The Nine Powers

In various Buddhist and esoteric traditions, lists of spiritual “powers” or strengths appear to describe the qualities that develop as the practitioner matures along the path. The Nine Powers are sometimes referenced as attributes that strengthen the mind and heart, providing stability and support for both concentration and insight.

While different traditions may enumerate these powers differently, they generally include:

• Faith (*saddhā*): Confidence in the path, the teachings, and one’s capacity for liberation.
• Energy (*viriya*): Consistent, balanced effort in practice.
• Mindfulness (*sati*): Continuous present-moment awareness.
• Concentration (*samādhi*): Unification of mind, steady and stable attention.
• Wisdom (*paññā*): Insight into the true nature of reality — impermanence, suffering, and non-self.
• Patience (*khanti*): The ability to endure discomfort and hardship with equanimity.
• Truthfulness (*sacca*): Integrity and honesty, inwardly and outwardly.
• Determination (*adhiṭṭhāna*): Resolute commitment to the path despite obstacles.
• Loving-kindness (*mettā*): Boundless goodwill toward all beings.

These powers act as inner supports, protecting the practitioner from falling into extremes of laziness, doubt, agitation, or despair. When cultivated together, they create a balanced foundation for deepening insight, ensuring that practice is sustainable and not overwhelmed by transient emotional states or external circumstances.

Importantly, these powers are not supernatural abilities but deeply human qualities accessible to all who walk the path with sincerity. As they mature, they transform not only the practitioner’s inner world but radiate outward in compassionate presence and skillful action.

“When these strengths are firmly established, no wind of delusion can uproot the heart.”
— Buddhist commentarial teaching