The meaning of the word nirvana. Achievement of nirvana. N. Nepomniachtchi.100 great mysteries of India. History of ancient Eurasia

The Four Noble Truths can be said to be the essence of Buddhism and tell what to do with the suffering of people. These truths say that the life of living beings is full of various sufferings, and these sufferings have a beginning (cause) and an end, and you can reach nirvana to end this suffering. The Noble Eightfold Path describes in detail what needs to be done to achieve nirvana. In other words, the Four Noble Truths describe the sickness of human existence, while the Eightfold Path provides the recipe for healing. Understanding the truths and walking the path will allow you to achieve peace and happiness in this life.

Steps

Part 1

Meditate regularly. Meditation is the key to the working of the mind and allows you to get closer to nirvana. Meditation should be part of your Everyday life. You can learn to meditate on your own, but the teacher will always guide you and let you master the technique correctly. It is possible to meditate alone, but meditation in a group under the guidance of a teacher will bring about big fruits.

• You cannot reach nirvana without meditation. Meditation allows you to better understand yourself and the world around you.

1. Practice right view. The Buddhist teachings (i.e. the Four Noble Truths) can be said to be the lens through which you must look at the world. If you cannot accept the teaching, then you cannot reach nirvana. Right view and right understanding are the basis of the path. See the world realistically, not the way you would like it to be. You must strive to know reality in its entirety, through the lens of objectivity. It requires you to research, study and learn.

   Have the right intentions. Aim to develop behaviors that are consistent with your belief system. Act as if all life deserves compassion and love. This should apply both to yourself and to other living beings. Reject selfish, cruel, or hateful thoughts. Love and non-violence should be your main principle.

   • Show love to all beings (humans, animals and even plants), regardless of their status. For example, treat the rich and the poor with equal respect. Representatives of all professions, races, ethnic groups and ages should be equal for you.

2. Follow correct speech. The third step is right speech. Practicing correct speech, you must not lie, spread slander, gossip, or speak rudely. Speak only kind and truthful words. Your words should inspire and delight others. Knowing when to be silent and not say anything is very important.

   • Practice correct speech every day.

3. Behave right. Your actions depend on what is in your heart and mind. Be kind to yourself and other people. Do not spoil life and do not steal. Live a peaceful life and help others to live also. Be honest when interacting with other people. For example, don't cheat or mislead others to get what you want.

   • Your presence and actions should be positive and improve the lives of others and society as a whole.

4. Choose the right lifestyle. Choose a profession or activity in accordance with your beliefs. Do not do work that harms other people, kills animals, or cheats. Selling weapons or drugs, working in a slaughterhouse are not in line with the right way of life. Whatever job you choose, you must do it honestly.

   • For example, if you work in sales, don't cheat or lie to people who buy your product.

5. Practice right effort. Put the right effort into everything you do to succeed. Rid your mind of negative thoughts and focus on positive thoughts. Do everything with interest (go to school, pursue a career, make friends, pursue hobbies, etc.). Constantly practice positive thinking as it doesn't always happen naturally. This will prepare your mind for the practice of mindfulness. Here are the four principles of right effort:

   Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness allows you to see reality and things as they are. The four foundations of mindfulness are the contemplation of the body, feelings, states of mind, and phenomena. When you are aware, you are in the present moment and open to any experience. You are focused on the present, not the past or the future. Be mindful of your body, your feelings, your thoughts, your ideas, and everything around you.

   • Living in the present frees you from desire.
   • Mindfulness also means being mindful of feelings, emotions and physical condition other people.

6. Focus on your mind. Right concentration is the ability to concentrate your mind on one object and not be distracted by extraneous influences. Walking the entire path will allow you to learn to concentrate. Your mind will be focused and not filled with stress and anxiety. You will have good relationship with yourself and with the whole world. Right concentration allows you to see clearly, that is, to see the true essence.

   • Concentration is like awareness. However, when you concentrate, you are not aware of all the feelings and sensations. For example, if you are focused on an exam, you are only focused on the process of taking the exam. If you practiced mindfulness during an exam, you would be able to feel your emotions while taking the exam, see other people's actions, or see how you sit during the exam.

   Part 2

   How to reach nirvana in everyday life

   1. Practice loving kindness (metta bhavana)."Metta" means unromantic love, kindness and friendliness. These feelings come from the heart and can be cultivated and practiced. Usually practice includes five stages. If you are a beginner, try to give each step five minutes.

