NIRVANA

 What is it?

Nirvana is the ultimate goal of all Buddhist practices. In Theravada Buddhism, it is seen as a state beyond space and time, while in Zen or Mahayana traditions, it is synonymous with realizing one's innate Buddha nature. The first describing a physical experience, while the latter, wisdom.

 It is also known as enlightenment and awakening. There is a lot of unnecessary confusion on these terms, Bodhidharma, the first patriarch of Zen said scriptures and too much thinking are not the way to lberation or Nirvana.

Gautama Buddha attained Nirvana after six years of rigorous yoga practice and meditation. He described Nirvana as the cessation of suffering, the extinguishing of the "three fires" or "three poisons"—greed, aversion, and ignorance. It is often expected to be a profound state, of liberation and tranquility, transcending the mundane world.

How do you get it?

To achieve nirvana or to extinguish these fires, Buddha offered the Noble Eightfold Path. This path provides a practical guide to ethical and mental development with the goal of freeing individuals from attachments and delusions.

This is an important link to comprehend. Buddha identified what we can all verify easily by paying mindful attention that the poisons of greed and aversion are caused by these delusions which in turn is a result of ignorance.

 The first of the eight noble path, right view is designed to end this ignorance with the wisdom of anatta or no self. The other seven namely, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration are consequences of the right view.

What does it feel like?

Monks describe the physical sensations during nirvana as a profound state of calmness, where the mind is free from defilements and desires, leading to a sense of peace and liberation from suffering. The body functions without emotional interference, with senses detecting the environment purely through reflexes and without desire or recognition. This state is often likened to the extinguishing of a fire, representing the cessation of passions and the realization of emptiness and non-self.

Some descriptions of nirvana emphasize a sensation of oneness and unity. This state is characterized by the realization that one is not separate from anything, leading to a profound sense of interconnectedness with all things. Nirvana is also described as a state of perfect equilibrium and eternal tranquility, where the individual experiences a complete balance without residuals. It is experienced by the body and mind when the perfection of detachment from all cravings, loving kindness and generosity towards the entire interconnected universe manifests even if temporarily e.g. during meditation as samadhi.

The state is often lost soon after perhaps as early as the next breath. A permanent state of Nirvana is rare. The duration of this realised state is highly individual and can range for a few breaths for most of us to life times for what Buddhists call arahants.

As the French philosophers like Schopenhauer and Camus concluded, life’s purpose is to reach a state which has no meaning (just Nirvana).

Who gets it?

The most difficult question however remains; who gets Nirvana? Buddha refused to answer this question and it remains the major point of disagreement between Hindus and Buddhists.