How to Attain Nirvana

How to Attain Nirvana

Understand the teachings of the Buddha and the steps required to attain Nirvana, the highest state of consciousness.

In the Buddhist world, Nirvana is the name of the highest and purest state of mind that a person can ever reach. It is a singular consciousness that, once attained, allows the spirit to be conscious of its unity with everything else. This consciousness also recognizes that the separation of individual concepts—like right and wrong, you and others, life and death—is illusory.

The first human being to attain Nirvana was Prince Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha of our times), who lived from about 563 B.C. to 483 B.C. After a long and arduous journey of self-knowledge and abdication, he began the teachings that would later become the basis for Buddhism. Now the question is: If Nirvana is a state of consciousness that many people spend their whole lives trying to attain, is it possible to explain how to reach it? It is hard work, no doubt, but once the Buddha attained Nirvana, he explained some fundamental truths that this article will revisit. Listed below are the steps left to us by the Buddha himself. Keep in mind, however, that the journey is built every day through all of our actions, from the moment we say good morning until the time we lie down again to sleep.

Clear your mind and be at peace of spirit before reading these steps:

1. Knowledge of the Four Noble Truths
   • First, suffering is an inevitable part of life in all forms—both inside and outside us, from a broken heart to unavoidable disease, aging, and death.
   • Second, all suffering stems from ignorance. We cannot see the truth about what happens in our lives; we do not understand why things happen, or why we fail to get the best from each action. This ignorance reveals itself through anger and envy.
   • Third, we MUST BELIEVE that suffering can stop through learning and practicing the path.
   • Fourth, knowledge of the existence of the path, called the Noble Eightfold Path.
2. Practice the Noble Eightfold Path: This is the fundamental way to apply the teachings of the Buddha in our lives, achieved through:
   • The Right Understanding - A constant journey of self-knowledge, searching for a way of life that enables us to grow spiritually.
   • The Right Thought - Free from the three poisons: envy, anger, and ignorance.
   • The Right Speech - Avoid creating bad karma with your words. Be truthful, compassionate, and helpful when speaking.
   • The Right Action - Use the body to implement and express the conclusions of Right Thought and Understanding.
   • The Right Way of Life - We must perform all our jobs and daily work with morality. We cannot expect to earn a living from things that cause suffering to our fellow beings.
   • The Right Effort - It is not easy to always keep these teachings in mind, but with the right effort, we will be able to evolve. We must remember that to attain all the treasures of the Dharma—the teachings of the Buddha—we must practice in every moment and in all our actions, carrying goodness with us at all times.
   • The Right Attention - We must attempt to perfect our nature (our pure spirit) and avoid falling into the illusions that generate anger, envy, and ignorance.
   • The Right Concentration - We must learn to calm our minds using meditation, find peace of spirit, and avoid becoming overwhelmed by every little problem.
3. Acknowledge Dependent Origination: Another revelation left by the Buddha to illuminate our way to Nirvana is the understanding that all existing things arise dependently, and it is impossible to find a single condition or cause for the existence of any phenomenon. Keep this in mind to remember that we should not despair over actions that bring us suffering, first because suffering is inevitable, and second because there are countless reasons that contribute to any phenomenon (not just the one making us sad, as we typically assume).
4. Realize Anatta: This is a consequence of the previous step. If all things are linked, then so are we, and the conception and perception of a self separate from anything else is an illusion.
5. Realize Anicca: One of the reasons suffering is inevitable is the fact that all things are impermanent. Once we realize this, we will understand that it is unwise to cling too tightly to the things and people around us, because they do not last forever, nor do we. Acknowledging this fact allows us to understand more clearly the nature of things and the universe—that everything is in a slow and constant state of flux, and it is our task to improve ourselves within it.
6. Realize Dukkha: The fundamental cause of all suffering among beings stems from a clouded mind. That cloudiness arises from ignorance of these steps. (Remember that all spiritual traditions have their own concepts and steps for attaining a peaceful spirit and mind.)
   To do no evil;
   To cultivate good;
   To purify one's mind:
   This is the teaching of the Buddhas.
   (The Dhammapada)

These are some of the most important teachings left to us by the Buddha. In fact, he discovered and shared more than two thousand mental exercises to calm our spirits and open our minds to the truths of the universe. The Buddhist doctrine is a way to purify our presence, walking always in goodness, recognizing that life itself is the greatest gift we could ever wish for, and rejoicing in it. We live with the awareness that we are all interconnected, accepting that we do not control every outcome in our lives. Our only remaining task is: TO LIVE WITH LOVE, FOR OURSELVES, AND FOR OUR FELLOW BEINGS... Yet, despite this simple task, we continue to create problems for ourselves. We must learn from our experiences to see more clearly, remain calmer, and cherish every moment. This is the path to Nirvana.