In Conversation: Siddhis

[Guest guest]

For newcomers, "Siddhis" is a Sanskrit term referring to certain

occult powers that can sometimes appear in persons engaged in

sadhana. The following exchange is excerpted from a conversation

between myself and another member of this group.

 

In this case, the other member is "Q"; I am "A" -- so the answers

aren't the authoritative word of a guru or any such thing. They're

just my attempt to explain siddhis as I understand them based on

what I've learned so far. If I am off track, please feel free to

correct me; if I am unclear, please feel free to add your own

explanations for the benefit of this friend and for other members of

the group who may be interested in this subject:

 

Q: I want to ask about this: Sri Vidya has the reputation for being

a lineage of Tantra ...

 

A: Actually it's a Tantric school of Hinduism, containing many

lineages.

 

Q: All right. So Sri Vidya has the reputation for being a form of

worship that produces Siddhis very quickly.

 

A: That is true.

 

Q: But the opinion on Siddhis within the larger Tantric Tradition

seems to run the gamut. I have heard everything form, "Avoid them

like the plague" to "They are your human birth right and they should

be used for your own and other people's good".

 

A: Okay?

 

Q: Well, Tantra in general doesn't seem to be an aescetic path.

 

A: That's right, it's not.

 

Q: As I understand it, in Tantra, desire is accepted as a

spontaneous manifestation of the Divine within the human mind and/or

personality. The fulfillment of desire seems to be accepted as well.

I think of the statements of Krsna to Arjuna when He says that He is

any desire that is *not* opposed to Dharma. So it seems natural

within this context to use what talents and skills you have to

achieve your desires -- siddhis just being another very human skill.

 

A: I would disagree with that. First, Bhagavad Gita is not a Tantric

document, and Krishna is not really speaking about siddhis. Second,

siddhis are not a "very human skill"; they are small

manifestations of Divine Power (Shakti).

 

Q: Can you define what you mean by "human" and what you mean

by "Divine"?

 

A: Well, for this conversation, I'll use "human" to mean our

limited, mortal, temporal individual selves; and "Divine" to mean

our infinite, immortal, eternal Self -- that is, Devi.

 

Q: Got it.

 

A: Okay, so siddhis do arise as a natural side-effect of Srividya

sadhana. As you merge into Her (i.e. transcending the limitations of

your human self), you begin to manifest some of Her powers. But they

*are* HERS, not yours; and when you use them, you should be

fulfilling Her divine desires, not your human desires. You can only

properly use them to the extent that you are HER.

 

For another view, think of a mother who allows her child to use a

grown-up tool (say, a big sharp pair of scissors). The mother

watches carefully to gauge the child's fitness to use the tool. If

the child demonstrates mature and responsible usage, the mother

will help refine her/his technique; and later will allow the child

to try additional grown-up tools. But if the child is irresponsible

(terrorizing the cat, butchering the drapes, etc.), the mother will

simply snatch away the tool, and place it safely out of the

child's reach.

 

Q: But some of the tantras say you can gain siddhis by following

certain rituals, independent of sadhana proper. It is just a matter

of focus and refinement of attention, that's all.

 

A: Yes, it is true that certain tantras give precise formulas for

attaining particular siddhis. It is possible that a focused and

disciplined aspirant could use these formulas to attain a given

siddhi before it organically manifests as a sife-effect of her or

his Devi sadhana.

 

But what happens next? Well, it depends. To go back to my prior

example, the situation is analogous to that of a clever child who

manages to get hold of those sharp scissors without the mother's

permission.

 

But this Mother is omniscient -- and indulgent. She will watch the

child out of the corner of her eye. Again, if the child behaves

responsibly and maturely, Mother will be duly impressed, and will

eventually help the child to learn more. But if this sneaky, clever

child starts causing trouble, Mother will take away the scissors,

deliver a *very* sharp rebuke -- and basically send the child to bed

without dinner. And it will be a very long time indeed before the

Mother trusts (or indulges) that child again. ...

 

**********

 

End of excerpt. As I said, this is just my understanding of the

topic. I'd welcome other views that might help our members better

understand this area. Thanks.

 

Aum Maatangyai Namahe

[Guest guest]

Dear Devi Bhakta,

 

Thank you so much for your two recent posts. As a newcomer to the group,

I feel quite fortunate to be able to share in the your discussion of

siddhi and also to receive the beautiful gift of Gurujiís Affirmations.

I do, however, have a question about your statements regarding the lack

of tantric content in the Bhagavad Gita. I was of the same opinion until

only recently when I read the commentary of Shrimad Abhinavagupta. His

stated purpose is to reveal the secret teachings of the Gita from the

point of view of Kashmiri tantra. His commentary on Gita 3:11-12 speaks

quite specifically to tantric acquisition of siddhi.

 

Krishna tells Arjuna that through yajna he should nourish the gods and

that in return the gods will nourish him. Abhinava comments that in the

secret siddha texts the gods are known as the functions of our sense

organs and that they are satisfied by enjoying the objects of the

senses. By combining gratification of the senses with samadhi, one

quickly obtains highest siddhi in which the difference between sense

gratification and samadhi is eliminated. Then in verse twelve, Abhinava

adds that if we do not give back to the gods this enjoyment of sense

objects that they have given us, we are like thieves. One who would

attain the highest siddhi, moksha, should do so by sukhopaya, by the

easiest means, the means of sensual pleasure.

 

I have read elsewhere that the Gita is actually a teaching of the Krama

school of Kashmiri tantra. Could you speak to these points and continue

what is already a most stimulating discussion?