      • Step 1: Feel "metta" towards yourself. Focus on feelings of peace, calmness, strength and confidence. You can say to yourself: "May I be healthy and happy."
      • Step 2: Think about your friends and all the people you like. Repeat the phrase: "May they be healthy, may they be happy."
      • Step 3: Think of those people you don't have any feelings for (neutral attitude) and mentally send "metta" to them.
      • Step 4: Think about the people you don't like. Instead of thinking about why you don't like them and cultivating hate thoughts, send them metta.
      • Stage 5: In the last stage, think about all people, about each individual and about yourself. Send "metta" to people in your city, region, country and people around the world.

   2. Practice mindful breathing. This type of meditation will teach you to concentrate and focus on your thoughts. Through this meditation, you will learn how to practice mindfulness, relax and get rid of anxiety. Sit in a position that is comfortable for you. The back should be straight and relaxed, the shoulders should be relaxed and slightly thrown back. Place your hands on a pillow or on your knees. When you find a comfortable and correct position, start the practice. It consists of several stages. Give each step at least 5 minutes.

      Support and inspire others. The ultimate goal of Buddhism is the attainment inner peace and sharing that experience with other people. Achieving nirvana will be beneficial not only for you, but for the whole world. You must become a source of support and inspiration for others. It's very simple - how to hug and support someone at a time when a person feels down. If the person is important to you or does something nice for you, tell them how you feel. Let people know how grateful you are and how much you appreciate them. If someone has had a bad day, listen, let that person talk.

      Remember compassion for people. Your happiness is directly related to the happiness of other people. The manifestation of compassion brings joy to all people. There are many ways to practice compassion:

      • turn off cellular telephone when spending time with friends or family.
      • Look other people in the eye, especially when talking to you, listen without interrupting.
      • Do volunteer work.
      • Open doors for other people.
      • Be empathetic towards other people. For example, if someone is upset, pay attention to it and try to understand the reasons. Offer your help. Listen and show care.

   3. Remember mindfulness. As you practice mindfulness, you must pay attention to what you are thinking and feeling in this moment. Mindfulness should be practiced not only during meditation, but also in everyday life. For example, be mindful while eating, showering, or dressing. Start by practicing mindfulness during one a certain kind activities, focusing on the sensations in your body and on your breath.

      • If you want to practice mindfulness while eating, then focus on the taste, texture, and smell of the food you are eating.
      • When washing dishes, pay attention to the temperature of the water, how your hands act when you wash dishes, and how the water rinses the dishes.
      • Instead of listening to music or watching TV while you get dressed and get ready for school or work, prepare yourself to do it in silence. Follow your feelings. Do you feel tired or full of energy when you get out of bed? How do you feel in your body when you shower or get dressed?

   Part 3

   Four noble truths

   1. Define suffering. The Buddha describes suffering differently than we are used to thinking about it. Suffering is an essential part of life. Dukkha is the truth that all living beings suffer. We are accustomed to using the word suffering to describe conditions such as illness, aging, injury, physical or emotional pain. But the Buddha describes suffering differently: he describes it as mainly unfulfilled desires and craving (attachment) to something. Desires and attachments are the cause of suffering because people rarely feel satisfied or satisfied. As soon as one desire is satisfied, a new desire appears, and this is a vicious circle.

      Find the causes of suffering. Desire and ignorance are the root of suffering. Unfulfilled desires are the worst type of suffering. For example, if you are sick, you are suffering. When you are sick, you want to feel better. Your unsatisfied desire to be healthy is much heavier than the discomfort caused by illness. Every time you desire something (a thing, an opportunity, a person, or an achievement), something that you cannot get, you suffer. The path to nirvana must be based on three ideas. First, you must have the right intentions and mindset. Secondly, you must live with the right intentions and thoughts every day. Finally, you must understand the true reality and have the right attitude towards all things.

