Stages of achieving nirvana. What is nirvana in Buddhism

Achieving Nirvana in Buddhism

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The concept of nirvana in Buddhism is complex. Even the Buddha himself could not give an exact definition. He argued that this is a state of non-existence without ordinary thoughts, worries, worries and did not consider it complete peace and satisfaction. Translated, the word means “fading, end.”

How to achieve nirvana in Buddhism

Buddhism considers the state of non-existence to be the opposite of the wheel of samsara, the world of torment, worry and desire. Nirvana goes beyond the boundaries of sensations and emotions, transferring the human mind to another world.

Nirvana from the point of view of Buddhism is:

a state of complete peace that can be obtained during life through meditation;
state after death.

The goal of nirvana in Buddhism is breaking the circle of changes and unity with the absolute. Jainism interprets the state as the exit of the soul beyond the boundaries of the physical shell of a person and the wheel of samsara. Nirvana does not have a specific definition, so there are several types:

mental, when a person feels extraordinary calm and receives understanding;
life, when a person achieves insight during life and breaks the circle of karmic transformation;
real or eternal, comes with death.

Europeans understand nirvana as receiving transcendental pleasure, but nirvana in Buddhism means a state without worries and worries, a feeling of being part of the universe and immeasurable peace. Some Buddhists interpret a state without aspirations, thoughts, actions, but at the same time there is energy. It's like having firewood and matches, and having the ability to light a flame.

Degrees of achievement

There are several degrees of achieving nirvana in Buddhism. The first degree is sotapanna, when the soul loses the desire for excitability, uncontrollable anger, desire for material things and praise, acquisitiveness, illusory contemplation and worry about impermanent things, and observance of rituals.

At the second degree, purification occurs from primitive aspirations, the intensity of the feeling of gravity or disgust, and sexual desire weakens.

The next stage frees you from the cycle of rebirth, hostility to the negative emotions of pain, humiliation, condemnation, hostility and hostility disappears. Pleasure and maliciousness changes to absolute equanimity.

Some representatives of Buddhism claim that it is impossible for an ordinary person to escape from the wheel of samsara, others that anyone can feel nirvana, and give recommendations:

Control your breathing. First you need to take a deep breath and feel how your whole body is filled with air. Then concentrate on exhaling. In this state, the body relaxes.
Focus on activity. If this is reading a book, then you should concentrate only on this activity.
Don't dwell on the past, move forward. Let go of everything, be in this place and at this time.
Become a witness, observe and realize what is happening every minute. To be in this place, at this time and now. Breathe again. If thoughts interfere, begin conscious breathing again.
The best position for nirvana is the lotus position. You can enter in another comfortable position, but so as not to fall asleep.
“Lotus” position: the back is straight, the shoulders are straightened, the heel of one limb is on the opposite thigh, and the heel of the second is on the other side, but closer to the stomach. Palms up, fingers of the little finger and thumb closed, body slightly forward.

People who have achieved non-existence are called Bodhisattvas. They refuse absolutes because they have great sympathy and mercy in their souls and are ready to help. Famous for Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva.

According to legend, when he achieved nirvana, he noticed the torment living beings experience in samsara. He was greatly impressed by this and because of the unbearable pain, Avalokiteshvara’s head split into eleven pieces. Then his head was restored.

Since that time, it is believed that Avalokiteshvara helps to get rid of torment and experience a state of peace.

Buddhism and “ego” are incompatible concepts. Nirvana in Buddhist philosophy is the mortification of the ego, and not the suppression of passions and desires. If desires and aspirations are restrained, they will still appear sooner or later. Therefore, the mind should be freed from selfish desires.

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So, let's try to consider in detail what Nirvana is, how to achieve it and how necessary it is. Contrary to the widespread use of the concept “Nirvana” in the meaning of “bliss, pleasure,” translated from Sanskrit this word means “fading,” “cessation,” “non-excitement.” Sounds kind of sad, doesn’t it? Why does the word Nirvana, which we are accustomed to perceive as something pleasant and positive, have such very ambiguous translations? If “non-excitement” and “cessation” can somehow be interpreted positively, then with the word “fading” we picture landscapes of late rainy autumn, cemetery silence and, in general, complete melancholy. However, not everything is so simple.

