" /> " /> " /> " /> " /> " /> " /> " /> " /> " />The Attainment of NirvanaIt is Nirvana that we can attain while we are alive in our human body.Is there anywhere that suffering cannot access? –NoPrince Siddhartha, why did you decide to enter the monkshood then?-To find the place where suffering cannot access.Did you find it ? – Yes.Where is it? – Nirvana.Has there been anybody who followed you there? – Plenty And where is Nirvana? – That’s a good question. We are here to study the path that leads to that place.What is Nirvana?The word ‘Nirvana’ has a variety of meanings such as:- Extinguishing. This means the extinguishing of defilements or of sufferings.- Escape. This means the escape from suffering or from the three prisons of the Triple World.Nirvana is the place where suffering cannot access. It is above the rule of the Three Characteristics In that place there is no birth. Getting old, suffering from disease, death, or rebirth. It is a place where everything is certain and unchangeable. The highest state of happiness, which is derived from practicing meditation and doing good deeds, exists here. There are many Buddha’s sayings, which are related to Nirvana. Examples of these are:“Nirvana is the highest state of happiness.” M. M. 13/287/281The soldiers are always safe from all weapons of the enemies if they are in air-raid-shelters. Likewise, those who have their mind focused on Nirvana will always be safe from all suffering.This Nirvana exists as a realm of existence outside of our body and mind.The categories of NirvanaNirvana can be mainly divided into two types and those are Nirvana realized with the body remaining or Nirvana as a state of mind:1. Nirvana realized with the body remainingIt is Nirvana that we can attain while we are alive in our human body. All those who practice the Noble Eightfold Path properly will be able to touch upon Nirvana during their living experience. It is a Nirvana for those who have purified themselves from all defilements and live their lives for the sake of self-sacrifice for all living beings in the world. The Lord Buddha would have attained this Nirvana on the day he was enlightened.This kind of Nirvana is just like the sanctuary in our body. When we encounter suffering from diseases or anything, if we draw ourselves to the center of our body where this Nirvana is located, all the suffering will be gone. It is the place, which is beyond the reach of suffering. The Arahants who have their mind at the Nirvana all the time will no longer experience any kind of suffering.2. Nirvana without any remainder of physical existence or Nirvana as a state of mind.This is the Nirvana which we can attain only when we die. This Nirvana exists as a realm of existence outside of our body and mind. It is an empty area outside the Triple World. Only Arahants whose five aggregates are broken up (the body is destroyed) will attain this Nirvana.If we start to do it, we will be able to achieve it.People who can attain NirvanaThose who can attain Nirvana include all kinds of people such as a noble one both an Arahant (one who has attained Nirvana), a never-returner, a once-returner and a stream-enterer, including the noble one (The glimpse of nirvana that changes one from an ordinary person (puthujjana) to a noble one (ariya-puggala)) There are those who may argue this because they claim that only those who can purify them selves from all their defilements will actually attain Nirvana. However, according to the list above, including the noble one (The glimpse of nirvana that changes one from who cannot get rid of all their defilements yet also can attain Nirvana as well. Therefore, do the two facts here contradict each other?The answer is ‘No.’ Although the noble one (The glimpse of nirvana that changes one from an ordinary person (puthujjana) to a noble one (ariya-puggala)) who cannot get rid of all their defilements, when they draw their minds to the center of their body where the Nirvana is located, all their suffering is gone. Thus, the defilements cannot affect them. However, they cannot make their mind stay with Nirvana all the time. When their minds are drawn out of Nirvana, they will be affected by suffering once again. It is the same way as guests who are invited to stay at a big castle. They are happy during their stay there. However, they cannot stay forever since they are not the owners of the castle. When the time is over, they must return to the world outside again.Change of lineage knowledge can see Nirvana but cannot get rid of all the defilements“Although Change of lineage knowledge can see Nirvana before the Noble Eightfold path, we won’t call that intuition, however, because they can see it only, without yet being able to get rid of the defilements, which is the thing that they should do.”Change of lineage knowledge can temporally get rid of the defilementsCon we attain Nirvana?The answer is “Yes, we can” by practicing meditation until we reach a Change of lineage Knowledge and become a noble one (The glimpse of nirvana that changes one from an ordinary person (puthujjana) to a noble one (ariya-puggala)). To keep practicing until we reach the state of the noble one. When we reach the higher levels of the Noble Truth, we will see and will attain Nirvana more profoundly and finally become Arahants at last. This is not too difficult for us to do, otherwise there wouldn’t be millions of Arahants during the Buddha, era. If Lord Buddha is the only one who can attain Nirvana, then it is too difficult. However, there are many people who followed the Lord Buddha’s teachings, and practiced meditation until they were enlightened and attained Nirvana in the end. Therefore, it is not too difficult to do, but at the same time not too easy. If it was too easy, we would be able to have attained Nirvana a long time ago.”Therefore, if we keep practicing meditation, one day we will reach Nirvana. We cannot attain it right now because we haven’t started yet. Don’t be discouraged or afraid before we really do it. If we start to do it, we will be able to achieve it.The Benefits of attaining Nirvana1. A Mind Invulnerable to Worldly Vicissitudes.2. Freedom from Sorrowfulness.3. Freedom from Subtle Defilements.4. The Blissful Mind." /> " />
The Attainment of Nirvana
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