Submitted by Krishna Dhanya on
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The five Abhinna (Supernatural Powers): Pali - abhi, excellent, nana, wisdom) are:
- Iddhividha = Creative power;
- Dibbasola = Divine Ear;
- Cetopariya nana = Knowledge of others’ thoughts;
- Pubbenivasanussati = Knowledge of one’s past existence;
- Dibbacakkhu = The Divine eye.
The Abhinna are attainable not only by the Buddha, but also by Arantas and Ariyas, by ordinary mortals who practise according to the Scriptures (as was the case with hermits etc, who flourished before the time of the Buddha and who were able to fly through the air and traverse different worlds).
In the Buddhist Scriptures, we find, clearly shown, the means of attaining the five Abhinna. And even nowadays, if these means are carefully and perseveringly pursued, it would be possible to attain these. That we do not see any person endowed with the five Abhinna today is due to the lack of strenuous physical and mental exertion towards their attainment.
http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/karma.htm#5
Buddha Described Six (6) Abhinnas:
1. Higher powers – like walking on water and through walls.
2. Divine ear – clairaudience; hearing sounds not normally within the range of the human ear.
3. Mind-penetrating knowledge – knowing things about others, or, telepathy.
4. Recalling one’s former abodes – past lives.
5. Divine eye – seeing beings reborn and dying… knowing others’ karmic destinations, to which realm they will be reborn, or not reborn at all.
6. Extinction of mental intoxicants – when the mind is purified in this way, it leads to nirvana.