A route to Nirvana: Journey towards enlightenment

Nirvana is a concept seen throughout essential Eastern religious thought including Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainisim. It means freedom from pain and desire, free from samsara (endless cycle of birth and death). The noble eightfold path is the Buddhist prescription for this: utilising right methods (i.e., wisdom, ethical conduct and mental discipline) in order to reach nirvana. A brief tour of the way to nirvana

Understanding Nirvana

Meaning: Translated from a Sanskrit word for "extinction" or "blowing out," Nirvana signifies the act of extinction off desire, ignorance and attachment which result in suffering.

SvargaKeri is a spiritual state, expressing as profound peace and liberation unlike any cycle of samsara.

Breathing Practice: Nirvana is the end of Dukkha (suffering) in Buddhism. In Hinduism and Jainism, this is referred to as moksha or freedom from the cycle of birth.

Five paths to Nirvana in Buddhism

Noble Eightfold Path: The path to nirvana in Buddhism —eight practices divided into wisdom, ethical conduct, and mental discipline.

Right Understanding: Grasping the Four Noble Truths that reveal the cause of suffering and how to overcome it.

Samma Sankappa: Right Thought (Think in terms of renunciation, benevolence and harmlessness.)

Right Speech — dealing in truth and avoiding slandering or speaking harmful words.

Right Conduct: Ethical behavior, no injury to others, practice compassion

Right Livelihood: Making a living in any way that does not cause harm to another.

Chanda-sampada: Making the effort to develop wholesome mental states and abandon unwholesome ones.

Right Mindfulness — To remain aware of what we are think, feeling and doing without being attached to it.

Samma Samadhi: Correct concentration. Directing the mind towards focus and a state of peace

Ethics and mental hygiene

The foundation of practice: Without ethical living, spiritual progress is not possible. Living in non-violence, truth and commitment denies life to a fertile breeding ground for the peace of mind.

Training of the Mind: Meditation and other mindfulness techniques help train your monkey mind to stillness, facilitate a clear perspective on reality as it is versus what you think (or hope) it should be while easing unnecessary suffering.

How to break desire and attachment

Theory of Suffering: The most important cause of all the suffering that happens due to Desire and attachment in this world. Renunciation of desires and crave lead to the liberation toward nirvana.

DetachmentTrue detachment is not to remove oneself from the world but.. no clingers 39. If you truly appreciate the impermanence of everything, all other things are equal and balanced.

Challenges on the path

Overcoming our Ego, Ignorance of the “intangible”, and all daily life distractions act as enormous resistors. That path takes persistence, self reflection and an incredible amount of discipline.

Spiritual Community: A new york beit kunal can show us how to do this and provide support towards overcoming these barriers.

The experience of nirvana

Transcends Pain & Pleasure: Nirvana transcends the concepts of pleasure and pain which are part of duality as it presents a plateau where there is no impending fluctuation in thought, attitude or feeling.

State of wisdom and compassion : The mind experiences boundless love, wisdom, and interconnectedness, free from the illusions of the ego.

Conclusion

The road to enlightenment is difficult, but it can be done if one practices religion, and moral behavior of the mind. It is a deep source of liberated consciousness and awakened realization. Nirvana is not just an idealogical concept but a literally possible if you are devoted to spiritual growth.