Many of us have an idea of nirvana, very vague and also powdered with a touch of fate. The name of the eponymous group, whose history was remembered for its tragedy, is known to representatives of European religions more than the goal of life of every Buddhist. Our worldview casts a shadow on the concept of nirvana, which we often interpret as emptiness and the state of "nothing" (and this is not surprising, because the word itself is translated from Sanskrit and fell like "extinction").
Meanwhile, for any Buddhist, the state of nirvana is perfection, which is achieved by liberation. Karmic bonds open, freeing oneself from suffering, pain, desires. The latter sounds somewhat unusual for us, however, a person who has reached nirvana does not feel the influence of his own desires on the events of life. Mental passions and the pain of dreams can not cause even a weak ripple on the mirror-like calm surface of life.
Types of Nirvana
In different sources, you can trace 3 main types of nirvana:
- mental. This is a short-term state of nirvana, which is familiar to each of us. Surely you sometimes caught yourself for a moment of surprising rest and even enlightenment. This can be called mental nirvana;
- life. The vital nirvana is achieved by man, while his soul is in the body. This allows you to interrupt the circle of reincarnations and brings it to the next form;
- the eternal. One who has achieved nirvana in life after the destruction of the physical body (in other words, after death) achieves the state of nirvana eternal.
How to achieve nirvana?
The question of how to enter the state of vital nirvana is given to every Buddhist - after all, this is, in fact, the purpose of his life. It is impossible to come to liberation after (if you do not aspire to it), you will not have time to attain nirvana in this life - you will have to live next, with all its sufferings and vicissitudes.
To begin with, it is important to understand the very meaning of freedom that the state of nirvana gives us. This is freedom, in the first place, from all dependencies. Earthly attachments make us vulnerable and in any case doomed to suffering. After all, we will inevitably lose something,
The gradual extinction of worldly desires is possible due to many practices, both Buddhist and non-Buddhist schools. Meditation, hypnosis, prayer - everyone is looking for their own way. None of them guarantees the result, only the person himself is able to open his infinite circle of reincarnations. Many people are afraid of the idea of some "insensitivity", the willingness to become free comes not to each of us. Therefore, you must come to this decision consciously and calmly, in order to try to cut the umbilical cord connecting you with endless reincarnations with a solid hand.