   • Your personal path to enlightenment may be different from the path of other people: as each snowflake is unique, so is the path of each person. Practice what you like, feels natural or right.
   • Try different methods of meditation, because meditation is just a tool or method that you use along the way. To achieve the goal, various tools can be useful.
   • Nirvana is achieved when the misconception about the existence of oneself and everything else ceases. There is various methods reach this state. None of them are right or wrong, better or worse. Sometimes reaching nirvana is possible by chance, and sometimes it takes a lot of time and effort.
   • No one else knows what your path is, but sometimes the teacher can tell you where to go. Most teachers/traditions/sects are very strongly attached to the described path of enlightenment, and one of the main obstacles to this enlightenment is this attachment to an opinion/point of view. You must not forget the irony along the way.
   • Individual practice is essential to achieve nirvana. The role of a teacher is to help you grow and become spiritually self-reliant. The role of the teacher is not to create codependency and regression to an infantile state, but on the contrary. Unfortunately, the former happens very, very often.
   • Achieving nirvana is probably not easy. This may take a long time. Even if you think it's impossible, keep trying.
   • You can practice Buddhism on your own, but you are more likely to achieve b about Greater success if you go to the temple and find a teacher. Do not rush to choose, but trust your own intuition - even if it takes time to find the right teacher, you will only get benefits. There are good teachers and there are not so good ones. Search the Internet for temples, groups (sanghas) or teachers, and find out what they say about them and their teachings.
   • The Eightfold Path is non-linear. This is the journey you take every day.
   • Find what you like and dedicate yourself to it.
   • Don't forget for a moment the benefits of enlightenment. Remind yourself of them constantly and let it motivate you.
   • There are doubts along the way.
   • Awakening may fade, but knowledge cannot be lost.
   • Awakenings remain, over time they become deeper.
   • Awakenings often occur during major personal crises.
   • Concentrate on practice and perhaps you will achieve your goal. It is worth concentrating on the goal, and practice will not give results.
   • Search online for groups or courses to teach awakening meditation. You will surely find many useful resources.
   • Nirvana can be achieved through any spiritual or religious practices, even if these practices deny the existence of nirvana. There is plenty of evidence for this. For example, very often the followers of Christianity say that they have been enlightened, that God has revealed truths to them, and the like.

Almost everyone has heard the sonorous word “nirvana” in one context or another, but not everyone knows that this is not only the name of a cult rock band that left a bright mark on musical culture of the last century, but also a sacred term, which is one of the most important concepts in Eastern spiritual practices.

The level of a person’s culture is also manifested in his erudition, so even if you are not a fan of Eastern philosophy, knowing about the meaning of the word “nirvana” will definitely not become superfluous.

What is nirvana?

Translated from Sanskrit, the word "nirvana" means "cessation, extinction" . Sanskrit is one of the ancient Indian languages, in which the legendary sages expounded their teachings, who stood at the origins of numerous philosophical teachings and spiritual practices of the East.

In Western culture, the words "cessation" and "fading" are more negative than constructive, but Eastern culture radically different from what we are used to. Achieving nirvana is a desirable goal for everyone, as well as for adherents of some other Indian religious and philosophical teachings.

There are many definitions of nirvana, but they all agree that nirvana is liberation from the suffering inherent in samsara. That is, in this case we are talking about the cessation and extinction of suffering and delusions, and in this, you see, there is absolutely nothing wrong.

In the Buddhist tradition, nirvana is:

- liberation from the circle of rebirths;

- freedom from suffering, desires and attachments;

- a state in which consciousness is at rest;

— the highest goal aspirations in the early schools of Buddhism (in modern schools nirvana is only an intermediate step to reach higher stages of enlightenment).


Buddhists call nirvana a special state in which consciousness in the usual sense of the word, as it were, fades away, acquiring a fundamentally different quality that allows you to completely free the mind from illusions, making it suitable for perception. absolute truth. The flow of thoughts stops, the illusory world loses its power over a person, and the true essence of things and concepts becomes obvious without any explanation.

In the state of nirvana, the human consciousness comes into complete harmony with the surrounding universe, while there is simply no room for worries and anxieties, which is why we can say that nirvana is a state of absolute happiness.

When there are no passions, desires and attachments left in the soul, nothing else can cause it suffering or anxiety. Nirvana is not a legend, many enlightened people are able to come into this state at will.

What is the path to achieving nirvana?

The way to achieve nirvana is to cleanse your own consciousness of everything superfluous with the help of regular meditation. Nirvana is a very real state, familiar to many adherents of Eastern religions firsthand, but it is rather difficult to describe it in words, for the simple reason that in the state of nirvana, the concepts and terms familiar to us lose all meaning, and the sensations experienced in nirvana do not have no meaning and explanation in the context of our usual thoughts and words.

There is an ancient parable that aptly illustrates the above. In one lake there lived a turtle. Most she spent time in the water, where she was friends with the fish inhabiting the lake. But sometimes the turtle went ashore to do its business, and the fish were very surprised, not understanding where it was disappearing to.

All their lives, the fish have not seen anything but the lake in which they lived, so for them it was the whole universe, and they simply could not imagine something outside of it.

Sometimes they asked the turtle where she was going and where she was returning from, then she honestly answered them that she was on the shore, but this word did not mean anything to the fish, they could not imagine how anything could exist in the world other than the water around them and the objects in it, the words "to walk along the shore" sounded to them a meaningless set of sounds.

