Eight supernatural powers of transformation, characteristics of every Buddha: (1) to shrink self or others, or the world and all things to an atom; (2) to enlarge ditto to fill all space; (3) to make the same light as a feather; (4) to make the same any size or anywhere at will; (5) everywhere and in everything to be omnipotent; (6) to be anywhere at will, either by self-transportation, or bringing the destination to himself, etc; (7) to shake all things (in the six, or eighteen ways); (8) to be one or many and at will pass through the solid or through space, or through fire or water, or transform the four elements at will, e.g. turn earth into water. Also 八神變; 八自在.

A Dictionary of Chinese Buddhist Terms, William Edward Soothill and Lewis Hodous

又名八神變，或八自在，即能小、能大、能輕、能自在、能有主、能遠至、能動、隨意。

陳義孝編, 竺摩法師鑑定, 《佛學常見辭彙》

（名數）智度論謂為八神變。涅槃經謂為八自在。八神變者，一、能小，以變化力使自他身及世界等為極小微塵也。二、能大，以變化力使自他身及世界等滿於極大虛空也。三、能輕，以變化力使自他身及世界等如極輕鴻毛也。四、能自在，以變化力使大小長短等轉化自在也。五、能有主，以變化力自化為大人小人，而心無高下，降伏一切，攝受一切也。六、能遠至，以變化力能到遠處。凡有四種：一、飛行遠至，二、此沒彼出，三、移遠而近，不往而到，四、於一念遍到十方。七、能動，以變化力使大地為六種震動或十八種震動也。八、隨意，以變化力而能一身多身山壁直過，履水火，蹈虛空，轉四大，使地作水，使石作金等，悉得如意之所欲也（八自在我大同小異）。玄義釋籤四曰：「大論名八神變，大經名八自在我。言神變者，無而忽有，有而忽無。言自在者，不謀而運，一切無礙。故與大論義同而名小異。」

丁福保《佛學大辭典》