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Iddhipāda (Pali; Skt. ṛddhipāda) is a compound term composed of "power" or "potency" (iddhi; ṛddhi) and "base," "basis" or "constituent" (pāda).[1] In Buddhism, the "power" referred to by this compound term is a group of spiritual or psychic powers that include teleportation and other forms of bodily transformation. Thus, this compound term is usually translated along the lines of "base of power" or "base of spiritual power."[2] In the Buddhist pursuit of Enlightenment, the associated spiritual powers are secondary to the four "base" mental qualities that achieve such powers. These four base mental qualities are: concentration of intention; concentration of effort; concentration of consciousness; and, concentration of investigation. These four base mental qualities are used to develop wholesome mental states and rid oneself of unwholesome mental states.[3]
In traditional Buddhist literature, this set of four mental qualities is one of the seven sets of qualities lauded by the Buddha as conducive to Enlightenment (bodhipakkhiyādhammā).
In the Pali Canon, a major source of information on the iddhipāda is in the Samyutta Nikaya, ch. 51, entitled, "Connected Discourses on the Bases for Spiritual Power" (Iddhipāda-saṃyutta).
In the "Neglected" discourse (Viraddha Sutta, SN 51.2), it states:
The four bases of such power are concentration (samādhi) on:
In most canonical discourses these four bases of power are developed in tandem with "volitional formations of striving" (padhāna-saṅkhāra).[6] For instance, in the "Concentration due to Desire" discourse (Chandasamādhi Sutta, SN 51.13), it states:
This discourse similarly analyzes the latter three bases of powers as well.
In terms of the spiritual powers associated with the development of these bases, the "Before" Discourse (Pubba Sutta, SN 51.11) states:
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