The fish about which in question in the parable, they simply did not have the opportunity to leave the lake and take a walk along the shore. Human possibilities are wider. Even though nirvana cannot be described understandable words, it can be reached and felt. A necessary condition for achieving nirvana is to stop the so-called "inner dialogue".

In the human mind, a process is almost constantly going on, which in essence is a dialogue with oneself. Even when it seems to us that we are not thinking about anything, our consciousness is still quietly whispering to itself, it continues to ask itself questions and answer them. There are meditation techniques that allow you to stop this dialogue and experience inner silence. It is in this silence that the entrance to nirvana is found.


By stopping the internal dialogue, a person opens his mind to new sensations, for which in the normal state he simply does not have the resources. Having learned from own will stop the internal dialogue, you will come close to nirvana, but it is not possible to describe in understandable words the last step to achieving it, since the whole world familiar to us is a “lake”, and nirvana is beyond it.

In order to learn how to fall into nirvana, it is best to find an experienced guide who knows the way back and forth, independent attempts can be dangerous, because a fish thrown ashore does not always manage to return back without outside help.

Nirvana... The meaning of the word has become synonymous with a relaxed, blissful state. This is a term whose distorted interpretation has entered the lexicon of people suffering from drug addiction. The idea of ​​it as euphoria is not really true. The concept of "nirvana" is one of the most complex in Buddhism. Precise definition even the famous Buddha Shakyamuni could not give him.

Everyone at least once heard the expression "go to nirvana." What does that mean? Usually, this phrase means some incredibly pleasant state filled with endless bliss, even, one might say, the peak of pleasure. It is believed that you can fall into nirvana for any reason, for example, from listening to your favorite music, from eating delicious food, from being close to your loved one. In fact, this opinion is erroneous. So what is nirvana and what is it for? Let's try to figure it out.

Mentions of Nirvana

Of course, Buddha Shakyamuni himself spoke about nirvana (the literal translation of the name is “the sage, the awakened Shakya family”) - the founder of Buddhism, the legendary spiritual teacher. He referred to it as a state of cessation of suffering, obscurations and attachments of the mind. The thing is that Shakyamuni did not characterize the state of nirvana even once as positive. He spoke only about what it is not.

A well-known Soviet religious scholar, Torchinov Evgeny Alekseevich, expressed a certain opinion regarding the Buddha and nirvana. The scientist concluded that the sage in relation to nirvana kept a noble silence. Torchinov summarized: "Nirvana is a state that goes fundamentally beyond the boundaries of empirical knowledge and the language that describes it."

What is nirvana in Buddhism?

Nirvana, or nibbana, is considered the highest happiness in Buddhism. But in this case, it should not be interpreted as a joyful excitement, familiar to us in earthly existence. By absolute happiness, Buddhists mean the absence of suffering that a person constantly experiences in Samsara. This term denotes the cycle of life, limited by karma.

Nirvana is described in Buddhism as something indefinite, the opposite of Samsara. She, in turn, is considered the world of delusions, passions, attachments, and hence the resulting suffering. If one purifies oneself of the listed factors, then the “enlightened one” can fully experience what nirvana is and become liberated both from physical body, and from ideas, desires and consciousness in general. In Buddhism, this state is not considered an absolute, union with God, since in this case it would mean the continuation of the passion for life.

Peace or nonexistence?

Does the above mean that nirvana is a state of complete non-existence? This is not entirely true. Despite the fact that researchers and teachers of Buddhism still argue about the correct interpretation of the concept of "nirvana", most of them still agree that this is not the state that means complete disappearance all living things. In their understanding, this is just peace of mind, freedom from passions, conflicts and tension. Some of the teachers interpret nirvana as follows - it does not have life itself (desires, thoughts, movements), which is implied in Samsara, but its potential, energy is present. It's about the same as if there were dry firewood and matches, then there would be a potential for kindling a flame, a hidden possibility of fire.

Another type of nirvana in Buddhism

Everything that was said above refers to the nirvana of stay, or, as it is also called, the great one. Those who manage to achieve this state are in complete peace.

Also in Buddhism, there is another version of this concept - the nirvana of non-absence. The practices by which it is achieved give up the state of complete rest in order to help individuals in Samsara and guide other practitioners. Usually such people with consciousness in the stage of awakening are called only bodhisattvas. What is nirvana for them? This is the ability to generate compassion in one's own soul to an incredibly large degree and to help everyone who turns to them for any help.

