Nirvana

Much literature has grown up on the subject of Nirvana, the state of supreme bliss, which the Buddha have reached and which state he promised to all would exert themselves and live up to his teachings. The literature that has grown up on this most subtle and difficult subject is really so vast that it is impossible for a man who is concerned only with the pith of the matter to go through this tangled mass of literature.

If one was sincerely studying the life and teachings of the Buddha, he would soon reach the conclusion that Nirvana was that state of bliss which is reached when all Asavas (karmic influence, influx, inflow) get completely destroyed and uprooted and the goodness in man has flowered to the fullest extent.

This stage is reached by acquiring perfection in sheela which includes paramitas and developing Pragya (Wisdom & Insight) which comes through practice of right mindfulness, concentration and meditation. This effort for perfection has to be made by man in the human form and in this world, where the law of becoming is in operation.

It is not possible in any other form of existence. The effort has to be willed deliberately and pursued with unflinching courage and determination.

Here and Now

The Buddha has stated, "Even so nevertheless, my friend I do not say that without reaching the world's end, an end of woes cannot be made (because you can end it here and now). For my friend, in this very body six feet in length with its sense impression and its thoughts and ideas I declare to you are the world and the origin and likewise the way that lead to the ceasing thereof".

Those who sincerely and earnestly try and tread the path to grow into wisdom and righteousness and gain peace and happiness which no misfortune or affliction can shake. Some, however, catch only a glimpse of the new vistas that open out for the man who has acquired new insight; but there are others, although few in number who become fully possessed with the new vision.

It is however, the law of life and growth in this world that, however, firmly a man may get established in wisdom and righteousness and howsoever rich be in contents of his spiritual experience, so long as he lives in this world, in his human form, he has to work and fight for retaining what he had achieved.

It is for this very reason, that the Buddha who had reached the very limit of human accomplishment, who had became a truly divine and had grown into perfection continued to meticulously observe the rules and morality and spend a quite deal of his time daily in meditation.

All this is very clear from the Buddhist scriptures and there is no difficulty whatsoever in understanding it.