Michael Deraco Is there a difference between Moksha and Nirvana? What exactly is Nirvana? What Exactly is Mocksha?.

In the Buddhism, the Eightfold Path leads straight to Nirvana, and Nirvana seems shrouded in mystery and confusion. In Hinduism, the basic goal of life on which the others are founded is Dharma: morality, especially as it expressed itself in the fulfillment of ones duties. But the ultimately goal of life is Moksha, enlightenment. This paper will discuss the difference between Nirvana and Moksha. However, in order to know the difference between the Nirvana and Moksha, we have to get have a basic knowledge of each subject and how it has evolve throughout time. The Buddha outlined the Four Nobel Truth the truth that had been passed down over the course of 2500 years. The Buddha told that the Third Noble Truth was the cessation of suffering, and the cessation of suffering is Nirvana. The cessation of suffering could be attained by following the Eightfold Path, and since Nirvana itself was the cessation of this suffering, the extinguishing of all desire Nirvana could be obtained by any who followed the path. When craving ceases, Nirvana is uncovered. Nirvana can be attained only by letting go of everything and seeing that letting go of everything is true freedom. We experience fear at the idea of letting go of everything, fear and defensiveness. We want to protect that which we have, and that which we believe in, even though we are told to protect what we have is to crave what we have, and that craving is causing us to suffer. The path to Nirvana is an experiential path. It must be experienced to be understood. A person cannot think their way into Nirvana. Buddha has suggests that a person cannot see the world they know so well without following the Eightfold path. Nirvana is letting go of the Three Poison: Craving, hatred, and ignorance. Imagine no hatred, no ignorance, and no greed. Imagine never wanting anything, never wanting for anything.

Nirvana extinguishes the Three Poison. Someone who has attained Nirvana is free of these delusion, and attachment. Absolute freedom. Nirvana extinguishes the burning fire of desire, hatred, and ignorance. Nirvana is not a place. It is not somewhere you go, such as the grocery store, or theater. It is not an out-of-body experience or somewhere a person floats away after death. It is not something that can be earn by being good or practicing virtuous behavior. Nirvana is there all the time if the person wants to experience it. It has always been there and it will always be there. Nirvana is the cessation of suffering and it can be yours if you want to try to attain it. Moksha, in Hidiusm, is the final liberation from all of the deep driving force that continually play out in ours mind and the world, that keep causing us to come and go from bodily form (Barnes, 2010). It means that the deep conditionings no longer bind. It is freedom from the bondage of our ropes of karma that seem to bind us for eternity. Moksha is the direct experience of the Absolute Truth or Reality, along with the total setting aside of all false identities of who we think we are. Self-realization, the direct experience of our true nature as pure consciousness, Purusha, or Atman is one stage (Mittal, 2010). That experience, plus the total, permanent transcendence of the conditionings is moksha. For Hindus, Moksha is the ultimate purpose of life on earth. To achieved Purushartha. moksha, videhamukthi, Samadhi and the kind. The Garudapurana narrates the different stages of passages after death. But in the case of Moksha it is believed that the reunion is quick, abrupt and direct with the almighty. The pure Ether achieve its natural tremendous powers for attraction, gravitation, magnetism and electricity and other superior powers so that the joining with the Cosmic ether is in split second just like a powerful magnet attracts a pin (Mittal, 2010). When the soul is purified by various methods of Jana yoga, Bhakthi yoga, Karma Yoga or Jnana Yoga,

it achieves that level of purity and the passage to Brahman is just a matter of release from the body. Thereafter it is eternal Bliss. All prayers, all yogas, all rituals, everything a Hindu does has an underlying reason to reach that state of existence. Back to the real question, what is difference between Moksha and Nirvana? There is absolutely no difference between Moksha and Nirvana. In both cases people are liberated from this Eternal Cycle (Samsara) of birth-death and will be living joyfully till death. One has to understand the concepts taught in the respective religion in order to reach the final goal. Final goal is same for ALL religions. 'To live life happily all the time' can be the ONLY ultimate goal for ALL religions. There are many programming languages like C++ or Java and the way a program is written varies between them. Since both will deliver what we want them to do, we cannot question why things are done in certain way in one language. Similarly, Hinduism with moksha and Buddhism with nirvana are two different paths which will take the follower to the very same ultimate goal. One major difference between them is this: Hinduism says that World is an illusion (maya) but there is a real substratum on which the world is resting. Whereas Buddhism says that the World is an illusion (maya) and there is NO substratum either. Actually both mean the same. Hinduism accepts that the substratum cannot be seen, touched, felt or experienced in anyway. Therefore, it can be referred as nothing (Soonyam) as proposed by Buddhism. Another apparent difference is while Hinduism declares that the scriptures (Vedas) are the ultimate authority, Buddhism does not accept them. Even Hinduism accepts this view ultimately, meaning once Moksha is attained the scriptures are not relevant/ not required. Since there is no difference between Moksha and Nirvana, I explained the subtle but apparent differences between Hinduism and Buddhism.