Some thoughts on Siddhis by Amma

[Guest guest]

In his landmark work Siddhis and Riddhis first presented in 1973,

Yogamaharishi Dr Swami Gitananda wrote

 

Siddhis are psychic accomplishments and powers attained by the

practice of Yoga and Tantra. The counterpart or corresponding states

of psychic prosperity are termed Riddhis in Yoga and Tantra

tradition and are apparent magical powers acquired either by long

training and subjection to the control of " outer forces " or as

acquisitions through the inner disciplines of Yoga and Tantra (Pg 3).

 

Swami Gitananda further elaborates:

 

Tantric rites, rituals, and practices. The Tantric school is made up

of ten distinct sections: five schools are Vama Marga, the left-hand

path and lead only to physical, mental and spiritual depravity and

destruction, while the five schools of Dakshina Marga Tantra do lead

to spiritual evolution, and like in classical Yoga educe or produce

Siddhis as a natural part of the evolutionary process. WARNING. All

ancient writers including Patanjali, state that the development of

Siddhis and Riddis is a natural correlate to the practice of Yoga

(pg 11) and all are adamant that an indiscriminate development of

the Siddhis is dangerous to spiritual progress, even to evolutionary

development (pg 9 and 10). Yoga Sadhana, Yoga Abhyasa alone is

considered to be the proper method of development of Siddhis and

Riddhis.

 

Swami Gitananda enumerate 108 classical Siddhis. He says

 

Some writers claim there is only one Mahasiddhi. Others enumerate

six, eight, sixteen, sixty-four, eighty-one, one hundred and one

hundred and eight. It should be known that every religion from early

Nature Worship, the BON, archaic Shaminism, and religions magic has

its Siddhis. The Jewish tradition (pg. 8) has its miracles,

Christianity (pg. 8) its Seven Gifts of the Spirit; Islam, (pg 8)

particularly the mystic Sufi cult, has its version of the Siddhis;

classical Buddhism (pg. 5) and the later Buddhist Tantra is filled

with reference to Siddhis. Early Jainism (pg. 5) was interested in

Siddhis, later rejecting them. The Siddhas of Tibet (pg 6) and Hindu

Yoga (pg 13) particularly Patanjali's work, enumerates Siddis and

Riddhis, although Patanjali decries their development independently

of spiritual Sadhana. Modern science is certainly little more than a

materialistic field for Siddhis, acquired through machines and

gadgets, rather than direct action of mind upon matter.

 

Patanjali lists eight-Siddhis which include the following

 

1. Anima is the power of feeling or becoming minutely small, like an

atom; 2. Mahima is creating the sensation of actualizing a sense of

size or infinite greatness; 3. Garima is the sensation or

actualization of becoming as heavy as lead and being immovable; 4.

Laghima is the feeling or actualization of weightlessness; 5. Prapti

is the Siddhi of abundance on all planes; 6. Prakamaya is to

experience success in all fields of action and endeavour and

irresistible will; 7. Ishitva is Omnipotence or supremacy in all the

Three Worlds; 8. vashitva is the Siddhi of mastery over the Three

Worlds.

 

The particular " Siddhi " for which Satya Sai Baba has become most

famous is known as " Bhasmajna " or the ability to produce Vibhuti or

the materialization of objects or things " " Vibhuti " means the ashes

of a special preparation consisting of milk and cow dung used in

Hindu religious ceremonies, but has also the specific meaning of

riches, plenty, magnificence, and splendour. It is sometimes used

synonymously with the term " Riddhi " or prosperity but incorrectly

so. Some Siddhas produce " ashes " or Bhasman in their hands. Others

scrape it from Murthis, statues or idols. Some holy pictures exude

Vibhuti. The materialization of any object or thing " out of then

air " is popularly included under the term " Vibhuti. "

 

Yogamaharishi Dr Swami Gitananda makes another falling comment ion

the " Siddhi " in his concluding paragraph.

 

Yogis in general take a guarded view of the development of Siddhis

and restrict the use of such accomplishments for the benefit of

others and particularly, the benefit and evolution of spiritual

seekers. Dakshina Marga Tantra, evolutionary Tantra, also takes this

cautionary stance. But, unscrupulous black magic enthusiasts have

adopted the Vama Marga or devolutionary Tantric stand that these

Siddhis have a part to play in the control of others, domination of

society and even Satanic rule over the world. There is a microscopic

line between good and evil and it requires an evolved Guru to guide

the seekers away from the black arts and towards the Adhyatmika

development of the human race.

 

 

Patanjali has in Yoga Sutra, Verse 16 in Vibhuti Pada stated…

 

" By the practice of Samyama, concentrating, meditating and achieving

the Cosmic conscious state, the Yogin acquires certain Siddhis in

respect to certain objects, or objects being experienced. "

 

There does not appear much evidence that Satya Sai Baba underwent

any systematic Yoga Sadhana under a Guru to produce his " supra-

natural powers. " Dr Swami Gitananda, one of the few modern spiritual

leaders who has written and lectured extensively on the subject,

says that Siddhis or psychic accomplishments can be attained by the

means than Yoga Sadhana or Tantric Tapas. He lists twelve methods in

this book Siddhis and Riddhis. They are:

 

1. A carry over from past lives into the present incarnation; 2.

Genetic inheritance; 3. Aberrations in the nervous system, brain or

mind function; 4. The use of drugs or hallucinogens; 5. when

seriously injured, critically ill, and sometimes when chronically

diseased in feverish and morbid disorders, and while moribund or

dying; 6. While under hypnosis, or in narcoleptic states.; 7.

Psychic possession. Our ancient Sanskrit texts suggest that certain

earthbound Siddhas, sometimes termed " Ascendant Masters " possess the

body of a living vehicle to manifest psychic states and

accomplishments. The trance state of the medium in a séance, the

expertise of the psychic surgeon, and the miracles of many past and

present Babas or Masters, must be attributed to takeover of the mind-

brain function by an external force or power. That power may be

evil, even Satanic; 8. By a practice of the Arcane science,

Shaminism, the occult sciences, Voodoo or witchcraft; 9. Powers

attained by the grace of God, the grace of the Guru, or bestowed

through prayer and meditation; 10. By religious rites and rituals,

the holy Mass, or Puja; 11. Yoga Sadhana is the total dedication to

the pursuit of Truth (Sat through Dharana); 12. Tantric rites,

rituals, and practices.