➥ iddhi-pāda: 'roads to power' (or success) are the 4 following qualities, “for as guides, they indicate the road to power connected therewith; and because they form, by way of preparation, the roads to the power constituting the fruition of the path” (Visuddhi Magga XII), namely: “concentration of intention (chanda-samādhi) accompanied by effort of will (padhāna-saṅkhāra-samannāgata), concentration of energy (viriya-samādhi) … concentration of consciousness (citta-samādhi) … and concentration of investigation (vimaṅsa-samādhi) accompanied by effort of will.” As such, they are supermundane (lokuttara, i.e. connected with the path or the fruition of the path; see ariyapuggala) But they are mundane (see lokiya) as predominant factors (adhipati; see paccaya 3), for it is said: “Because the monk, through making intention a predominant factor, reaches concentration, it is called the concentration of intention (chanda-samādhi), etc.” (Visuddhi Magga XII).

“These 4 roads of power lead to the attaining and acquiring of magical power, to the power of magical transformation, to the generation of magical power, and to mastery and skill therein” Paṭisambhidāmagga II. 205, PTS

For a detailed explanation, see Visuddhi Magga XII.

“Once the monk has thus developed and often practised the 4 roads to power, he enjoys various magical powers, … hears with the divine ear heavenly and human sounds, … perceives with his mind the mind of other beings … remembers many a former existence … perceives with the divine eye beings passing away and reappearing, … attains, after the extinction of cankers, deliverance of mind and deliverance through wisdom, free from. cankers…. (SN 51.2).

For a detailed explanation of these 6 higher powers, see abhiññā.

“Whosoever, o monks, has missed the 4 roads to power, he has missed the right path leading to the extinction of suffering; but whosoever, o monks, has reached the 4 roads to power, he has reached the right path leading to the extinction of suffering” SN 51.2

See the chapter on Iddhipāda in The Requisites of Enlightenment by Ledi Sayadaw (Wheel 169/172).