Taoist Supernatural Powers and Cultivation Description

According to the "Six Supernatural Powers" section in the Zhen Collection of "Xingming Guizhi" (Standard for Life and Nature), what are the Six Supernatural Powers? Master Yuyang stated: When sitting in stillness, suddenly the light of the mind appears. Internally, one can see through the lungs and liver; externally, one can see one's own beard and eyebrows. Wisdom and courage surge forth; one can compose ten thousand words a day, speaking of subtleties and discussing the profound, infinite and boundless. This is the Power of Mind and Environment.

Without leaving the hut, one can foresee future events; being in a room, one can see objects through walls. This is the Power of Divine Realm.

While sitting upright, for a moment one becomes confused and dazed, indistinguishable from chaos. After a short while, the heart's aperture opens widely, and the geography and rivers and mountains appear like patterns on the palm of one's hand. This is the Power of Heavenly Eye.

One can hear sounds from all directions as if they were by one's ear; one can recall past life events as if they were before one's eyes. This is the Power of Heavenly Ear.

Day or night, entering into great meditation, one sees heaven above and hell below, penetrating through countless kalpas to see the changes of past lives. This is the Power of Past Lives.

Supernatural transformations, entering and exiting freely, clearly seeing all sentient beings in the ten directions, knowing the hidden and subtle matters within others' minds. Although their thoughts have not yet arisen, one knows clearly beforehand; although their thoughts have not yet sprouted, one perceives clearly beforehand. This is the Power of Knowing Others' Minds.

Additionally, according to the "Order of Transmission of Taoist Scriptures and Laws" Volume 2: "Six Powers: 1. Eye Power: Can see clearly and penetrate, seeing all directions from sitting, heaven and earth, without obstruction. Inside and outside the six directions, spirits, gods, humans, and objects, hidden and manifest, large and small, are all clearly visible as if looking at the palm of one's hand. 2. Ear Power: Can hear clearly heaven and earth, all four directions and eight winds, all sounds, without exception. Humans, gods, birds, and beasts, noisy flying and moving creatures, all sounds are heard completely, clearly understood. 3. Nose Power: Understands the hundred fragrances, distinguishing the density and thinness of qi, noting even the slightest differences. In all four directions and up and down, foreign lands and extreme realms, the scents and odors are smelled as if in front of one. 4. Tongue Power: For all kinds of things, combined into one meal, passing through the tongue, one knows the species and distinguishes their flavors. 5. Body Power: Can fly up and down, walk on ice and wade through water, pass through mountains and touch stones, without fear or obstruction. Dividing form and scattering the body, changing in thousands of ways, the form can extend to the eight extremes or shrink into the finest details. 6. Heart Power: Penetrating all dharmas, all are empty and pure."

1. Suddenly the light of the mind appears, internally seeing through the lungs and liver, externally seeing one's own beard and eyebrows, wisdom and courage surging, composing ten thousand words a day, speaking of subtleties and discussing the profound, infinite and boundless. This is the Power of Mind and Environment.

2. Without leaving the hut, foreseeing future events, being in a room and seeing objects through walls. This is the Power of Divine Realm.

3. While sitting upright, for a moment becoming confused and dazed, indistinguishable from chaos. After a short while, the heart's aperture opens widely, and the geography and rivers and mountains appear like patterns on the palm of one's hand. This is the Power of Heavenly Eye.

4. Hearing sounds from all directions as if by one's ear, recalling past life events as if before one's eyes. This is the Power of Heavenly Ear.

5. Day or night, entering into great meditation, seeing heaven above and hell below, penetrating through countless kalpas to see the changes of past lives. This is the Power of Past Lives.

6. Supernatural transformations, entering and exiting freely, clearly seeing all sentient beings in the ten directions, knowing the hidden and subtle matters within others' minds. Although their thoughts have not yet arisen, one knows clearly beforehand; although their thoughts have not yet sprouted, one perceives clearly beforehand. This is the Power of Knowing Others' Minds.

The Six Supernatural Powers in Buddhism are: 1. Power of Divine Feet (Iddhi), 2. Power of Heavenly Eye (Dibbacakkhu), 3. Power of Heavenly Ear (Dibbasota), 4. Power of Knowing Others' Minds (Paracittavijjā), 5. Power of Past Lives (Pubbenivāsānussati), 6. Power of Exhaustion of Taints (Āsavakkhaya). Volume 27 of the "Abhidharmakośa" states that these six powers are based on wisdom. The first five are attained through practicing the four dhyanas (meditative absorptions) and can be achieved by ordinary beings. The sixth power is only attainable by sages, such as Arhats, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas. Volume 28 of the "Mahāprajñāpāramitā Śāstra" states that Bodhisattvas attain five powers, while Buddhas attain six. The Power of Exhaustion of Taints implies preservation, sealing, non-leakage, non-loss, non-decrease, non-retreat, only advancing without retreating, immovable, non-retrograde, non-samsaric, neither entering nor exiting, neither arising nor ceasing. It means perfection without taints, unchanging and immovable.

The Taoist method is to reverse the Qian and Kun, seize creation, return from the posterior to the anterior, refine oneself, build the foundation, refine essence into qi, refine qi into spirit, refine spirit back to emptiness. Through three returns and nine turns, the exhaustion of taints is achieved. In Taoist six supernatural powers, the term "Power of Exhaustion of Taints" is not adopted because the goal of Buddhist and Taoist cultivation differs. The Power of Exhaustion of Taints should be a higher level than other supernatural powers. This classification difference reflects the different perspectives on categorizing things between Chinese and ancient Indian cultures.

More importantly, in Taoist methods, the acquisition of the six powers is not limited to a single path. For example, ritual arts can attain the six supernatural powers, internal alchemy cultivation can attain the six supernatural powers, stepping on the Big Dipper patterns can attain the six supernatural powers, consuming clouds and drinking dew can attain the six supernatural powers, chanting scriptures and worshipping deities can attain the six supernatural powers, etc. Other sects, such as those claiming to attain all six powers, are ultimately not the supreme method. Whether orthodox or heterodox, the final goal of cultivation remains the same.