What is nirvana in Buddhism and what are the stages of achieving it?

Hello, dear readers – seekers of knowledge and truth!

In the European consciousness, nirvana is something akin to the highest pleasure, unearthly pleasure. However, this concept of nirvana is somewhat distorted and is a collective image of euphoria, a state of strong emotional outburst and pleasant sensations.

Therefore, today we invite you to understand what nirvana is in Buddhism. We will learn what this concept means, how to achieve such a state, and what steps there are on this path, and we will also tell you about the differences between the Buddhist and Hindu understandings of nirvana.

Concept in Buddhism Stages of achievement What is the difference between nirvana in the Hindu religion Conclusion

Concept in Buddhism

Nirvana is an ambiguous term, but at the same time key in Buddhist philosophy. This is what every Buddhist strives for, whether he is a layman or a monk, this is the main goal, the destination on the Buddha's path.

Even the Great Teacher himself did not give a clear definition of this concept. He said that in nirvana there is no mental flow, no worries, no fears. Each current of Buddhist thought brings its own grain of knowledge to the understanding of nirvana, and often interprets it completely differently.

First, let's look at the etymology of the word, which has Sanskrit roots:

“nir” literally means the particle “not”, negation;
“vana” – transition, flowing from life to life.

By combining the two components of one word, you can decipher the meaning: denial of the transition from one life to another. This means the end of a series of rebirths, the extinction of the flame of reincarnation, a stop in the rotation of the wheel of samsara.

The reason for this is the cessation of suffering caused by passions, desires, fears, and attachments.

In Pali, "nirvana" sounds like "nibbana".

There are several definitions of how such a state is defined by Buddhist teaching:

liberation from desires, attachments, and therefore suffering;
ending the series of rebirths;
the state of consciousness when it finds absolute peace;
a major goal in early Buddhism and among Theravada Buddhists.

Buddhologists do not stop arguing about which definition is considered correct. But they agree on one thing - in the state of nirvana, the emotional aspect and sensations are discarded, and the mind finds peace.

Buddha bequeathed that one can get rid of suffering - and then the cause-and-effect laws of existence will collapse, the karmic connection will cease to exist.

The theme of nirvana is undoubtedly touched upon in the scriptures. Thus, the Pali Canon contains the Mahaparinibatta Sutta, which means “the sutra on the great transition to the state of nibbana.” Here she is called nothing less than “blessed”, “devoid of attachments”, “free”.

The Sutta Pitaka speaks of a mind that has managed to free itself, cleanse itself of attachments. Nirvana is a kind of liberation from one’s own ego, because all thoughts, sensations, and passions of the individual are rejected.

When the ties connecting with the material world, the desire for money, power, wealth, dependence on other people, the opinions of others, and status in society weaken, then the possibility of achieving enlightenment becomes closer and closer. But there is still a long way to go before that.

Stages of achievement

How can one achieve nirvana? No one has yet been able to answer this question unequivocally.

One opinion says that to know the nature of enlightenment it is enough to become an arhat, i.e. find personal awakening.

Others believe that bodhisattvas - beings who themselves have achieved awakening, but who abandoned nirvana in the name of love and help to everything in the world - can help on a difficult path.

Still others are confident that even lay people can achieve complete liberation if they follow all the rules prescribed by tradition, engage in meditative practices, read mantras, lead a correct lifestyle, and are pure in thoughts and intentions.

There are several stages to achieving nirvana:

Sotapanna - loss of excessive attacks of excitement, anger, weakening of dependence on material wealth, power motives, public opinion, cessation of worries about the transitory.
Refusal of primitive level aspirations, likes and dislikes, sexual interest.
Lack of fear of unpleasant sensations, humiliation, reproach, pain. Pleasure and anger are replaced by imperturbable calm.

