For all out here in pain... basics of Buddhism

[Well-wisher]

:-) This ones a lil complicated. But a really nice one if we read it slowly, bit by bit. There can be many different ideas and views that emerge out of this and am sure all you learned people would have so much more knowledge to throw light on this article.

For the sake of all in pain, request all those with wisdom to share parts of the article and guide us all... I have highlighted the part I found to be interesting.

Nirvana in Buddhism is the supreme state of Buddha Nature that is free from Samsara and suffering. Once this state is attained and contained all karmic imprints are stopped and one is released from the cycle of reincarnation. While Nirvana is often used in the East, freedom from suffering can also be explained through non-attachment and this form of Buddha nirvana is also referred to as "Enlightenment."

So, how do you reach Nirvana or enlightenment? In Buddhism, enlightenment can be explained as the liberation from our thoughts. Instead of being our thoughts, we shift perspective to watching our thoughts-we are observing our thoughts without identifying with our thoughts.
This is the liberation from thought identification to thought observation, and this is what it means for the brain to get out of its own way. Beyond the brain and its thoughts we experience that we are still there, and this experience is liberation-the experience of our true nature.

To explain this, a mirror is often used as a metaphor for the mind, or consciousness. Our mind is an empty mirror in which thoughts occur as reflections. We are the mirror. Our thoughts, as reflections in the mirror, are our subjective self, or ego. By observing our thoughts we can see that these reflections come and go in the mirror, but when we watch closely we find something behind these reflections that is clear and stable. This is the mirror-our true nature.

Knowing our true identity, we can observe the reflections as they change from pleasant to unpleasant thoughts and back again, but since we no longer identify with the reflections we have now become liberated from them. This simply means that we are no longer controlled by our thoughts.

We now control our thoughts, and can select positive and happy thoughts, instead of negative and unhappy thoughts. This is enlightenment and freedom from our thoughts, which leads us to the essence of our nature. This was what the Buddha taught, and all his 84,000 teachings can all be condensed into one line: Recognize your essence.

The Buddhist tradition tells us that negation lacks the oneness with the parts, and therefore, we should abandon "the poison of contradictions." Being able to discriminate is an important function of the mind, but a dualistic mind ruled by negation is not a happy mind because it is disconnected from its own true nature. Our true identity is beyond conceptual thinking, and it is by redrawing this conceptualization that we can experience the true nature of the mind.

Karmic patterns are not part of our true nature-they are part of the manifest world (Samsara). To be real and to experience who we are, we need to move beyond into the un-manifest and unlimited world of our true nature. Just the same, when we die and leave the body, we also leave this karmic world of delusion to enter the ultimate nature of reality.

The true nature of mind is the door through which we enter into the ultimate reality of existence. The Buddhists teach us that to leave the karmic world behind; we cannot be attached to it. Non-attachment is a mind in equilibrium without craving or aversion. Again, non-attachment is not the nihilistic perception of nothingness, but the abandoning of conceptual thinking, which leaves the mind calm to experience itself. The true nature of the mind is naturally full of light and unlimited love. This is very similar to the experience of the light in the near-death experience. In fact, "The light experienced in meditation has many of the qualities of the light of the NDE."

Buddhism teaches that when we die, we encounter this light-the Luminous Bardo of Dharmata, Dharmata meaning true nature and luminosity referring to the light that is naturally present. As the near-death experience gives evidence to, this ultimate reality is beyond our human understanding, and in Buddhism it is bright and unimaginably positive as the ultimate bliss.

This clear light nature is the ultimate level of reality and as such it is also your true nature as the light of your enlightened mind. Therefore, an important key to enlightenment is the realization that nirvana is not something you effort for as you try to reach it with attachment to the goal. You are in essence nirvana and as such all you need is to stop reacting to karmic imprints and just be - be yourself.

[saib]

Excellent Article. Thanks for sharing.

It sounds very simple, to separate from own thoughts, but practically it is near to impossible, if one tries he will success in his first a few attempts, But pride of getting success in unusual sadhna will take him back in old world.

Just making mind empty is very easier to this but that also does not work for long e.g. if you Go to any peaceful (when crowd is very less or almost nil) religious place, you will attain ultimate peace of mind, but as soon as you come out of position, you find your thoughts back in mind.

Most of us leave in auto-pilot  Condition. One more thing that stops one to gain spiritual knowledge and move towards goal of Mukti i.e. conflict between conscious & sub-conscious mind.
People who have gone through painful phase of love in their life can easily understand.
Mind starts its game, you fall in love with one. Your sub-conscious mind will begin changing your thought pattern. If you take it seriously you will find that during a particular time thoughts of that particular person arise in mind without any break no matter what you are involve into that time.
Conscious mind will try to bring you back by realizing you what you are doing is not right. Other person is not good for you. He/she is already engaged with someone else, His family won’t accept you, His/Her Bad Habits ……….etc. But Sub-conscious mind just lock the door so that first waves if such thoughts can not enter into brain, & if some succeed to enter could not stay there longer.

There is a very beautiful book “Sada Safal Hanuman”. Writer said when someone belongs to species below human, attain the position of God, than why not Human. (Perhaps God came in that attire also to give this message).

It is said we get this human body, so that we can progress towards our ultimate goal that is Mukti or returning to our original home, and if we don’t step in that direction, we lose that chance.

Finally this is near to impossible, but not impossible. One can move on this path and succeed in his aim if he follows with following our beloved Sai’s way of living “Sharda & Saburi” (Faith & Patience).

Om Sri Sai Ram!

[Well-wisher]

Very true

[hemamalini]

hi ji nice to read but i want to read in tamil , can you pls sent me this?