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Siddhi

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For Wives of Ganesha, Siddhi and Riddhi and relationship of Ashta Siddhi with Ganesha, see Consorts of Ganesha.
Not to be confused with the African Siddi or the Karnataka Siddi

Siddhi[note 1] are magical powers which are acquired by siddhas [1] who are Hindu Priests who meditate to acquire these powers.

Etymology

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

Origins

The term is first attested in the Mahabharata.[citation needed] 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 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[3]

Bhagavata Purana

Five siddhis of Yoga and meditation

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

  1. tri-kāla-jñatvam: knowing the past, present and future
  2. advandvam: tolerance of heat, cold and other dualities
  3. para citta ādi abhijñatā: knowing the minds of others and so on
  4. agni arka ambu viṣa ādīnām pratiṣṭambhaḥ: checking the influence of fire, sun, water, poison, and so on
  5. aparājayah: remaining unconquered by others[4]

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 disturbances
  • 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 [5]

Samkhya

In the Samkhya Karika and Tattva Samasa, it refers to the attainment of eight siddhis that make one become rid of pain-causing ignorance, to gain knowledge, and experience bliss.

The eight siddhis hinted at by Kapila in the Tattvasamasa{{refn|group=note|अष्टधा सिद्धिः १५[6] are as explained in Verse 51 of Samkhyakarika:[7]

  1. 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,
  2. Shabad: knowledge gained by associating with an enlightened person (Guru – upadesh),
  3. Addhyyan: knowledge gained through study of the Vedas and other standard ancillary texts,
  4. Suhritprapti: knowledge gained from a kind-hearted person, while engaged in the spread of knowledge
  5. Daan: knowledge gained regardless of one’s own needs while attending to the requirements of those engaged in the search of the highest truth,
  6. Aadhyaatmik dukkh-haan: freedom from pain, disappointment, etc; arising due to lack of spiritual, metaphysical, mystic knowledge and experience,
  7. Aadhibhautik dukkh-haan: freedom from pain etc; arising by possessing and being attached to various materialistic gains,
  8. Aadhidaivik dukkh-haan: freedom from pain etc; caused by fate or due to reliance on fate,

The attainment of these eight siddhis makes one become rid of pain-causing ignorance through gain of knowledge, and experience 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.[8][note 2]

Hindu gods associated with gaining siddhi

In Hinduism, both Ganesha and Hanuman possess the eight supernatural powers (ashtamahasiddhis)[9] 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.{{Source}} is deprecated. Please use a more specific template. See the documentation for a list of suggested templates. The term is also used in this sense in the Sarva-darśana-saṃgraha of Madhvacharya (1238–1317).

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Devanagari सिद्धि; IAST: siddhi; Tibetan: དངོས་གྲུབ, Wylie: dngos grub[web 1]
  2. ^ 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"[8]

References

  1. ^ Davidson 2004, p. 347.
  2. ^ Apte & year unknown, p. 986.
  3. ^ Danielou, Alain (1987). While the Gods Play: Shaiva Oracles and Predictions on the Cycles of History and the Destiny of Mankind; Inner Traditions International.
  4. ^ The Concise Srimad Bhagavatam, trans. Swami Venkatesananda, SUNY Press 1989, ISBN 0-7914-0149-9
  5. ^ The Concise Srimad Bhagavatam, trans. Swami Venkatesananda, SUNY Press 1989, ISBN 0-7914-0149-9
  6. ^ The Journal of Oriental Research, Madras. 1928. A note on the date of the Tattvasamasa. Pages 146&147. http://ebookbrowse.com/samkhya-tattva-samasa-1928-pdf-d284611874
  7. ^ The Samkhya Karika, with commentary of Gaudapada. Published in 1933 by The Oriental Book Agency, Poona
  8. ^ a b Iyengar 2002, p. 246.
  9. ^ Lord Hanuman & Siddhis[1]

Sources

Published sources

  • Apte, A (year unknown), A Practical Sanskrit Dictionary {{citation}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)
  • 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

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

Further reading

  • Sri Ramakrishna Math (1985). Hanuman Chalisa. Chennai, India: Sri Ramakrishna Math. ISBN 81-7120-086-9
  • Bhagavata Purana
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