Book Three · On Powers (Vibhūti Pāda)

3.1 Concentration is the binding of the mind to one place.

3.2 There, the unbroken flow of one perception is meditation.

3.3 That same meditation, when only its object shines forth and it seems empty of its own form, is absorption.

3.4 The three together, directed at one object, are integration (samyama).

3.5 From mastery of it dawns the light of insight.

3.6 It is to be applied in stages.

3.7 These three are inward limbs, compared with those preceding them.

3.8 Yet even they are outward limbs compared with seedless absorption.

3.9 The mind's transformation toward stilling occurs at the moment when latent impressions of outward activity subside and those of stilling arise, and the mind follows that moment of stilling.

3.10 Its tranquil flow comes from the latent impression left by this.

3.11 The fading of the mind's orientation toward all objects and the arising of one-pointedness is its transformation toward absorption.

3.12 Then, when the perceptions that have subsided and those that arise are alike, the mind undergoes the transformation of one-pointedness.

3.13 This also explains the changes of property, temporal mark, and condition in the elements and senses.

3.14 The underlying substance carries properties that have subsided, arisen, or not yet become manifest.

3.15 Difference in sequence is the cause of difference in transformation.

3.16 By integration on the three transformations comes knowledge of past and future.

3.17 Word, meaning, and perception become confused through mutual superimposition; by integration on their distinction comes knowledge of the cries of all beings.

3.18 By directly perceiving latent impressions comes knowledge of former births.

3.19 By integration on a perception comes knowledge of another mind.

3.20 But not of what supports that perception, since that is not its object.

3.21 By integration on the body's visible form, its power to be perceived is arrested; as the eye's light no longer meets it, the body becomes invisible.

3.22 Karma is of two kinds: that which begins to bear fruit and that which does not. By integration on these comes knowledge of one's end, or it may come from omens.

3.23 By integration on friendship and the other virtues come their strengths.

3.24 By integration on strengths come powers such as the strength of an elephant.

3.25 By directing the light of a higher perception comes knowledge of things subtle, concealed, or distant.

3.26 By integration on the sun comes knowledge of the worlds.

3.27 On the moon, knowledge of the arrangement of stars.

3.28 On the pole star, knowledge of their movements.

3.29 On the navel center, knowledge of the body's arrangement.

3.30 On the hollow of the throat, the cessation of hunger and thirst.

3.31 On the tortoise channel, steadiness.

3.32 On the light at the crown of the head, vision of perfected beings.

3.33 Or all this comes through intuitive illumination.

3.34 On the heart, understanding of the mind.

3.35 Experience arises when the perceptions of clarity and the Self, utterly distinct though they are, are not distinguished. Since clarity exists for another's sake, integration on what exists for its own sake brings knowledge of the Self.

3.36 From this arise intuitive insight, supernatural hearing, touch, sight, taste, and smell.

3.37 These are obstacles in absorption, though powers in outward activity.

3.38 When the causes of bondage loosen and the mind knows its channels of movement, it may enter another body.

3.39 By mastery of the ascending breath comes freedom from contact with water, mud, thorns, and the like, and the power of rising upward.

3.40 By mastery of the equalizing breath comes radiance.

3.41 By integration on the relation between hearing and space comes divine hearing.

3.42 By integration on the relation between body and space, and identification with light cotton, comes passage through the air.

3.43 A fluctuation outside the body, unimagined, is the great bodiless state; from it the veil over the light is destroyed.

3.44 By integration on the gross nature, true form, subtle nature, connectedness, and purpose of the elements comes mastery of them.

3.45 From this arise minuteness and the other powers, perfection of the body, and freedom from injury by the elements.

3.46 Beauty of form, grace, strength, and adamantine firmness constitute perfection of the body.

3.47 By integration on the senses' apprehension, true form, I-am-ness, connectedness, and purpose comes mastery of the senses.

3.48 From this come swiftness of mind, perception without the bodily senses, and mastery of nature's first principle.

3.49 One who knows only the difference between clarity and the Self gains dominion over every state of being and knowledge of all things.

3.50 Through dispassion even toward these, when the seeds of defect are destroyed, comes liberation.

3.51 When invited by those who dwell in exalted realms, do not form attachments or become proud: that would bring undesirable consequences again.

3.52 By integration on a moment and its sequence comes knowledge born of discernment.

3.53 From this comes the recognition of two things otherwise indistinguishable by class, characteristic, or location.

3.54 Knowledge born of discernment carries one across; it embraces all objects and every aspect of them, without sequence.

