Shakyamuni taught what is called the Mirror of the Law, by means of which an elect disciple can say for certain whether for him the worlds of hell, animals, hungry spirits, suffering, and evil are destroyed and whether he has entered the stream leading unfailingly to final salvation. The Mirror of the Law consists of four elements: faith in the Buddha, faith in the Law, faith in the Order, and faith in the sacred precepts. Possessed of these four faiths, the disciple knows that he will never backslide. Faith in the Three Treasures leads to the state where violations of the sacred precepts or other evil acts are impossible. Since the disciple is unable to do ill, such evil states as hell, animals, hungry spirits, and others, which are the effects of evil causes, cease to exist for him. Living only in the good, he is liable only to good karma, and this means that he has joined the company of the elect who are assured of ultimate salvation. (Page 178)

The most outstanding example of the misuse of supernatural powers in all Buddhist history is the case of Shakyamuni’s cousin Devadatta. When Shakyamuni first visited his home country after his enlightenment, a group of young men from the Shakya clan abandoned secular life to become his followers. Among them were Ananda, who heard the Buddha’s teachings so many times that he became a learned sage; Anuruddha and Bhaddiya, who attained the enlightenment of arhats; and Bhagu, Kimbila, and Devadatta, who did not become arhats but who attained the five supernatural powers. (Though the sixth and most important power is attained only by the enlightened, ordinary Buddhist believers, the faithful of other religions, and even such sly animals as foxes and badgers are thought to be able to manifest the other five.)

Attempting to devise more effective uses for his powers, Devadatta hit upon the idea of employing them to ingratiate himself with and win the confidence of the young prince Ajatasattu, who had a brilliant future. In this way, Devadatta hoped to increase his own honor and profit.

Assuming the form of a boy girdled with serpents, Devadatta appeared before Ajatasattu, who, horrified, demanded to know the identity of this alarming creature. When he received an affirmative reply to his question as to whether the prince found him frightening, Devadatta identified himself. But the prince was unconvinced. If this serpent-girdled boy was indeed the person he claimed to be, he should appear in the form that Devadatta customarily took. Devadatta then appeared before the prince in his usual monk’s robes, begging bowl in hand.

The delighted prince came to trust and respect Devadatta and sent him many rich meals each day. Flattering treatment only poisoned Devadatta’s mind and inspired evil desires in his heart. He vowed that he would gain control of the Buddhist Order. But because of his wicked ambitions he lost his supernatural powers. And this was the start of the series of crimes and wicked acts against Shakyamuni and the Order that finally resulted in Devadatta’s destruction. (Page 170-171)

The … story has to do with the events occurring in the last hours of Shakyamuni’s life at the foot of the twin sala trees in the grove just outside the town of Kushinagara. As Shakyamuni lay down, the twin trees, filled with bloom out of season, shed a rain of flowers on his body. Heavenly mandarava flowers and sandalwood perfume fell from the sky, and divine music played in honor of the Tathagata, the World-honored One.

Shakyamuni turned to Ananda and said that this was not the right way to pay homage to him. The right way was for the monks and nuns of the Order and all the lay believers to trust and understand the Buddha’s Law correctly and to live in accordance with it. Then he exhorted all those present to understand and trust the law and follow it in daily life.

At this time, Shakyamuni said sternly to Upavana, an arhat who was in front fanning him, “Brother, stand aside. Do not stand in front of me.” Finding this command odd, Ananda said to Shakyamuni, “World-honored One, the venerable Upavana has long been your faithful follower and attendant. Why do you order him away at this final moment?”

Then Shakyamuni said, “Ananda, many gods from the universe, the worlds of the ten directions, have gathered here to see the last hour of the Tathagata. Many great gods are gathered here for twelve leagues around the twin sala trees. And they murmur, ‘In the last watches of this night, one of the rare Tathagatas to appear in this world must die. We have come from afar to see the last moments of the Tathagata, but a powerful monk stands in front of him blocking our view.’ ”

This … story, too, reveals Shakyamuni’s supernatural ability to see things—in this case, divinities—that were invisible to his followers and other ordinary human beings.