that has immersion due to energy and active effort’ … ‘This base of psychic power … should develop’ … ‘This base of psychic power … has been developed’. Such was the vision of knowledge, wisdom, realization and light that arose in me with respect to teachings that were not learned before another.

«This is the basis of the psychic power that has immersion due to mental development and active effort.» … «This base of psychic power … must develop.»«This base of psychic power … has been developed.» the vision, the knowledge, the wisdom, the realization and the light that arose in me with respect to the teachings not learned before another.

‘This is the basis of the psychic power that has immersion due to research and active effort’ … ‘This base of psychic power … should develop’ … ‘This base of psychic power … has been developed’. Such was the vision of knowledge, wisdom, realization and light that arose in me with respect to teachings that were not learned before another. «

Collection of Thematically Grouped Speeches 51.11 Before.

In Sāvatthī. «Mendicants, before my awakening, when I was not yet awake, but with the intention of awakening, I thought: ‘What is the cause, what is the reason for the development of the bases of psychic power?’ Then it occurred to me: ‘This is when a mendicant develops the base of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm and active effort. They think: «My enthusiasm will not be too relaxed or too tense. And it will not contract internally nor will it externally disperse. « And they meditate, perceiving continuity: as before, so after; as after, like this before; as below, so above; both above and below; as for the day, as well as for the night; Like at night, like that for the day. And so, with an open heart and without wrapping, they develop a mind full of radiance.

They develop the base of psychic power that has immersion due to energy … mental development … inquiry, and active effort. They think: «My consultation will not be too relaxed or too tense. And it will not contract internally nor will it externally disperse. « And they meditate, perceiving continuity: as before, so after;as after, like this before; as below, so above; both above and below; as for the day, as well as for the night; Like at night, like that for the day. And so, with an open heart and without wrapping, they develop a mind full of radiance. «

When the four bases of psychic power have been developed and cultivated in this way, they exercise the many types of psychic power: they multiply and become one again; appearing and disappearing; go unhindered through a wall, a wall or a mountain as through space; Diving in and out of the earth as if it were water;walking on the water as if it were land; flying with legs crossed across the sky like a bird; Touching and caressing with the hand the sun and the moon, so powerful and powerful; controlling the body to the kingdom of Brahmā.

When the four bases of psychic power have been developed and cultivated in this way, they hear both types of sounds, human and divine, either near or far.

When the four bases of psychic power have been developed and cultivated in this way, they understand the minds of other beings and individuals, having understood them with their own mind. They understand the mind with greed as «mind with greed» and the mind without greed as «mind without greed». They understand the mind with hate … mind without hatred … mind with illusion … mind without illusion … contracted mind … scattered mind … expansive mind … non-expansive mind … mind that is not supreme … supreme mind … mind submerged in samadhi … mind not immersed in Samādhi … liberated mind … They understand the unauthorized mind as «unauthorized mind».

When the four bases of psychic power have been developed and cultivated in this way, they remember many types of past lives. That is: one, two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, one hundred, one thousand, one hundred thousand rebirths; many eons of the world contract, many eons of the world evolve, many eons of the world contract and evolve. They remember: «There they called me that, my clan was that, I saw myself like that, and that was my food». That’s how I felt pleasure and pain, and that’s how my life ended. When I died from that place, I was reborn in another place. They also called me that way, my clan was that, I saw myself like that, and that was my food. That’s how I felt pleasure and pain, and that’s how my life ended. When I died from that place I was born again here. « And so they remember their many types of past lives, with characteristics and details.

When the four bases of psychic power have been developed and cultivated in this way, with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, they see sentient beings disappear and be reborn: inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good or bad place. They understand how sentient beings are reborn according to their works.«These loved ones did bad things through body, speech and mind. They spoke badly of the nobles; they had a wrong vision; and they chose to act outside of that wrong point of view. When your body breaks, after death, you are reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. These loved ones, however, did good things through body, speech and mind. They never spoke ill of the nobles; They had the correct view; and they chose to act outside of that correct vision. When their body is broken, after death, they are reborn in a good place, in a celestial kingdom. « And so, with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, they see sentient beings disappear and be reborn: inferior and superior, beautiful, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or in a bad place. They understand how sentient beings are reborn according to their works.

When the four bases of psychic power have been developed and cultivated in this way, they realize the freedom of heart and freedom without blemish through wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own perception due to the end of impurities. «

Collection of Thematically Grouped Speeches 51.12 Very fruitful

«Mendicants, when they develop and cultivate the four foundations of psychic power, are very fruitful and beneficial. How is that? It is when a mendicant develops the base of the psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm and active effort. They think: «My enthusiasm will not be too relaxed or too tense.» And it will not contract internally nor will it externally disperse. « And they meditate, perceiving continuity: as before, so after; as after, like this before; as below, so above; both above and below; as for the day, as well as for the night; Like at night, like that for the day. And so, with an open heart and without wrapping, they develop a mind full of radiance.

They develop the base of psychic power that has immersion due to energy … mental development … research and active effort. They think: «My question will not be too relaxed or too tense.» And it will not contract internally nor will it externally disperse. « And they meditate, perceiving continuity: as before, so after; as after, like this before; as below, so above; both above and below; as for the day, as well as for the night; Like at night, like that for the day. And so, with an open heart and without wrapping, they develop a mind full of radiance. When the four bases of psychic power have been developed and cultivated in this way, they are very fruitful and beneficial.

When the four bases of psychic power have been developed and cultivated in this way, a mendicant handles the many types of psychic power: they multiply and become one again … controlling the body to the realm of Brahmā. …

Collection of Thematically Grouped Speeches 51.13 Immersion by enthusiasm