If we talk about ways to achieve nirvana, then one of three paths leads to it:

Samma-Sambuddha - following the path of the preacher, teacher: the generation within oneself of paramitas - the perfect qualities of a bodhisattva;
Pratyeka Buddha - the wordless Buddha: the path to enlightenment without the ability to teach others the dharma;
Arhata-Buddha - following the instructions of the bodhisattva, which carries the dharma.

The main thing that needs to be done at the initial stage along the path of Buddha is to give up material desires. But here’s a paradox: the desire for nirvana is in itself one of the desires that the Buddha’s teaching recommends that we give up.

This means that the path to liberation will be thorny and require significant effort. After all, on the one hand, motivation is necessary to achieve any goal, but on the other hand, it turns out that nirvana in itself should not be a goal.

What is the difference between nirvana in the Hindu religion

If Buddhism says that after nirvana there is emptiness where there is no soul, then in Hinduism this state is understood somewhat differently.

As in Buddhist ideas, Hindus believe that nirvana entails a break in the series of reincarnations, the cessation of karmic consequences, the end of one’s own ego - this phenomenon is called “moksha”. But for Hindus, nirvana is reunion with Brahman, the supreme Lord.

This is mentioned in the scriptures Mahabharata and Bhagavad Gita, where an interesting word “Brahmanirvana” is used. Returning to God, feeling unity with him is the greatest happiness, because, according to Hinduism, a piece of the Almighty lives in each of us.

Conclusion

In this article, we have introduced you to the concept of nirvana in general. We will definitely continue this conversation in subsequent articles, where we will talk about the view of nirvana in various areas of Buddhism.

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How can a non-Buddhist achieve nirvana?

It is clear that only Buddhists who have gone through the difficult path of enlightenment can achieve that Buddhist nirvana. But most people just want to be happy. True, rarely does anyone succeed in grabbing a bluebird by the tail. There are at least two explanations for this:

We dream of happiness, but we don’t know how to be happy. At school and university, we are taught smart things, but they are not told the main thing: how to control our emotions, resist excessive depression, monitor stress levels, defend personal boundaries, and make independent decisions. But all this is the basis of mental health and happiness.
We strive for happiness, but are afraid to give up suffering. This may sound surprising, but suffering has its advantages and benefits. They help to attract attention, give cause for pity, excite the blood, tickle the nerves. By realizing all the bonuses that suffering brings into life, you can begin to change.

Becoming happy is not easy, it takes time. And the first thing you can do is slow down, take time for yourself and sort out your emotions: when and where they come from, what they are called, what they want to tell us. Such self-analysis is not carried out in one day; it may require work with a psychologist. But it will help you discover the main source of suffering and stop feeling sorry for yourself. And this is already half the battle.

What to do next?

Don't set yourself sky-high standards of happiness. It has been observed that the tone of motivational advice from books and videos leads to even greater disappointment. It, in turn, strengthens the inferiority complex and interferes with the feeling of happiness that one wants to achieve. The circle closes.
Gradually develop the skill of “being happy.” It is impossible to jump from unhappiness to happiness in one leap - it is simply unrealistic to rebuild your usual model of the world in one day. A positive perception of the world needs to be developed in oneself day after day. In other words, re-educate yourself. And this is painstaking but pleasant work.
Communicate more, but do it usefully. Sometimes we communicate with others “just because.” But just spending time like that means killing him. Even if you want to relax outside of work, communication should have a purpose. A board game, a fun garage sale, a hometown tour, cooking together, dance lessons - all this will help you relax, have fun and make pleasant memories.
Don't waste time trying to fill time to avoid loneliness. It's much easier to enjoy moments when everyone is left alone. Time alone with yourself is an opportunity to get to know yourself, master meditation, and reflect on your mood and goals.
Practice effective altruism. The practice is based on a simple idea: to do as much good as possible. It does not require continuous self-sacrifice or material costs. It encourages you to take into account not only your own interests, but the interests of loved ones and the needs of strangers. It’s obvious that by helping others, we help ourselves.

conclusions:

Nirvana in Buddhism is the emptiness of consciousness, free from delusion and suffering.
Nirvana is the path. Whether a person passes it or not depends only on him.
Happiness requires regular work, like the skill of an artist or the training of an athlete.

