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7 The Real War to be Fought "Iddhivisayo ajintayadayo" The nature of those with mental powers is beyond the speculation of conceptual thought. Those with mental powers are those whose mind is already still and free from thought. Such a mind is one able to study heaven, hell or Nirvana at first hand. It is impossible for mere unenlightened worldlings to estimate the potential of those with mental powers. The power of the mind at a standstill is without limit. Thus it is no surprise that the Buddhist scriptures describe many miraculous events surrounding those who had already managed to train their minds to great purity. Not only monks and nuns, but even laypeople who had trained their minds to the same extent had many miracles surrounding them. Lady Visākhā¹, a stream-enterer since the age of seven, had strength exceeding that of five elephants. The laywoman Mā- tika Māta² was able to read the minds of others and to recollect her own and others' previous lifetimes. All of this was attributable to mental powers coming as a byproduct of having trained themselves long and hard in meditation. Once able to master one's own mind, it becomes possible to have control over the things around one whether it be things in the mind, our bodies or the environment. All eventually come 1. DhA.i.409 2. DhA.i.293