Siddhi

Not to be confused with the African Siddi or the Karnataka Siddi

Siddhi^{[note 1]} are magical powers which are acquired by siddhas.^[1]

Etymology

Siddhi is a Sanskrit noun which can be translated as "perfection", "accomplishment", "attainment", or "success".^[2]

Origins

The earliest appearance in Indian history of the idea that magical powers (Pāli iddhi) are generated by spiritual practices, (Pāli jhāna) is the account that appears in the Buddhist Canon, in the [Sāmaññaphalasutta] of the [Dīghanikāya].^[3]

The term siddhi is later found in the Mahabharata.^[4] ^[5] As a term in the Manusmriti, the Laws of Manu, it refers to the settlement of a debt.^{[citation needed]}

Usage in Hinduism

In the Pancatantra, a siddhi may be the term for any unusual skill or faculty or capability.

Eight primary siddhis

Ganesha with the ashta (eight) siddhis. The Ashtasiddhi are shown as attendants of Ganesha. Painting by Raja Ravi Varma (1848-1906).

In Hinduism eight siddhis (Ashta Siddhi) are known:

Aṇimā: reducing one's body even to the size of an atom
Mahima: expanding one's body to an infinitely large size
Garima: becoming infinitely heavy
Laghima: becoming almost weightless
Prāpti: having unrestricted access to all places
Prākāmya: realizing whatever one desires
Iṣṭva: possessing absolute lordship
Vaśtva: the power to subjugate all^[6]

Bhagavata Purana

Five siddhis of Yoga and meditation

In the Bhagavata Purana, the five siddhis of Yoga and meditation are:

tri-kāla-jñatvam: knowing the past, present and future
advandvam: tolerance of heat, cold and other dualities
para citta ādi abhijñatā: knowing the minds of others and so on
agni arka ambu viṣa ādīnām pratiṣṭambhaḥ: checking the influence of fire, sun, water, poison, and so on
aparājayah: remaining unconquered by others^[7]

Ten secondary siddhis

In the Bhagavata Purana, Lord Krishna describes the ten secondary siddhis as:

anūrmi-mattvam: Being undisturbed by hunger, thirst, and other bodily appetites
dūra-śravaṇa: Hearing things far away
dūra-darśanam: Seeing things far away
manaḥ-javah: Moving the body wherever thought goes (teleportation/astral projection)
kāma-rūpam: Assuming any form desired
para-kāya praveśanam: Entering the bodies of others
sva-chanda mṛtyuh: Dying when one desires
devānām saha krīḍā anudarśanam: Witnessing and participating in the pastimes of the gods
yathā sańkalpa saḿsiddhiḥ: Perfect accomplishment of one's determination
ājñā apratihatā gatiḥ: Orders or commands being unimpeded ^[8]

Samkhya

In the Samkhya Karika and Tattva Samasa there are references to the attainment of eight siddhis by which one becomes free of the pain of ignorance, one gains knowledge, and experience bliss.

The eight siddhis hinted at by Kapila in the Tattvasamasa^{[note 2]} are as explained in Verse 51 of Samkhyakarika:^[9]

Uuha: based on the samskaras of previous births, the attainment of knowledge about the twenty-four Tatwas gained by examining the determinable and the indeterminable conscious and the non-conscious constituents of creation,
Shabad: knowledge gained by associating with an enlightened person (Guru – upadesh),
Addhyyan: knowledge gained through study of the Vedas and other standard ancillary texts,
Suhritprapti: knowledge gained from a kind-hearted person, while engaged in the spread of knowledge
Daan: knowledge gained regardless of one’s own needs while attending to the requirements of those engaged in the search of the highest truth,
Aadhyaatmik dukkh-haan: freedom from pain, disappointment, etc. that may arise due to lack of spiritual, metaphysical, mystic knowledge and experience,
Aadhibhautik dukkh-haan: freedom from pain etc. arising from possessing and being attached to various materialistic gains,
Aadhidaivik dukkh-haan: freedom from pain etc. caused by fate or due to reliance on fate,

The attainment of these eight siddhis renders one no longer in a painful state of ignorance but in possession of greater knowledge and experience of bliss. The aim of Samkhya is to eliminate all kinds of physical and mental pains and to receive liberation.

Patanjali's Yoga Sutras

In Patanjali's Yoga Sutras IV.1 it is stated (rendered in IAST):

janma auṣadhi mantra tapaḥ samādhijāḥ siddhayaḥ

In translation:

Accomplishments may be attained through birth, the use of herbs, incantations, self-discipline or samadhi.^[10]^{[note 3]}

Hindu gods associated with gaining siddhi

In Hinduism, both Ganesha and Hanuman possess the eight supernatural powers (ashtamahasiddhis)^[11] and can give one access to Ashta Siddhis.

Usage in Vajrayana Buddhism

In Tantric Buddhism, siddhi specifically refers to the acquisition of supernatural powers by psychic or magical means or the supposed faculty so acquired. These powers include items such as clairvoyance, levitation, bilocation, becoming as small as an atom, materialization, having access to memories from past lives.{{{1}}} The term is also used in this sense in the Sarva-darśana-saṃgraha of Madhvacharya (1238–1317).

Notes

^ Devanagari सिद्धि; IAST: siddhi; Tibetan: དངོས་གྲུབ, Wylie: dngos grub^{[web 1]}
^ अष्टधा सिद्धिः १५ The Journal of Oriental Research, Madras. 1928. A note on the date of the Tattvasamasa. Pages 146&147.
^ Separate translations: janma, "birth"; auṣadhi, "medicinal plant, herb, drug, incense, elixir"; mantra, "incantation, charm, spell"; tapaḥ, "heat, burning, shining, as ascetic devotional practice, burning desire to reach perfection, that which burns all impurities"; samādhi, "profound meditation, total absorption"; jāḥ, "born"; siddhayaḥ, "perfections, accomplishments, fulfillments, attainments"^[10]

References

^ Davidson 2004, p. 347.
^ Apte year unknown, p. 986.
^ White, David Gordon; Dominik Wujastyk (2012). Yoga In Practice. Princeton: Princeton UP. p. 34.
^ White, David Gordon; James L, Fitzgerald (2012). "2". Yoga In Practice. Princeton: Princeton UP. pp. 43–57.
^ Jacobsen, Knut A.; Angelika Malinar (2011). Yoga Powers: Extraordinary Capacities Attained Through Meditation and Concentration. Leiden: Brill. pp. 33–60. ISBN 9004212140, 9789004212145 Check |isbn= value (help).
^ Danielou, Alain (1987). While the Gods Play: Shaiva Oracles and Predictions on the Cycles of History and the Destiny of Mankind; Inner Traditions International.
^ The Concise Srimad Bhagavatam, trans. Swami Venkatesananda, SUNY Press 1989, ISBN 0-7914-0149-9
^ The Concise Srimad Bhagavatam, trans. Swami Venkatesananda, SUNY Press 1989, ISBN 0-7914-0149-9
^ The Samkhya Karika, with commentary of Gaudapada. Published in 1933 by The Oriental Book Agency, Poona
^ ^a ^b Iyengar 2002, p. 246.
^ Lord Hanuman & Siddhis[1]

Sources

Published sources

Apte, A (year unknown), A Practical Sanskrit Dictionary
Davidson, Ronald M. (2004), Indian Esoteric Buddhism: Social History of the Tantric Movement, Motilal Banarsidass Publ.
Iyengar, B.K.S. (2002), Light on the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali, Hammersmith, London, UK: Thorsons

Web-sources

^ Dharma Dictionary (April, 2010). 'dngos grub'. (accessed: Thursday April 15, 2010)

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