Take the test: introvert or extrovert?

What is nirvana in Buddhism, definition - Salvation of the soul

The concept of nirvana is found in many teachings and beliefs. It means freedom from torment. In common usage, nirvana is a state where there are no passions, torment , and there is the highest happiness and peace. This is an unknown feeling of constant peace and joy.

Nirvana acts as a break in the chain of reincarnation. This is a stop of reincarnation, constant and indestructible peace. Nirvana is difficult to define. As for its understanding, there are constant discussions among scholars of Buddhism. In the understanding of Hindus and followers of Brahmanism, nirvana is a union with Brahma.

How can one achieve nirvana in Buddhism and what does it mean?

According to the Buddha's belief, despite the torment that permeates every stage of existence in Samsara, there is a state without torment, and it is possible to achieve it. It is a state of trance or nirvana. Entering this state in the teachings of the Buddha is designated by the term amata, that is, the achievement of the soul, which destroys the chain of karmic existence.

What is nirvana? By definition, this is a state of soul, freedom from worldly worries and attachments, complete enlightenment and knowledge of the Truth.

The Sutra Pitaka defines nirvana as chitta (liberated mind), which does not experience any feelings. Oazum is no longer identified with the phenomenon of life, it is constant, eternal, and therefore liberated.

Nirvana is the end of ignorance (avidya), which plunges the mind into a constant chain of reincarnation, samsara (a life of dependence). In its precise designation, nirvana is not considered a precise place or state.

She acts as the knowledge of Truth.

What is nirvana?

Let's try to understand what nirvana is and where this concept comes from. In particular, what does the word nirvana mean in philosophy? Briefly, this is the ultimate highest goal of human existence.

This term is considered similar in meaning to a relaxed and blissful state. But in the 60s, this concept, in a distorted form, entered the vocabulary of people who use drugs. It is a grave mistake to consider nirvana a state of euphoria.

This state is considered the most difficult in Buddhism. Even Buddha Shakyamuni could not clearly characterize him.

nirvana in philosophy is the ultimate highest goal of human existence

Everyone is familiar with the phrase
“fall into nirvana .
It means something very pleasant, a kind of peak of pleasure, a feeling of constant bliss. You can fall into nirvana for various reasons: from an incredible dish, beautiful music, from intimate pleasures. But in reality, such an understanding is completely erroneous. In the teachings of the Buddha, nirvana is called supreme happiness , but it should not be understood here as the joy available in worldly life.

Followers of the Buddha define happiness as freedom from the suffering experienced in the world every day. Shakyamuni said that nirvana is the end of torment, clouding of the mind, and attachment.

The problem is that he did not give such a concept any “positive” definition. Mentioning only what cannot be considered nirvana.

Religious scholar and researcher E. Torchinov noted that the problem of nirvana is one of those that Buddha did not talk about. Nirvana is located far beyond the scope of empirical knowledge, as well as such descriptive language.

Among researchers and followers of the Buddha's teachings, there is still debate about the correct understanding of the state of nirvana

In Buddhism it is described as something in opposition to Samsara . The latter appears as a world of passion, attachment, false ideas, and torment.

If you cleanse yourself of this, then an enlightened person will achieve nirvana and be freed, not only from the body, but from attractions and consciousness.

The difference with Brahmanism is that in the Buddha's teaching it is not union with the absolute or god, since this union means the continuation of existence.

It turns out that nirvana is absolute non-existence? Not certainly in that way. Although scientists and teachers of Buddhism are still arguing about the adequacy of the interpretation of such a term.

Many still agree that this is a complete cleansing of the world from living beings. This is peace of soul, where there is no disagreement, torment and passion.

Other teachers interpret this state as follows: there is no life in it, as understood in Samsara, but there is life potential and energy.

In the teachings of Buddha, nirvana is the name given to supreme happiness, that is, freedom from suffering.

Everything mentioned above should be attributed to the great nirvana. It is also called nirvana of abiding. Those who achieve it are in absolute peace. In the teachings of the Buddha, other types are distinguished - nirvana of non-abidence . People who have achieved the state of nirvana are called Bodhisattvas.

