Of the 4 iddhi pāda, the 3rd one is a little mysterious on exactly what it is and how it works.
The other 3 iddhi pāda are straightforward and clear about their exact role, importance, and place in the hierarchy.
1. Desire (chanda) to do all the things that bring success, is trumped by
2. Vigor (vīriya), a heroic level of energy, such as riding a chariot out to battle for the king in war, is trumped by
3. Mind (citta), exact meaning unclear, which is trumped by
4. Wise discrimination (vimamsa, same level of hierarchy as pañña and right view)
The suttas don't elucidate the meaning of citta samādhi,
but the commentaries give a very interesting simile.
The similes for 1,2,4, are clear and straightforward.
But not the simile for #3, citta.
It makes it seem like citta samādhi is just nepotism.
Someone who knows they'll get the promotion from the king (over the first 2, desire + vigor) because they know citta has higher birth and rank than them.
But one thing the Buddha's Dhamma shows over and over again,
is how practical and applicable it is to real life.
So my interpretation, is that whatever the true meaning of citta samādhi iddhipāda,
it must be a distinct quality we can observe, compared to the other 3 iddhi pāda.
Now the nepotism promotion thing is real, timeless, and frequent, very observable,
but it can't be the case in the type of real life situations the 4ip (iddhipāda) are referring to,
such as success in realizing nirvana, attaining supernormal powers, etc.
Those attainments come from one's own hard work,
not entitlement based on birth and rank.
The 4ip is observable anywhere you see extraordinary success form extraordinary people
with exceptional samādhi.
In any worldly or spiritual domain, any field, any time.
Here's one great example of what I believe the 3rd of 4ip, citta samādhi, actually means.
2024 Suni Lee, 21 years old olympic gold medalist
won olympic gold in women's gymnastics in 2021 tokyo olympics.
2023 diagnosed with 2 incurable kidney diseases (probably genetic cause),
told she probably would not ever be able to perform elite gymnastics again.
2024: two kidney diseases in remission, she's trying to make 2024 olympic team,
but battling severe ankle injuries.
Listen to the quality of her qi (energy), and strength of mind and focus (citta samādhi padhāna sankhāra) as she talks about trying to make the olympic team:
video clip already set at 1m 32sec where she says:
"I will literally just work through any injury without any care,
because I am not, NOT making the olympic [women's gymnastics] team."
2m video
interview with Suni Lee's 4th grade gymnastics coach
when she was 9 years old.
He said she told him she was going to win Olympic gold,
dead serious expression.
At age 9.
Conclusion
citta samādhi, of the 4 iddhi pāda,
actually means:
actually means:
Having a mind set of certainty [of success], inevitability, undeniability, manifest destiny.
That's just a higher plane of mentality,
compared to what I used to think citta samādhi meant:
mental toughness, tenacity, grit,
which are qualities that are also present in the first 2 iddhi-pāda.
If you look at any popular competitive sport for example,
at the very top of the food chain, the most elite of the elite,
you'll find that the mind set of inevitability, certainty, is what separates the very best from the other elites.
That's just a higher plane of mentality,
compared to what I used to think citta samādhi meant:
mental toughness, tenacity, grit,
which are qualities that are also present in the first 2 iddhi-pāda.
If you look at any popular competitive sport for example,
at the very top of the food chain, the most elite of the elite,
you'll find that the mind set of inevitability, certainty, is what separates the very best from the other elites.
So what that simile of the minister's son who believes they deserve the promotion over the first two means,
is not nepotism,
but a mental edge where they just know they have something the other two candidates don't have,
that will lead to success.
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