In this paper, I aim to clarify the role of supernatural power in the bodhisattva’s course of practice by examining the oldest commentary on the Prajñāpāramitā-sūtra, the Da zhidu lun. My focus is on understanding the connection between the Buddha’s supernatural power and that of bodhisattvas.
In the Da zhidu lun, the Buddha’s supernatural power is understood as transcending time and space, and the bodhisattvas and the Buddha’s disciples serve as the medium through which this power is manifested. Consequently, all aspects of the dharmas, including the bodhisattvas’ supernatural power, depend on the Buddha’s power. Thus, the reason why bodhisattvas must possess supernatural powers is because this serves as the agent of the Buddha’s method for enlightening all beings, including the bodhisattvas themselves.
Supernatural power can be gained in two ways: through the practice of the four dhyānas, rooted in the emptiness of dharmas, and as rewards gained from karmic merits of past lives. Through these two methods, bodhisattvas connect the past to the present and extend the path of salvation for all sentient beings into the future, fulfilling their role as intermediaries of the Buddha’s power.
In summary, supernatural power is an integral part of the bodhisattva’s course of practice. It serves not only to manifest the Buddha’s power through the cultivation of their practice, but also to act as an intermediary of that power in the salvation of all beings.