They refuse absolute peace and care in order to help the rest of the living and direct them on this path. All because they were able to revive great compassion in their own souls, they are ready to help everyone who turns to them.

Bodhisattvas are celebrated when reciting prayers and are painted on the thangka.

The most famous Bodhisattva is Avalokitesvara. According to legend, when he entered a state of enlightenment, he noticed the suffering beings living in Samsara were experiencing.

This struck him so much that Avalokiteshvara’s head broke into 11 pieces from the pain. But the rest of the enlightened ones helped, and they restored their heads.

From that moment on, Avalokiteshvara helps others escape suffering and experience nirvana.

There are several types of nirvana. It is interpreted differently in different teachings. It is impossible to say for sure what exactly this condition means.

Is there a chance for other living beings to achieve nirvana? How to go to nirvana? It is difficult to answer the question. It is believed that this path is long for everyone, and it lasts countless reincarnations until karma is completely cleared of obscurations.

Types of Nirvana

There are different types of nirvana. In the Buddha's teachings it is:

an unknown state of constant peace and absolute satisfaction;
destruction of the chain of rebirths, the end of rebirths, complete, unbreakable peace;
it defies any definition;
There is still debate among scientists and Buddhists about the correct understanding of nirvana.

There are different types of nirvana according to different teachings

But from different sources we distinguish the division into 3 types of nirvana:

mental _ Is a short condition that has happened to any person. Everyone has sometimes caught a moment of incredible peace, as well as enlightenment. This is called the mental manifestation of nirvana;
vital _ This nirvana can be achieved by a person if his soul is still in the body. This gives a chance to break the chain of rebirths and leads a person to a new species;
eternal _ Those who were able to achieve the previous type of nirvana after the death of the body, i.e. after death, comprehends it.

In Theravada there are 2 types of nirvana:

" with the remainder ". A saint in Buddhism resides in this state before leaving the chain of reincarnation. The body is called the remnant, it bears the name of the “last”;
" without a trace ." In this case, the complete set of dharmas “calms down” for the Buddhist saint, and he himself ceases to exist forever.

How to fall into nirvana?

The problem of how to get to nirvana, to enter its life form, worries all the followers of the Buddha. After all, this is the purpose of their life. You cannot achieve freedom afterward if you have not achieved nirvana during this life. Otherwise, you will have to live another life, with new vicissitudes and passions.

Initially, it is worth realizing the very understanding of freedom, which is comprehended in the state of nirvana. This is liberation from any addiction. Worldly attachments add vulnerability to us; they are doomed to suffering. We certainly lose what is dear to us, and fear always comes before the moment of loss.

To achieve nirvana, you will need to learn to live in the present moment and disconnect from the thoughts and attachments of the outside world.

The slow extinction of worldly desires can be achieved
using many practices from the teachings of the Buddha and others.
Those who have achieved nirvana claim that this can be done through a variety of methods. Hypnosis, meditation, prayer - everyone has their own path. None of them will guarantee enlightenment; only a person will be able to break the constant circle of rebirths. Many people don't like the idea of being "insensitive." What does “I went to nirvana” mean? This is, first of all, the willingness to free yourself from everything worldly.

For this reason, you will have to come to such a decision calmly and consciously in order to cut the chain of endless reincarnation with a firm hand. So, let's consider the technique of entering nirvana:

Stay in the lotus position and breathe. Breathing is one of the few constants in life; it is always with us. Feel the air flow through you. It is necessary to breathe through your nose, as inhaling and exhaling through your mouth will only increase your heart rate and increase anxiety. Breathing through your nose will bring relaxation. Focus your attention on your exhalations. During the process of exhalation, nothing happens, everything unnecessary disappears, you relax. For this reason, when breathing, concentrate on exhaling.
Ask yourself what you are doing now. You may be trying to read at the moment, but where are your thoughts in reality? What are they connected to? What is your body doing? If at this moment you wish to read, then do so. We have too many worries in the world. It is not strange that life is presently incomprehensible because of them.
Be a witness. This means observing and being aware of what is happening to a person every second. Pay attention to this, step back, then the past will recede. You should not concentrate your mind on one moment, otherwise you will find yourself trapped.
Let everything go. If a witness lives inside, he is turned to the present, then let go of everything that is not present at the moment. Stay here and now.
Breathe again. If thoughts and the world again interfere and take you away from the current moment in time, return to conscious breathing.

