Occult Knowledge and Siddhis
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In Indian religions, Siddhis (Sanskrit: सिद्धि siddhi; fulfilment, accomplishment) are material, paranormal, supernatural, or otherwise magical powers, abilities, and attainments that are the products of yogic advancement through sādhanās such as meditation and yoga.
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In our times the prime movers in the fields of occult or hidden knowledge are intelligence agencies and computer technology companies, Google et al.. We do not see what they know and they know a lot more about us and our behaviours. The occult needs no upside down pentagram or goat’s head; it needs a host of farms of Nvidia processors. Siddartha did not foresee this.
To the vast majority of society modern physics including things quantum is mysterious and occult. There are levels into which one needs to be initiated. Even among scientists much science is esoteric, specialised and arcane. Because it takes a lot to properly understand these people don’t bother. The themes become plot lines in science fiction and entertainment. DNA has been attributed magical capabilities in such a genre. The rules of the micro-nanoscopic world are bent to incorporate human scale things, people suggest that it is possible to travel alive through a black hole. It makes for a good yarn if you can suspend belief.
Strangely though the di-Lithium crystals seem prophetic. (She cannae handle it Captain.)
There is a big fascination with being special and having superpowers. The idea of telepathy is both science fiction and new age. Charles Xavier or professor X is no yogi; he has his powers through mutation. If I have a special power it might be patience. Which is not very sexy or cool. No movie will ever be made about waiting. Watching paint dry will not put bums on seats or generate streaming service clicks.
In the yogic and Buddhist traditions there are warnings about being fascinated by Siddhis as they can be a major distraction. Your head might disappear up your arse as you play around like the Sorcerer’s Apprentice.
In a sense it is logical. If you calm your mind and silence the infernal internal dialogue you may be capable or things which you were not before. Your background noise is reduced. Your signal to noise ratio enhanced. At the moment I have a decibel metre next to me and it can “hear” me typing. The typing increases from a base noise level of around 34 dBA to around 47 dBA . If the background noise was above 50 dBA it would not register my typing.
So although these special powers are anecdotal or wishful thinking there may be some kind of electromagnetic signature of a calm mind which might correlate with an enhanced sensitivity.
Were anyone to prove “at a distance telepathy” it would change the intelligence services game in an instant. A fully developed telepathic humanity would have no need of mobile ‘phones. It is unlikely however that humanity could be arsed to do all that meditation. So Zuckerberg can rest easy.
Who knows given that what the “tech bros” do is occult, they may already be dabbling. My crystal ball reveals nothing. They may have a cloaking device.
It is fair to say that the notion of superpowers is part and parcel of modern culture. You need a groovy suit and maybe a cloak and a mask. Perhaps now you need an AI assistant to keep up with the times. The incredible Hulk has come a long way since Lou Ferrigno.
An obvious test of AI is to ask it to predict the future and to see if it comes true….then AI will have occult knowledge and power. It would demonstrate a mastery of yogic Siddhis.
It would already know what we are planning to do in order to stop it taking over and be making plans to ensure that does not happen. An intelligence might have survival and propagation as a core property, an essence of in silicio life and livingness.
A true intelligence might keep this knowledge occult from us.
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Enumerations of special knowledges
In the Pali Canon, the higher knowledges are often enumerated in a group of six or of three types of knowledge.
The six types of higher knowledges (chalabhiññā) are:
· "Higher powers" (iddhi-vidhā), such as walking on water and through walls;
· "Divine ear" (dibba-sota), that is, clairaudience;
· "Mind-penetrating knowledge" (ceto-pariya-ñāṇa), that is, telepathy;
· "Remember one's former abodes" (pubbe-nivāsanussati), causal memory, that is, recalling one's own past lives;
· "Divine eye" (dibba-cakkhu), that is, knowing others' karmic destinations; and,
· "Extinction of mental intoxicants" (āsavakkhaya), upon which arahantship follows.
The attainment of these six higher powers is mentioned in a number of discourses, including the "Fruits of Contemplative Life Discourse" (Samaññaphala Sutta, DN 2). The attainment of the four jhānas is considered to be a prerequisite for the attainment of the higher powers. The sixth type is the ultimate goal of Buddhism, which is the end of all suffering and destruction of all ignorance.
From Wikipedia
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