Iddhi-pada

Iddhi-pāda: 'roads to power' or success are the 4 following qualities, for as guides, they indicate the road to power connected therewith; and because they form, by way of preparation, the roads to the power constituting the fruition of the path; Vis.M XII, namely:;concentration of intention chanda-samādhi accompanied by effort of will padhāna-sankhāra-samannāgata concentration of energy viriya-samādhi... concentration of consciousness citta-samādhi.. and concentration of investigation vimamsa-samādhi accompanied by effort of will.; As such, they are supra-mundane lokuttara i.e. connected with the path or the fruition of the path; see: ariya-puggala But they are mundane lokiya as predominant factors adhipati see: paccaya, for it is said:;Because the monk, through making intention a predominant factor, reaches concentration, it is called the concentration of intention chanda-samādhi etc.; Vis.M XII.

These 4 roads of power lead to the attaining and acquiring of magical power, to the power of magical transconstruction, to the generation of magical power, and to mastery and skill therein; Pts.M. II. 205, PTS. For a detailed explanation, see: Vis.M XII.

Once the Bhikkhu has thus developed and often practised the 4 roads to power, he enjoys various magical powers,... hears with the divine ear divine and human sounds,... perceives with his mind the mind of other beings... remembers many a former existence... perceives with the divine eye beings passing away and reappearing,... attains, after the ceasing of fermentations, deliverance of mind and deliverance through understanding, free from. fermentations. see: LI, 2. For a detailed explanation of these 6 higher powers.

References

Maha Thera Nyanatiloka. Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines, Buddhist Publication Society, first edition 1952.