The technique of entering nirvana begins with the lotus position and even breathing

Thus, achieving nirvana is possible through conscious breathing, turning off thoughts about attachments and problems of the outside world, worldly life. It is impossible to achieve nirvana without letting go of the past and future. The sign of nirvana is here and now.

As soon as you learn to break the connection with the world through meditation, you will step on the path to achieving this state of enlightenment, you will be freed from suffering. Buddha's followers devote their entire lives to this path; this is their main goal of existence.

Each of us has our own path to enter nirvana and know the truth.

Source:

What is nirvana and how to achieve it?

The Buddhist religion says that every person desires to achieve a state of serenity and bliss. By studying what nirvana is and how to enter it, followers of Eastern philosophy strive to join the Absolute and plunge into a state of serene happiness.

Nirvana - what is it?

The concept of nirvana comes from Eastern philosophy. Translated from the ancient Indian language, the word “nirvana” means “extinction, cessation.” But unlike the Western understanding, in Eastern philosophy the concepts of cessation and extinction are endowed with a positive meaning.

They mean deliverance from troubles, sorrows, suffering and the constant struggle of life. Nirvana is a state in which the human mind acquires a new quality. In this state, the brain gains freedom from thoughts, anxieties, and desires.

Thanks to this person, a new world and understanding of life opens up.

What is nirvana in Buddhism?

The concept of nirvana in Buddhism is one of the most complex. Even the legendary founder of this religion, Buddha Shakyamuni, could not give an exact definition of this word.

In his statements, he only indirectly touched on nirvana, speaking of it as a state in which ordinary thoughts and experiences disappear.

Although in the understanding of Europeans, nirvana is closely associated with a feeling of happiness and serene joy, the founder of Buddhism never mentioned nirvana in combination with bliss and pleasure.

Consciousness and awareness

Consciousness is usually defined as the ability to be aware - that is, to understand what is happening, one’s condition and place in the world. A person's thinking ability is directly related to consciousness. But what happens when the thought process stops?

At such moments a person simply looks at the world. He sees, hears, perceives everything, but does not analyze. To be aware means to be present, to be, to be in the current moment. There is only what exists at the moment, there is nothing else - neither past nor future. There are no thoughts, which means there are no experiences, hopes and aspirations.

It is at such moments that a person begins to realize his division into two parts - “I” as a person and “I” as awareness, as the One Who Observes. Try to observe your thoughts - and you will understand that it is possible, that there is someone who thinks - “I”, the ego, and the true eternal “I” of a person - his essence, spirit, monad, looking at the thought process from the outside.

Stages of Deepening Meditation

Meditation is the basic spiritual practice leading to Buddhahood. In this article I will briefly outline the basics of the Buddhist teaching “Vishuddhi Magga” - the eight stages of meditation. A brief explanation of these stages in the article is based on the text of Daniel Goleman’s wonderful book, “The Varieties of Meditative Experience.”

Path of Purification

Sat-chit-ananda (Buddha nature) means “being-consciousness-bliss” in Sanskrit.

In Sanskrit, all three words are usually used in just such a combination - as a symbol of the highest primordial reality of pure consciousness inherent in every person. Indian Swamis use spiritual names in conjunction with the term "ananda".

For example, Yogananda can be literally translated as “admirer of yoga,” Muktananda as liberation, Brahmananda as Brahman, etc.

As for such an aspect of meditation as bliss (ananda), classical texts sometimes deliberately keep silent about the fact that an absolutely enlightened person, in fact, has nothing to do with it, because

he has no attachments and, accordingly, no clinging to specific states. They are silent, as I believe, that the seekers move at least for the sake of passing temporary goals.

