There is a method that can be verified by yourself, Pathfinder: The Jhanas. It is a technique that requires purifying one’s mind of all sensual thoughts and the truth will be revealed. It is accessible to anyone regardless of their religion. Some people have achieved jhanas without knowing it. I remember Dipa Ma (1911-1989) a great anagarika woman who had developed all the jhanas, arupavacara samapatti and iddhi powers. However, she said she sometimes lost them. With practice, she redeveloped them in a few days. That means they are anariyas jhanas. One of her students said that Dipa Ma developed the ability to travel to the past to listen to sermons that Lord Buddha gave on various occasions. It strengthened his faith in Lord Buddha. Of course, we may doubt this, but let us not forget that the abilities of the jhanas are impossible to know in full, for those who are not Lord Buddhas. This is to say that there are Iddhis that certain practitioners develop that we were unaware of. Jhanas are some excellent means of verification.
Mendicants, these four things are unthinkable. They should not be thought about, and anyone who tries to think about them will go mad or get frustrated.
“Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, acinteyyāni, na cintetabbāni; yāni cintento ummādassa vighātassa bhāgī assa.
What four?
Katamāni cattāri?
The scope of the Buddhas …
Buddhānaṁ, bhikkhave, buddhavisayo acinteyyo, na cintetabbo;
yaṁ cintento ummādassa vighātassa bhāgī assa.
The scope of one in absorption (jhanas or arupavacara samapatti)…
Jhāyissa, bhikkhave, jhānavisayo acinteyyo, na cintetabbo;
yaṁ cintento ummādassa vighātassa bhāgī assa.
The results of deeds …
Kammavipāko, bhikkhave, acinteyyo, na cintetabbo;
yaṁ cintento ummādassa vighātassa bhāgī assa.
Speculation about the world …
Lokacintā, bhikkhave, acinteyyā, na cintetabbā;
yaṁ cintento ummādassa vighātassa bhāgī assa.
These are the four unthinkable things. They should not be thought about, and anyone who tries to think about them will go mad or get frustrated.”
Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri acinteyyāni, na cintetabbāni; yāni cintento ummādassa vighātassa bhāgī assā”ti.