Bodhisattvas: display in culture

Bodhisattvas are mentioned in prayers and depicted on different types thang (traditional Tibetan patterns on fabric). The most famous of all in existence is the compassionate and seeing Avalokiteshvara. According to legend, at the moment when this bodhisattva was able to achieve enlightenment, he saw how much suffering those who remained in Samsara experienced. Avalokiteshvara was so amazed by this sight that his head was torn into eleven pieces by the pain. But other enlightened ones were able to help him. They collected and brought the head to its original state. From that time on, Avalokiteshvara began to teach others how to achieve nirvana. In this way, he helped them get rid of excruciating suffering.

Achieving the Enlightened State

Can everyone reach nirvana creature? Answer this question difficult. If this were achievable, then suffering would disappear as a concept altogether. The Buddha said that he was not able to relieve everyone completely from suffering with such ease as removing a thorn from a leg. And it is not in his power to wash away bad karma from everyone as simply as dirt is washed off with water. He only offered to release from suffering, pointing out the right way. Presumably, such a path is very long for everyone and can last, undergoing hundreds and even thousands of rebirths until a person purifies his karma and frees his mind from the obscurations that torment him completely. However, according to the teachers of Buddhism, any living being has the nature of the Buddha, and therefore the possibility of achieving enlightenment.

What is nirvana and the opinion of esotericists

Most esotericists know what nirvana is and somehow understand the meaning of this concept. It is generally accepted that this is the goal of most Buddhists. But some of the young esotericists do not attribute nirvana to Buddhism and call some states from the present life by this term. Thus, they mislead many people. Therefore, it should be noted what nirvana is and what it really is not.

1. This is the place of existence for some representatives of humanity after death. This opinion is shared by a small number of people who have achieved liberation, that is, a state that is not quite correctly called enlightenment, and who have decided to leave Samsara on their own.
2. Nirvana - what does this concept mean? It is an exclusively Buddhist term. Outside of this culture, nirvana has no meaning. It is not a trance, not a state of happiness or bliss. In essence, nirvana cannot be accessed by living people.

Questionable opinions about nirvana

Many skeptics claim that everything we hear and know about nirvana, apart from the above, is fantasy and speculation. Buddhism claims that the whole life of a person and his state after death, all rebirths are the Great Wheel of Samsara. Even bodhisattvas are in it. That is, if a person is alive, then he is in Samsara - no options. Those who left it do not return - this postulate is a fundamental concept in Buddhism. For this reason, any living person does not, in principle, have reliable information about nirvana and cannot know anything about it. Since this concept is absolutely ephemeral, there is not a single proof of its existence. Thus, we can conclude that our knowledge of nirvana cannot be verified.

What is the truth about nirvana?

Nirvana is the abstract, speculative antithesis for Samsara, which is known and can even be explored. These two concepts are still not considered antonyms. If those who live permanently in Samsara suffer from time to time, then in nirvana - no one ever. It may be true, but it has not been proven by anything, it is just an assumption.

It is believed that the Buddha said that nirvana is a world without suffering, a state complete harmony etc. Or maybe such a conclusion did not sound? In the codes of his sayings (sutras) there are the words "I heard that." There is only one goal here - not to make these aphorisms immutable true, which is not disputed (by dogmas). A person is given the opportunity to doubt the accuracy of the statements, because the narrator could misunderstand or forget something from what he heard.

Looking for answers

Such an approach of the Buddha to the sutras could presumably incline Buddhists to independently search for an answer to the question: "Nirvana - what is it?", to a rational, skeptical perception of ideas in Buddhism. Subsequently, they can be checked repeatedly. But after all, such an approach is unacceptable for nirvana - a person is not able to penetrate beyond the limits of possible understanding and see what is happening there. You have to either fantasize, or complete this useless exercise completely.

If you look, for a Buddhist, nirvana is a kind of filter, an obstacle. Those who wish to get into it cannot do so, since the fact of striving for it is the essence of the manifestation of restless desires and mind. In this case, a person is in Samsara, but not in nirvana. The entrance to it is closed for him. In the same way, the desire to break out of Samsara is a sign of confusion and closes the gate to nirvana.

Is it possible to make contact with the inhabitants of nirvana?

Alternatively, one could (theoretically) use the services of a medium and try to communicate with someone who is in nirvana. But its inhabitants, in fact, should not even have the desire, much less any reason to answer questions, even if they are asked by a bodhisattva. Their desires and mind should have been calm for a long time. Even if it were possible to get into nirvana, then asking a question to those in it is a problematic task. There is a law of resonance - in order to reach them, you must completely calm your desires and mind. Accordingly, the inclination to ask a question is also suppressed. In general, this is impossible.

And yet, most Buddhists are eager to learn how to reach nirvana. This is the purpose of their practices. It is clear that nirvana is incomparable with anything and has no common features with a paradise inherent in the religion of the Christians, or another kind of rewarding existence after death. This is not part of Samsara.

