The Concept of Nirvana

All religious philosophies in India accept that Nirvana a is an attainable state. Nirvana means- state where there is no pollution, where there is only purity. It means to be relieved -to have deliverance or Moksha. Though Nirvana is a state, this state cannot be achieved by effort. This state just is and has no reference to anything outside it.

The state of Nirvana is beyond our five senses, beyond mind, beyond words. It cannot be expressed because it is pure consciousness, only bliss, it is Nirvana.

This bliss or beatitude is unending, unlimited and unceasing. Mortals understand existence with reference to their individual life, location, etc. But Nirvana cannot be understood the way we understand ordinary existence. Nirvana is the stateless state. What's beyond word, beyond meaning, beyond the mind and intellect's limits is Nirvana.

The word Nirvana belongs to the Jain/Buddhist (shraman) tradition. Since this concept is totally Indian, It is better to discuss it from an Indian point of view. In the Indian context it is well to remember that we have the Jain, Vedic and Buddhist theosophies converging like three holy rivers. To consider one of these as the main philosophy of India would not be right-not right because even though each of these philosophies is independent, yet there is an overlap or a sharing of similar principles.

The Buddhist Philosophy : Buddhism has two main sects- Heenyana and Mahayana. Both have separate followers and both have different views of Nirvana: Nirvana is a thought, or beyond thought,  or a mixture of the two. The two sects acknowledge Nirvana as a state but the concept differs despite a basic similarity: Nirvana is comprehensible.

The combined Buddhist concept  of Nirvana is as follows :Nirvana is beyond words. It cannot be expressed. It is a state that has no origin and no end. It is changeless. it can only be felt. It is constant throughout time. When you reach Nirvana, you are no more.  Heenyan believes that Nirvana is a sorrow less state. It is possible to imagine this state beyond life. Nirvana  is  of two types : Sopadhishesh and Nirupadhishes. Nirvana is not the world's continuity. Rather, when the cloak of sorrows disappears, you attain Nirvana. The Mahayana maintains that Nirvana is truth, invariable and inexpressible. Nirvana is not just painlessness, it is also supreme beatitude. Nirvana is a possibility and not an achievement. You cannot achieve it, it just happens. It's like being a bhikshu-someone who gives up his worldly self. You cannot make one a bhikshu-he just is. In Nirvana you attain omniscience, the highest transcendental state. Other than these two types of Nirvana, there are two more prakriti shuddh and apratishthit. Nirvana is the timeless principle. The world changes. The sorrows of this world and knowledge are both hindrances to Nirvana. When you are released by both, you attain Nirvana. Thus, these two concepts of Nirvana converge and also are different. According to Nagarjuna you can neither let go of Nirvana nor attain it. It is neither eternal nor end able; neither unborn nor born (Madhyamik kavik).

Vedic philosophy : The vedic philosophy has several divisions-Sankhya, Nyaya, Mimansaka, vaisheshika etc. each has a different notion of Nirvana. An overview is attempted here:

1. Vedanta-Brahma alone is summum bonum. when you attain Brahma you attain Moksha. Moksha is attained through knowledge. Moksha is beyond death, sorrow or ignorance. It is truth, consciousness and eternal bliss.
2. Sankhya-To become rooted in your separate self is Moksha. Moksha is pure consciousness. It has neither feeling nor knowledge. Sankhya, however, does not offer a separate concept of Nirvana.
3. Naiyayika-According to gautama, to be relieved of sorrows is Moksha or Apavarga.
4. Mimansa- It is mainly karmic -deed based. It follows the Upanishads and deduces its concept of moksha from them.
5. Vaisheshika-The vaisheshiks too accept that release from sorrows is Moksha. According to them when we go beyond the intellect etc., we reach Moksha.
6.  Vaishnava- They propounds four types mukti or liberation -you attain Heaven (vaikunth); you are one with God; you are near God; you are like god. Since the Vaishnav way to mukti is through bhakti (devotion), duality does not disappear completely here, unlike in other Vedantic theories.
7.Shaiva-According to shivageeta, when we lose ignorance, we attain Moksha.
8.Aitreyopanishad-you attain self knowledge through the summum bonum-the eternal beatitude.

