What Is Nirvana And How Is It Achieved?

For Buddhism, nirvana is also known as enlightenment. Legend has it that Siddhartha Gautama, or simply Buddha, was the first to achieve Nirvana after meditating under a Bodhi tree. The same legend says that it took Buddha 7 years to reach that state.

Within Buddhism, Nirvana is considered to be extreme freedom from the desires of the world and those who manage to experience it are freed from the suffering of this life. According to this culture, four progressive stages must be overcome to enter nirvana or full enlightenment: Sotapanna, Sakadagami, Anagami and Arahant. Only people who experience these four stages are considered active participants in the Buddhist community.

What is nirvana in Hinduism? For Hindus, Nirvana is a state in which a cycle of births and deaths, through which the individual acquires absolute divinity and merges with the energetic matter of the universe.

Within the same Hindu current, there are several conceptions of this term, since for the devotees of the god Vishnu Nirvana is the affirmation of the soul to serve God, even if that implies earthly suffering and then reunite with him at the end of his cycle of reincarnations. Therefore, for them it is a reunion with Brahman which is the God or universal soul.

Within Jaimist culture, Nirvana consists of leaving the samsara (suffering), or what is the same, leaving individual karma behind. That is, Jains consider that the end of the period of life is reaching Nirvana, since it is the process of liberation from earthly bonds to enter the universe as a single matter.

This doctrine originating from India considers that the Moksa It is the first step to begin the transition and later you reach the siddhawhich would be the final stage and in which the individual is freed forever.

What do I do to achieve nirvana? Although it is not a simple process, through different concentration practices and spiritual strategies it is possible to reach Nirvana and thus achieve spiritual healing. To do this, we recommend following these steps:

• Practice meditation: Meditating regularly will bring you closer to a state of higher balance. If you don’t know how to do it on your own, it is best to find a spiritual guide to help you find your own path in meditation.
• Learn to see the world as it is: It is about moving away from prejudices to appreciate each step as life experiences and not as problems and sacrifices. You must learn that nothing is perfect or permanent, but that everything is in continuous transformation.
• Establish a correct belief system: Promote habits based on positive values ​​such as respect, kindness or solidarity and in which violence and hatred are far from all your actions.
• Value all living beings: Plants, animals and all living beings are worthy of respect and compassion. Therefore, to achieve Nirvana you must appreciate and value all universal creation as part of a whole.
• Speak the correct words: Words have power, so get used to expressing positive words. At the same time, empower your thoughts to keep them away from negative and limiting thoughts that can stop your progress.
• Learn to let go: detachment is essential to achieve Nirvana. Try to put aside all attachment to material things and people. Remember that everything in this life is temporary.
• Be empathetic: Putting yourself in the shoes of others is one of the most important steps to achieving Nirvana. Treat other people with kindness, mercy and affection and the universe will reward you in a great way.
• Lead a healthy life: Food and exercise help you be a better person and therefore bring you closer to a state of absolute balance. In short, lead an appropriate lifestyle.

Likewise, to enter Nirvana it is essential to concentrate on breathing to raise your concentration levels and, above all, try to improve day by day as a person.

This article is merely informative, at PsychologyFor we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

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