Nirvana - goal or inevitability?

From the entire Buddhist theory of nirvana, we can conclude that after a person leaves Samsara, he simply has nowhere to go. Therefore, after liberation from the Great Wheel, there is only one road - to nirvana. Therefore, it makes no sense to want to get into it as such. After all, sooner or later everyone should be in nirvana. And this is despite the fact that it will take some quite a long time to be able to leave Samsara.

It also makes no sense to want to understand what nirvana is. After all, it will be possible to feel everything when you already get into it. And the desire to know as much as possible about it is a manifestation of confusion and prevents the coming of enlightenment.

Conscious rejection of nirvana

It is voluntarily abandoned by people - bodhisattvas. They achieve liberation, but still prefer to remain in the wheel of Samsara. But at the same time, a bodhisattva can change his mind and go into nirvana. For example, Shakyamuni was a bodhisattva during his lifetime. And after he died, he became a Buddha and moved into nirvana.

For the most part, the idea of ​​such a refusal is the desire to help every living being achieve liberation. But to some, this explanation seems dubious. In this case, one question arises - if the bodhisattva was not yet in nirvana (since he is alive, and it is inaccessible to him), how can he know what is happening there?

Nirvana in music

For some, the term "nirvana" means an uplifted state, akin to enlightenment. There are also people who consider it a place of final peace. But millions of music fans understand this word only as the name of the famous band. The Nirvana group completely turned the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe status of rock stars in the 90s of the 20th century. She was one of the unique representatives of the underground on the stage. Nirvana also found its fans among punks, moshers, thrashers, fans of alternative rock music and the traditional mainstream. It was the name that was one of the problems when creating the group. After many options were offered, bandleader Kurt Cobain settled on Nirvana as something good, as opposed to the usual rock, evil labels.

Dictionary Ushakov

Nirvana

nirva on, nirvana, pl. No, female (Skt. nirvâna - disappearance, extinction) ( books.). Buddhists have a blissful state of the soul, freed from the suffering of personal existence.

| Death, non-existence poet.).

Dive into nirvana unfold) - trans. surrender to a state of complete rest.

Beginnings of Modern Natural Science. Thesaurus

Nirvana

(Sanskrit - cessation) - a state of detachment, achieved during life due to the rejection of earthly aspirations. This condition makes it impossible to be born again after death. According to the teachings of the Brahmins, nirvana means the communion of the individual spirit with the absolute (Brahman).

Culturology. Dictionary-reference

Nirvana

(Skt.- fading) - the central concept of Buddhism, meaning the highest state, the goal of human aspirations. Nirvana is a special psychological state of the fullness of inner being, the absence of desires, perfect satisfaction, absolute detachment from outside world.

Bhagavad Gita. Explanatory dictionary of terms

Nirvana

Nirvana

"windlessness", "breathlessness". The concept of Nirvana is very extensible - from the meaning of simply "non-existence" to the meaning of "detachment from any manifestation of the world", the deepest introversion, the ecstasy of Being-Knowledge-Bliss.

Dictionary-Encyclopedia of Buddhism and Tibet

Nirvana

(Skt.), nibbana (Pali). In letters. sense means the absence of a web of desires (vana) connecting one life to another. The transition to the state of N. is most often compared to a flame that gradually dies out as the fuel runs out: passion (lobha), hatred (dosa), delusions (moha).

V. I. Kornev

Philosophical Dictionary (Comte-Sponville)

Nirvana

Nirvana

♦ Nirvana

In Buddhism, the name of the absolute or salvation; it is relativity itself (samsara), impermanence itself (anicca), when the barriers erected by dissatisfaction, mind and expectation of anything disappear. The ego is fading away (in Sanskrit, the word "nirvana" means "extinguishing"); everything remains, and besides everything there is nothing. The concept of nirvana means approximately the same as the concept of ataraxia in Epicurus and the concept of bliss in Spinoza, although it is considered in a different plane. Nirvana is the experience of eternity here and now.

Lem's world - dictionary and guide

Nirvana

bliss, in Buddhism - the final blissful state, the goal of existence:

* "Nomen omen! Amo, Amas, Amat, isn't it? Ars amandi [the art of love (lat.)] - not some kind of prana, tao, nirvana, gelatinous bliss, indifferent idleness and narcissism, but sensuality in its purest form , the world as an emotional attachment of molecules, already at the birth of economic and businesslike. - Repetition *

encyclopedic Dictionary

Nirvana

(Sanskrit - fading), the central concept of Buddhism and Jainism, meaning the highest state, the goal of human aspirations. In Buddhism - the psychological state of the fullness of inner being, the absence of desires, perfect satisfaction and self-sufficiency, absolute detachment from the outside world; in the course of the development of Buddhism, along with the ethical and psychological concept of nirvana, the idea of ​​it as an absolute also arises. In Jainism - the perfect state of the soul, freed from the fetters of matter, the endless game of birth and death (samsara).

