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Moksha - liberation from suffering
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Moksha
In Indian religions (Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism), Moksha
(Sanskrit: मोक्ष, liberation) or Mukti (Sanskrit: मुक्ति, release)
refers to liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth and all of the
suffering and limitation of worldly existence. In Hindu philosophy, it
is seen as a transcendence of phenomenal being, of any sense of
consciousness of time, space, and causation (karma). It is not seen as a
soteriological goal in the same sense as in a Christian context, but
signifies a dissolution of the sense of self as an egoistic personality:
the undoing of conditioned mentality-materiality or nama-roopa (lit.
name-form). Liberation is achieved by (and accompanied with) the
complete stilling of all passions — a state of being known as Nirvana.
Buddhist thought differs slightly from the Advaita Vedantist reading of
liberation.
Hinduism
In Hinduism, liberation occurs when the individual soul (human
mind/spirit) or jīvatman recognizes its identity with the Ground of all
being - the Source of all phenomenal existence known as Brahman. It is
technically incorrect, nonetheless, to view them - both often spoken of
as Self - as a monist being of sorts, something possessing substances,
qualities or attributes. In actuality, Hindu scripture like the
Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita, and especially the works of the
non-dualistic Hindu school, Advaita Vedanta, say that the Self or
Super-Soul is formless, beyond being and non-being, beyond any sense of
tangibility and comprehension. Moksha is seen as a final release from
one's worldly conception of self, the loosening of the shackle of
experiential duality and a re-establishment in one's own fundamental
nature, though the nature is seen as ineffable and beyond sensation. The
actual state of salvation is seen differently depending on one's
beliefs.
* In Advaita philosophy, the ultimate truth is not a singular Godhead,
per se, but rather is oneness without form or being, something that
essentially is without manifestation. Moksha is union with this oneness.
The concepts of Moksha and Buddhist Nirvana are comparable. Indeed,
there is much overlap in their views of consciousness and attainment of
enlightenment. For liberal Advaitists, Moksha is seen as complementing,
rather than denying, the 'voidness' of Buddhism.
* In Dvaita (dualist) and qualified advaitic schools of the Vaishnava
traditions, Moksha is a stage on the path to union or close association
with God (Ishvara) and is not considered a perfectional state in itself.
In Hinduism also, Moksha is different from Nastik religions such as
Jainism and Buddhism, although there are many Jains and some Buddhists
that believe in the Hindu Moksha. In Hinduism, it is a union with God
and to the Nastiks it is a union with all that is, regardless of whether
there is a God or not. After Nirvana, one obtains Moksha. The Nirvana of
Hinduism is Brahma-Nirvana meaning that it will lead to God.
Means to achieve Moksha
In Hinduism, self-realization (atma jnana) is the key to obtaining
Moksha. The Hindu is one who practices karma and bhakti, known that God
exists in many forms for the achievement of Moksha. There are however,
other ways in addition to this.
There are believed to be four yogas (disciplines) or margas (paths) for
the attainment of Moksha. They are the ways of selfless work (Karma
Yoga), of self-dissolving love (Bhakti Yoga), of absolute discernment (Jnana
Yoga), and of 'royal' meditative immersion (Raja Yoga). Different
schools of Hinduism place varying emphasis on one path or other, some of
the most famous being the tantric and yogic practices developed in
Hinduism. Today, the two major schools of thought are Advaita Vedanta
and Bhakti branches.
1. Bhakti sees the Self as God, most often a personified monotheistic
conception of Vishnu, Shiva or Devi (the Mother Goddess). Unlike in
Abrahamic traditions, this monotheism does not prevent a Hindu from
worship of other aspects of God, beings or teachers, as they are all
seen as rays from a single source. However, it is worthy of note that
the Bhagavad Gita condemns worship of demigods, as it does not lead to
Moksha. The concept is essentially of self-dissolution in love, since
the ideal nature of being is seen as that of harmony, euphony, its
manifest essence being love. By immersing oneself in the love of God,
one's Karmas (good or bad, regardless) slough off, one's illusions about
beings decay and 'truth' is soon known and lived.
2. Vedanta finds itself split threefold, though the dualist and modified
non-dualist schools are primarily associated with the foregoing thought
of Bhakti. The most famous today is Advaita Vedanta, a non-dual (i.e. no
separation between the individual and reality/God/etc.) perspective
which often played the role of Hindu foil to contemporary Buddhist
philosophy. In general, it focused on intense meditation and moral
realignment, its bedrock being the Upanishads, Brahma Sutras and the
teachings of its putative founder, Adi Shankara. Through discernment of
the real and the unreal, as a peeling of the layers of an onion, the
sadhak (practitioner) would unravel the maya (illusion) of being and the
cosmos to find nothing within, a nothingness which was paradoxically
being, and transcendentally beyond both such inadequate descriptions.
This was Moksha, this was atman and Brahman realized as the substance
and void of existential duality.abc
Moksha in the sacred Hindu temple dance, as in the classical Indian
dance too, is symbolized by Shiva raising his right leg, as if freeing
himself from the gravitation of the material world.
One must achieve Moksha on his or her own. An Arhant or a Siddha may
inspire, but does not intervene.
Components of Moksha
Within Moksha or Mukti, there lies the ultimate peace (Shanti), the
ultimate knowledge (Videh), the ultimate enlightenment (kaivalya) and
the ultimate paradise (Swarga.) One Moksha is beyond the conception of
any being other than God but these are some of the known components of
the stage of union.
Buddhism
In Buddhism, the concept of liberation, Nirvana, is slightly different
from Jainism and Hinduism. It occurs when the self is extinguished from
the cycle of rebirth. (In Hinduism too, the cycle of rebirth ends on
liberation.)
In Aldous Huxley's novel Island, moksha medicine is a type of mental
stimulant which the residents of the island of Pala reach a state of
temporary nirvana, which the users recognize as illusionary.
Jainism
In Jainism, Moksha and Nirvana are the same. When a soul (atman)
achieves Nirvana, it is released from the cycle of births and deaths,
and achieves its pure self. It then becomes a Siddha (literally one who
has accomplished his ultimate objective)
In Jainism, attaining Moksha requires annihilation of all karmas, good
and bad; because if karma is left, it must bear fruit.
Non-Aligned spiritual movements
Surat Shabda Yoga
In Surat Shabda Yoga beliefs, attaining Self-Realization and above
results in Jivan Moksha/Mukti (liberation/release from the cycle of
karma and reincarnation while in the physical body – spiritual freedom
here and now).
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