Buddhist : Just as a lamp is no more when it is out, similarly when you lose Atma you attain Moksha.
The summary above shows that the vedic philosophy has many different views of Moksha. Scholars feel that some Vedic sects were influenced by jain and Buddhist (shraman) philosophy.

The Jains are divided into the Digambar and the shwetambar. Each has a different way to upasanaand their spiritual leaders are different. Yet both accept that Nirvana is the ultimate aim of existence. Their concept of Nirvana is the same.

Jain philosophy : Different sorts of human deeds keep us chained to worldly existence and to sorrow. To break the karmic cycle is to attain Nirvana. The karmas are of eight different types : of knowing, of seeing, of attachment, and concerning obstacles, age, name, caste and feeling. The first four may be termed destructive karmas because they destroy the inner virtues of the soul. Because of these, we are born again & again. The other four are nondestructive hey do not destroy our inner virtues, yet they bind us to the world. They make us feel sorrow and joy. They do not let go.  If you break free of these eight types of karmas you enter purity; you no longer feel conflict, joy or sorrow. You become pure consciousness without reference to the body. In having consciousness, you have knowledge, you are without feeling, you are perfected and liberated. Thus you enter a state of unbroken bliss. In such a state there are no worldly woes, no worldly joys, no conflicts, no stress-such a state is Nirvana. Where the senses are no more,  where there is no attachment, no curiosity, no sleep,  no hunger, no thirst, there is Nirvana. Where there is neither karma nor no karma, where there is no anxiety, no pain, no anger, no dharma, no conscious concentration, that is Nivrana.
Jain philosophy says that we must be ready for nirvana in life. If we have not reached salvation in life, how shall we reach it in death? Nirvana should be just one last step left to attain while alive-our death should be that one final step.

The shraman systems i.e. (Jaina & Buddha) slightly differ from the vedic concept of Nirvana. To reach Nirvana, The vedas like the Jains and Buddhist, suggest right action,  devotion, knowledge, endurance, concentration etc., but they also expect  and invoke divine help and benediction.  The shramans, however, rely on self  alone.  In Geeta, chapter 18, shloke 62, Krishna says to Arjuna,

"O Arjuna, god lives in man's heart and moves him like the one mounting a vehicle. Therefore,  go to God. Through him you will gain peace and Nirvana." The method of attaining Nirvana is given in shloka 66, chapter 18, of the Geeta: "Arjuna, give up all other dharmas, and come to me.  I shall release you  from all sin. So stop worrying." In the shraman system, man does not need any help from the devine, not is it desirable. What is needed is to refine your own perception, knowledge and conduct in order to attain purity.

There are many differences between the Vedic, Jain and Buddhist notions regarding Nirvana.  How and when one attains it is also differently described in different texts like Geeta, Mahabharata, Brihadaranyaka, Upanishads, and Jain scriptures. According to Vinoba Bhave  (Geeta pravachan - Shukla Krishn Gati), The Geeta does not talk of when, but of how to attain Nirvana. According to Tilak, the Geeta emphasizes the attainability of Moksha. According to Vadrayanacharya, it points to away of attaining it. And the Brihadaranyaka, discusses how as well as when to attain it.

It is commonly believed that Lord Mahavira attained Nirvana early in the morning of Kartik Krsna Triyodashi.
Five of the Tirthankaras attained Nirvana at night, ten during Krishna paksha (the fortnight of the waning moon) and eight during the winter solstice. This affirms that sadhana is important in Nirvana, not the time of day or month.

Although Jains and Buddhists both belong to the Shraman culture, their concepts and beliefs are not the same. Jains believe that the soul is eternal; it is in the past, present and future. They believe that even perfected, liberated and disencumbered souls persist. The Buddhists do not view soul as eternal. They believe that soul after Nirvana is no more insert-just as a lamp when its out is no more.

After studying the Jain, Buddhist and Vedic views to attain Nirvana one can only affirm that sadhana is the sole way to Nirvana. Sadhana is only way to exist. The three cultures endorse sadhana to be utmost importance. This collective endorsement gives India its cultural harmony.

While you are alive you have your future before you. But in Nirvana, there is no anxiety or desire for the future. Complete deliverance from the Karmas, and attainment of total consciousness is Nirvana.

To attain Nirvana you have to build your inner self.

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From : Inner Light, By : Upadhyaya Guptisagar Muni

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