 

Sw. Prem Vedarthi

 

 

Devi Bhakta wrote:

> A: I would disagree with that. First, Bhagavad Gita is not a Tantric

> document, and Krishna is not really speaking about siddhis. Second,

> siddhis are not a "very human skill"; they are small

> manifestations of Divine Power (Shakti).

>

>

>

> End of excerpt. As I said, this is just my understanding of the

> topic. I'd welcome other views that might help our members better

> understand this area. Thanks.

>

> Aum Maatangyai Namahe

>

>

>

>

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[Guest guest]

Namaste Sw. Prem Vedarthi:

 

Thanks for your kind words; I'm glad you liked those two posts.

 

*** I do, however, have a question about your statements regarding

the lack of tantric content in the Bhagavad Gita. I was of the same

opinion until only recently when I read the commentary of Shrimad

Abhinavagupta. His stated purpose is to reveal the secret teachings

of the Gita from the point of view of Kashmiri tantra. His

commentary on Gita 3:11-12 speaks quite specifically to tantric

acquisition of siddhi. ***

 

I am absolutely sure that such great scripture as Bhagavad Gita has

secret meanings known only to certain initiates. It was careless of

me not to think of the possibility; but it was a casual

conversation, not a tightly researched argument. However, I am not

familiar with Tantric interpretations of the Gita, and therefore

unqualified to comment on them.

 

*** Krishna tells Arjuna that through yajna he should nourish the

gods and that in return the gods will nourish him. Abhinava comments

that in the secret siddha texts the gods are known as the functions

of our sense organs and that they are satisfied by enjoying the

objects of the senses. By combining gratification of the senses with

samadhi, one quickly obtains highest siddhi in which the difference

between sense gratification and samadhi is eliminated. Then in verse

twelve, Abhinava adds that if we do not give back to the gods this

enjoyment of sense objects that they have given us, we are like

thieves. One who would attain the highest siddhi, moksha, should do

so by sukhopaya, by the easiest means, the means of sensual

pleasure. ****

 

Amazing. A very compelling reading of the BG. I've never seen it.

 

*** I have read elsewhere that the Gita is actually a teaching of

the Krama school of Kashmiri tantra. ***

 

I just don't know.

 

*** Could you speak to these points and continue what is already a

most stimulating discussion? ***

 

Afraid not; the above is the best I can do. But thanks for sharing

this fascinating information!

 

Aum Maatangyai Namahe

[Guest guest]

Om Q and A

 

<<Q: But the opinion on Siddhis within the larger Tantric

Tradition seems to run the gamut. I have heard everything form,

"Avoid them like the plague" to "They are your human birth right

and they should be used for your own and other people's

good".>>

 

Yes, and all of those opinions are correct. Siddhis are part of

your human birthright, but in the sense that knowing Brahman

and knowing yourself as Brahman are part of your human

birthright. When through purification, you are ready to enter fully

into the Divine, then Kundalini rises and as It moves through the

seven main chakras, siddhis also arise. But, to perfom actions

for the explicit purpose of raising siddhis, will result in your

downfall because the very act of wanting the siddhis before the

Divine and then actively pursuing the siddhis before the Divine

means that your ego is still out of control and that you will not be

able to withstand the power of Kundalini or the attraction of the

siddihis. Kundalini rising in the impure aspirant can lead to

death, serious and debilitating physical illness, and/ or serious,

often permanent mental illness which may lead to suicide or,

even worse, causing the death of others.

 

<<A: Okay, so siddhis do arise as a natural side-effect of Srividya

sadhana. As you merge into Her (i.e. transcending the

limitations of your human self), you begin to manifest some of

Her powers. But they *are* HERS, not yours; and when you use

them, you should be fulfilling Her divine desires, not your human

desires. You can only properly use them to the extent that you are

HER.>>

 

In my opinion, this is an accurate representation of siddis. It is

one thing to manifest siddis: it is another to use them.Because

of the difficulty of knowing whether the desire to use siddhis

arises from a desire to fulfill the desires of the Divine or from an

ego-based desire of curiosity, seeking of fame or

self-aggrandizement, it is usually recommended that one not

yield to the temptation to use siddhis in order to avoid the

intense karmic repercussions of misusing them. The idea to

keep in mind here is that power corrupts but absolute powers

(i.e. siddhis) corrupt absolutely. Ask yourself how well you could

handle absolute power and then honestly answer that question.

 

In the analogy of the mother and scissor-wielding child, if siddis

are misused, the penalty is much more severe than simply

having the siddhis disappear. There are heavy penalties applied

to misusing the siddhis for personal reasons. The aspirant will

suffer tremendously in this lifetime and will have to live through

many more lifetimes than he/she would have otherwise had to

contend with.

 

 

<<Q: But some of the tantras say you can gain siddhis by

following certain rituals, independent of sadhana proper. It is

just a matter of focus and refinement of attention, that's all.

 

A: Yes, it is true that certain tantras give precise formulas for

attaining particular siddhis. It is possible that a focused and

disciplined aspirant could use these formulas to attain a given

siddhi before it organically manifests as a sife-effect of her or

his Devi sadhana.>>

 

There are many ways to raise Kundalini and thus give rise to

siddhis. Focus, refinement of attention and discipline are

important and essential. But what is most important and

essental is not the method or the attention but rather the

intention. If one views Kundalini as the necessary vehicle of

meeting and identifying with the Divine and if one performs the

practices with single-minded devotion to the Divine, then

Kundalini will rise, the siddhis will manifest and, if the aspirant

remains unmoved by the miraculous unfolding of this prana and

maintains his/her devotion to the Divine, then the Divine will

envelop them and inform them of their true nature.

 

OM Namah Sivaya

 

Omprem