Ozhegov's dictionary

NIRV BUT ON THE, s, well. In Buddhism and some other religions: a blissful state of detachment from life, liberation from life's worries and aspirations. Dive into nirvana (trans.: surrender to a state of complete rest; obsolete and bookish).

Dictionary of Efremova

Nirvana

1. well.
   1. A blissful state of detachment from life, liberation from worldly worries and aspirations (in Buddhism and some other religions).
   2. The dwelling place of souls in this state.
   3. trans. A state of peace, bliss.

Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

Nirvana

(Skt. Nirvana - extinction, disappearance, redemption, then bliss) - among Buddhists and Jains (see) the last, perfect, highest state of the human soul, characterized by absolute calmness, the absence of any passions and egoistic movements. Theoretically speaking, such a state could be achieved not only in afterlife but also in earthly existence. In reality, however, two types of N. are distinguished among Buddhists: 1) secondary, or incomplete, N. and 2) final, or absolute. The first can be achieved by everyone arhat(believers who have entered the fourth branch of the path to salvation) while still alive. This kind of . same with state jivanmukti (jî vanmakti - redemption in life), which is taught by the followers of Vedanta. It is commonly defined in Pali by the epithet upadisesa(Skt. upadhi ç esha - having a remnant of the lower layer). The second, or final, absolute N. (Skt. nir ûpadhiç esha, Pal. anupadisesa), or parinirvana, can only be attained after death. In this state, all suffering ceases, absolutely and forever. AT last sense N. can be interpreted as a highly blissful and eternal state. Logically, it follows from this that such a state must be accompanied by a complete absence of consciousness. But this consequence was not admitted by everyone, and, apparently, in the Buddhist church itself, there was ambiguity and disagreement on this score. In practice, N. is usually understood by Buddhists as a happy death, without fear of rebirth again. This definitely contradicts the news that the Buddha defeated Mara - death: but Buddhism finds a way out of this contradiction, arguing that the Buddha defeated not physical death itself, but low fear death, showing that death is the highest bliss. The concept of N. is also found in other Indian religious sects, with different shades in meaning and other names. Another term for the concept H. - nirvti(Paliysk . nibbuti ).

The literature on the issue of N. is very large, which is explained by the main meaning of this concept in the field of Buddhism. Special Studies and reasoning: M. Müller, "On the original Meaning of N." ("Budbhism and Buddhist Pilgrims", 1857); his own, "The introduclion to Buddhaphosha's Parables" (1869); Barthélé my Saint-Hilaire, "Sur le N. Bouddhique" (2nd edition of Le Bouddha et sa Religion, 1862); Childers'a "Nibb â nam", in his "Dictionary of the Pâ li Language" (L., 1876, p. 265); J. D. Alwis, "Buddhist N." (Columbo, 1871); Foucaux, in Revue bibliograph." June 15, 1874. O. Frankfurter, "Buddhist. N." and "Noble Eightfold Path" ("Journ. of the R. Asiat. Soc." 1880, vol. XII).

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Russian language dictionaries

According to the theory of Buddhism, we can say that the state of nirvana is a feeling of freedom, peace and bliss. The sense of individuality, dissolved in the whole, defies the verbal description available in the life of the ordinary mind. In an objective sense, the concept is subject to definition, just as the scent of a flower depicted on paper is felt.

Definition of Nirvana

According to Buddhism, nirvana is the highest ultimate goal of any being and person. Nir means "negation", vana - "connection that ensures the transition from one life to another." Thus, the state of nirvana is the being of a person, free from the cycles of birth due to the disappearance of suffering, attachments and desires.

Nirvana is characterized by the state of enlightenment achieved during life, when physical perception continues to shape the existence of a person, as well as the state after death, when the five types of earthly attachments are lost.

Who can achieve enlightenment?

The soul reaching enlightenment is the wrong approach to the definition of the concept of nirvana in Buddhist teachings. true path to the state of nirvana - this is liberation from the illusion of one's own self, and not from suffering. Supporters of the doctrine compare enlightenment with the extinction of fire jumping from wick to wick. And, if the flame disappears, it is not known where it burns in the present.

