Editing Religious experience (section)

===Buddhism===
[[File:Museum für Indische Kunst Dahlem Berlin Mai 2006 013.jpg|thumb|The Buddha demonstrating control over fire and water. [[Gandhara]], 3rd century CE]]

In Theravada [[Buddhism]] practice is described in the threefold training of discipline (''[[śīla]]''), meditative concentration (''[[samādhi]]''), and transcendent wisdom (''[[Wisdom in Buddhism|prajñā]]''). Zen-Buddhism emphasises the sole practice of meditation, while [[Vajrayana]] Buddhism utilizes a wide variety of practices. While the main aim of meditation and ''prajna'' is to let go of attachments, it may also result in a comprehension of the [[Buddha-nature]] and the inherent lucidness of the mind.

Different varieties of religious experience are described in detail in the ''[[Śūraṅgama Sūtra]]''. In its section on the fifty [[skandha]]-[[mara (demon)|maras]], each of the five skandhas has ten skandha-maras associated with it, and each skandha-mara is described in detail as a deviation from correct samādhi. These skandha-maras are also known as the "fifty skandha demons" in some English-language publications.{{sfn|Epstein|1997}}

It is also believed that supernormal abilities are developed from meditation, which are termed "higher knowledge" (''[[abhijñā]]''), or "spiritual power" (''[[ṛddhi]]''). One early description found in the ''[[Samyutta Nikaya]]'', which mentions abilities such as:{{sfn|Bhikkhu Bodhi|2000|p=1727}}
{{Blockquote|... he goes unhindered through a wall, through a rampart, through a mountain as though through space; he dives in and out of the earth as though it were water; he walks on water without sinking as though it were earth; seated cross-legged, he travels in space like a bird; with his hands he touches and strokes the moon and sun so powerful and mighty; he exercises mastery with the body as far as the brahmā world.}}