3.55 When clarity and the Self are alike in purity, there is liberation.

3.1 Concentration is keeping the mind fixed on one place.

3.2 Meditation is the continuous flow of attention there.

3.3 Absorption is when only the object shines forth, as if the mind had no form of its own.

3.4 These three applied together are integration (samyama).

3.5 Mastering it brings the light of insight.

3.6 Integration should be applied to the different stages of practice.

3.7 These three are more inward than the earlier limbs.

3.8 But even they are external compared with absorption without a seed.

3.9 The mind changes toward stillness when latent impressions of outward activity are overcome and impressions of stillness arise, and the mind follows that moment of stillness.

3.10 Because of the resulting impression, stillness flows steadily.

3.11 The mind changes toward absorption when attention to everything fades and single-pointed attention arises.

3.12 Then the mind changes toward single-pointedness when the idea that has just passed and the one that has just arisen are alike.

3.13 This also explains changes in the properties, characteristics, and states of the elements and senses.

3.14 The underlying thing carries properties that have passed, are present, or cannot yet be named.

3.15 Differences in the order of changes cause differences in the changes themselves.

3.16 Integration applied to these three kinds of change brings knowledge of the past and future.

3.17 Words, their meanings, and the ideas they produce get mixed up because one is confused with another. Integration that separates them brings knowledge of the sounds made by all living beings.

3.18 Seeing latent impressions directly brings knowledge of past births.

3.19 Integration applied to another person's ideas brings knowledge of that person's mind.

3.20 But it does not reveal what those ideas rest on, since that has not become the object of attention.

3.21 By applying integration to the body's appearance and stopping its power to be perceived, so that it no longer meets the light of the eye, one becomes invisible.

3.22 Karma may be ready to bear fruit or not yet ready. Integration applied to it brings knowledge of death; signs of impending death can also bring that knowledge.

3.23 Integration applied to friendship and the other qualities brings their strengths.

3.24 Applied to strengths, it brings the strength of an elephant and other strengths.

3.25 Directing the light of higher perception brings knowledge of things that are subtle, hidden, or far away.

3.26 Integration applied to the sun brings knowledge of the worlds.

3.27 Applied to the moon, it brings knowledge of the arrangement of the stars.

3.28 Applied to the pole star, it brings knowledge of the stars' movements.

3.29 Applied to the center of the navel, it brings knowledge of the body's arrangement.

3.30 Applied to the hollow of the throat, it ends hunger and thirst.

3.31 Applied to the tortoise channel, it brings steadiness.

3.32 Applied to the light at the crown of the head, it brings a vision of perfected beings.

3.33 Or intuitive insight can bring knowledge of everything.

3.34 Integration applied to the heart brings knowledge of the mind.

3.35 Experience arises because the mind's clarity and the Self, though utterly different, are not distinguished. The mind's clarity exists for another's sake; integration applied to what exists for its own sake brings knowledge of the Self.

3.36 From that come intuitive insight, extraordinary hearing, touch, sight, taste, and smell.

3.37 These are obstacles to absorption but powers (siddhi) in ordinary waking life.

3.38 By loosening the causes that bind the mind and knowing its pathways, the mind can enter another body.

3.39 By mastering the upward-moving breath, one avoids contact with water, mud, thorns, and the like, and can rise out of the body.

3.40 By mastering the breath that balances, one can produce a glow.

3.41 Integration applied to the connection between hearing and space brings extraordinary hearing.

3.42 Integration applied to the connection between body and space, together with absorption in the lightness of cotton, brings movement through space.

3.43 When the mind functions outside the body without imagining it, this is the great bodiless state. Then the covering over the light disappears.

3.44 Integration applied to the elements in their gross form, their true nature, their subtle form, their connections, and their purpose brings mastery over the elements.

3.45 From this come powers such as becoming tiny, perfection of the body, and freedom from being harmed by the elements' properties.

3.46 Bodily perfection means beauty, grace, strength, and a body as hard as a diamond.

3.47 Integration applied to the senses' powers of perception, their nature, I-am-ness, their connections, and their purpose brings mastery over the senses.

3.48 From this come movement as fast as the mind, perception without the senses, and mastery over nature's primary substance.

3.49 A person who simply knows the difference between the mind's clarity and the Self gains power over all states of being and knowledge of everything.

3.50 Through dispassion even toward these powers, the seeds of flaws disappear and liberation comes.

3.51 If those in high places invite you, do not become attached or proud; otherwise, unwanted consequences may follow again.

3.52 Integration applied to a moment and its sequence brings knowledge born of discernment.

3.53 This knowledge lets one distinguish two things that cannot be told apart by kind, characteristics, or place.

3.54 Knowledge born of discernment leads one across: it embraces every object in every way, all at once rather than in sequence.

3.55 When the mind's clarity and the Self are equally pure, liberation comes.