After all, the real goal is getting rid of suffering.

Some texts say that at the pinnacle of meditation, nirvana, there is the subtlest bliss. This is unlikely to be the case, because the masters speak of nirvana as a phenomenon beyond all possible experiences and characteristics.

Even at the initial levels of samadhi (meditative “trance”) the sense of “I” disappears.

In samadhi (the state of total attention) there is bliss, but at the same time the practitioner doesn’t care whether it is there or not, because as soon as you start to get carried away by it, meditation turns into wandering of the mind, and the bliss goes away.

"Vishuddhi Maga" can be translated as "path of purification." This teaching is one of the main Buddhist texts on meditation. Practice in it is divided into eight steps (eight dhyanas). These are classic experiences that accompany practitioners' meditation in the order in which they are listed below.

Stages of Meditation

During concentration , clinging to thoughts is overcome, but thoughts still remain as a general background. The experience of the body and other objects accessible to the organs of perception remains, but they do not completely capture the practitioner’s attention.

Thoughts about the main object on which attention is focused and thoughts about the meditation itself dominate. The practitioner seems to jump from one mental form of this object to subsequent ones until he enters into meditation.

At this level, feelings of delight, happiness and equanimity can already flicker.

At the first stage of meditation (the level of savikalpa samadhi in yoga), the meditator experiences one-pointedness of attention, delight, running wave after wave of goosebumps throughout the body, and bliss similar to orgasmic, but more subtle, smooth and deep. Upon entering the first dhyana, the impulses emanating from the body and sense organs disappear. Thoughts appear, but do not carry you away. If thoughts become carried away, the practitioner returns to dhyana (meditation).

The second stage of meditation differs from the first in that the distraction of thoughts disappears with a repeated return to “dhyana”. The practice becomes sustainable.

At the third stage of meditation , in order to move even deeper, the practitioner’s attention is diverted from the feeling of delight, which in such a deep state is perceived as one of the forms of excess excitement in the general background of consciousness.

At the fourth stage of meditation, the practitioner is also distracted from bliss, absorbed in an even deeper one-pointedness towards the object of meditation. They say that this stage is characterized by a gradual decline in breathing until its complete cessation, because The energy necessary for life is drawn from practice.

In the fifth stage of meditation, a breakthrough occurs.

If in the first four stages an object was necessary for the practice of one-pointed contemplation, then with the beginning of the fifth “dhyana” perception deepens so much that the perception of any kind of form disappears, and the meditator enters an objectless non-dual reality (nirvikalpa samadhi), in which he experiences empty infinite space. Meditation by this time reaches perfection and indestructibility. The level of the fifth dhyana is the level of a true master.

The sixth stage of meditation is characterized by going beyond space into infinite awareness. This transition is accomplished by switching attention from awareness of infinite space to infinite awareness itself.

The seventh stage of meditation corresponds to the level of pure being of Buddhist nirvana. During the seventh dhyana, consciousness does not disappear, but ceases its activity.

At this stage of meditation, the practitioner may feel that the fact of perception (emptiness) is itself an obstacle.

And the absence of perception as such will be an even deeper level of peace (see the article “reality does not exist”).

The eighth stage of meditation is the state of nirodhi - neither existence nor non-existence.

Discrepancies

In Buddhism, nirvana is considered the deepest possible state. The division into the seventh and eighth stages of meditation in the teachings of “Vishuddhi Magga” occurred for the reason that in nirvana there is still a certain consciousness experiencing emptiness, but in the eighth dhyana even this super-subtle consciousness disappears.

Some texts state that the seventh stage of meditation is not the level of nirvana, because the complete departure of consciousness into nirvana occurs once and forever, because At this level, the connection with the psyche is lost. However, there is an opinion that even from nirvana it is possible to “exit” and return to form.

One thing is for sure - the theoretical side is not as important as the practical - it can be anything depending on tradition, perception and other factors. An article on worldview is devoted to this topic on progressman.ru.

Confusion in terminology should not be a cause for concern. In the practice of different people, depending on the data of the subconscious, different aspects of deepening meditation may manifest themselves.