Nirvana is a state of happiness, consciousness without an object, liberation from all addictions, available to everyone. Enlightenment does not refer to a subjective state, but combines the possibilities of the subjective and the objective.

Supreme Nirvana

The highest nirvana - the state of the soul of the Buddha, or parinirvana, has such synonyms as amata, amarana, nitya, achala, that is, eternal, immortal, immovable, unchanging. A saint can suspend the transition to nirvana in order to help others approach it, being in a state of expectation.

Thanks to spiritual schools in Buddhism, many terms of higher states are known, synonymous with nirvana with some dominant aspect: moksha, the state of the absolute, one's own essence, absolute reality, and many others.

Ways to achieve nirvana

Three paths to the state of nirvana:

• the way of the World Teacher;
• self-development of perfection;
• the path of the silent Buddha.

Achieving the state of nirvana is very difficult, it is possible for a few chosen ones.

It is natural for people to strive, to dream, to overcome difficulties. The illusion is that a person believes in the happiness of fulfilling a desire, but everything is conditional. As a result, life turns into a pursuit of changing dreams, and the soul does not feel happy.

Consciousness and awareness

Consciousness refers to the ability to be aware - to understand what is happening and one's state, which is associated with mental abilities. But if thinking disappears, what remains? The person will perceive, but will cease to analyze.

For him, the past and the future seem to be erased, only the present remains, which is happening at the current moment. If there are no thoughts, then there are no expectations, experiences, aspirations. At the same time, a person acquires the ability to see his ego, the thinking self and to distinguish his spiritual part, monad, essence, spirit, watching the soul from the side.

Ego and the Path to Nirvana

Nirvana is the loss of personality with its thoughts, desires, feelings. Therefore, the soul itself is not capable of reaching nirvana. On this path, death awaits her. And only then does a person transform into a person of a higher order - being itself. This is the so-called process of enlightenment, freedom from mundane inclinations and passions.

What contributes to the advancement to nirvana? One should be aware of the limitations of human experience and perception, knowledge, judgments, ideas received in the process of life, which pollute the spiritual principle.

Nirvana is detachment from material assets, a state of joy and self-sufficiency, confirming one's ability to do without them. As professional achievements, status, distinctions, public opinion that distinguish the personality among people become secondary, and the ego also weakens. At the moment when the hopes and aspirations associated with the place of the ego in the material world disappear, enlightenment or rebirth occurs.

How does the state of nirvana feel?

The state of enlightenment is very pleasant to experience. And at the same time, a person is not likened to a program with a blissful expression on his face. Ideas about earthly life remain in his memory, but they cease to dominate him, remaining on the verge of a physical process. For deep essence of a renewed personality, any occupation is no different from the rest. Peace reigns within a person, and his spirit acquires perfect life.

Achieving the state of nirvana in Buddhism is associated with gaining purity from the killing of selfish nature without effort, and not its suppression. If immoral aspirations have been restrained and infringed, then they will reappear at the first opportunity. If the mind is freed from selfish impulses, the corresponding psychological states do not arise, and cleanliness is effortless.

Change levels

There are levels of change on the way to nirvana, which are characterized by the degree of successive loss of the ego and the transformation of consciousness after leaving nirvana. With each entrance there is an awakening, and with change there is a release, a release from the nature of the ego.

Levels and characteristics of the state:

1. The first level is called sotapanna, or the state of the stream-enterer, acquired after the returnee from nirvana begins to realize his state. He stays in the flow until his capacity for insight increases to the next level. It is said that the period of a stream-enterer lasts from seven lives, and during this time the soul loses the following manifestations: lust for sensuality, uncontrolled resentment, desire for gain, need for praise, greed for material things, illusory perception and interest in impermanent things, following rites, doubt about the meaning of enlightenment.
2. At the second level, the meditator is cleared of primitive desires, the intensity of feelings of attraction or aversion, his sexual desire is weakened. The state of the one who returns once again characterizes complete dispassion for everything and liberation in the current or next life.
3. The next stage is the state of the one who will not return. What is left on the previous one is destroyed. The meditator is freed from the cycle of births during his lifetime, his aversion to the negative manifestations of the world in the form of pain, shame, censure, the concept of hostility and hostility disappears. Any voluptuousness and malevolence is replaced by absolute equanimity.

Freed from social conditioning, the concept of reality, suffering, habits, pride, refusing to receive benefits, fame, pleasure, aspirations, one gains love, compassion, altruism, equanimity, purity of motives. For an arhat, reality is perceived as based on noble truths, impersonality, and happiness and suffering as two forms of one state.

Realizing the path to enlightenment, the meditator becomes available a new view of his essence: he discovers that the "ego" never belonged to him.