What, due to collective karma, is typical for one school may be unusual for another.

They say that the highest aerobatics of mindfulness and meditation is “sahaja samadhi” - remaining in pure consciousness always, regardless of sitting meditation - even in any manifestations of daily activities.

As far as I know, the ideal of Hinayana (southern Buddhism) is considered to be the Arhat - an enlightened being who has gone to nirvana. In northern Buddhism (Mahayana), the ideal is an enlightened Bodhisattva who continues to be reborn out of compassion for mere mortals.

Reading the books of masters, you can see how carefully they treat words, try to provide logical, sometimes completely unconvincing evidence of various states, and then it really looks like ordinary philosophy. But all these experiences exist, and verbal evidence is the same as “humanitarian aid” to Western minds. A true practitioner can and should verify the reality of these experiences from his own experience.

Nirvana is a state of no-restless mind

The concept of “nirvana” came to us from dharmic religions, mainly from Buddhism and Hinduism. And this concept closely coexists with such a system of self-development as yoga. Actually, nirvana is the ultimate goal of yoga. And here you can turn to such an ancient philosophical treatise on yoga as the “Yoga Sutras of Patanjali”, where this sage already in the second sutra describes what yoga is - “Yogas-citta-vritti-niroddhah”, which translates as “yoga - it is the elimination/control of the restlessness/disturbances of the mind.” About the same can be said about such a concept as “nirvana” - this is the absence of disturbance of the mind. And here it is worth returning to the literal translations of the word “nirvana” - “non-excitement, cessation, extinction.” In this case, what is not agitated, stops and fades away? We are talking about these very “vrittis” that Patanjali wrote about, that is, about the restlessness of the mind. And it is precisely as vritti fades and ceases that the state of Nirvana occurs.

That is, the generally accepted understanding that nirvana is bliss and pleasure is not without truth. But this pleasure is not in a worldly sense, but in a spiritual sense. And in this case, it would be more correct to use the term “nirvana” in the sense of “peace.” Buddha himself said about the same thing: “There is no happiness equal to peace.” From the point of view of Buddhism, and indeed from the point of view of yoga, any desire, attachment, some kind of emotion, and so on is nothing more than a restlessness of the mind. And when all these phenomena are eliminated or, as correctly noted, “fade away,” then deep peace sets in, which is experienced as the highest bliss and is called the state of Nirvana.

Great Nothing

For the mystic, regardless of tradition, God or the highest reality is always fundamentally indefinable, and any attempts to convey the ineffable with words are a failure.

One of the paradoxes of mystical experience is that God, who is the Neoplatonic absolute completeness of the One and the source of all things, ultimately in his very depths turns into the “great Nothing”, “neither this nor that” of the ancient Indian treatises of the Upanishads, “the baseless eye of eternity ", according to the Russian religious philosopher Nikolai Berdyaev.

The Pali Canon, one of the main bodies of Buddhist texts, does not contain any positive description of nirvana. In response to a question about her, the Buddha famously maintained a “noble silence.” The Buddha also uses the metaphor of an extinguished fire: just as an extinguished fire cannot be described as having “gone somewhere,” so one who has achieved nirvana cannot be described in terms of positive statements.

Another metaphor - the deep ocean - is given somewhere nearby to show that, paradoxically, it is not complete non-existence that is meant, but rather the fullness of being.

The Trinity Christian God arises from the “Eternal Nothing,” the 16th-century German mystic Jacob Boehme believed: “The greatest treasure for the soul is to move from Something to that Nothing from which all things can be born.”

The representative of “intoxicated” Sufism, Aby Yazid al-Bistami, said: “I looked closely at Him with the gaze of truth and said: “Who is this?” He replied: “This is not Me and not not-I. There is no God but Me."

A favorite metaphor of the 15th century Kabbalists was the expression “the depths of Nothingness,” containing the idea of a hidden God who remains eternally incomprehensible. But this Nothing, from which everything came, according to David ben Abraham ha-Lavan, a 14th-century kabbalist, is infinitely more real than any reality. And Buddha Gautama would agree with the last statement.