Nirvana Buddhism

There stands today a physical monument of the ultimate aim of Buddhism: Nirvana in the guiseof a Nepalese temple, which is cared for by a monk of the Theravada tradition. Famed for helping grant inner peace within its sacred sanctuary, this temple in Nepal has various rest houses within its grounds, provided by Buddhists from Japan and the former U.N. General Secretary U Thant; with the cooperation of the Nepalese Government, UNESCO is also helping to improve and develop this first of the eight pilgrimage places that are high on the list of seekers of truth that Nirvana Buddhism applies to.

Beginnings of Nirvana Buddhism: founder and follower, director and whole-soul salvation seeker, Gautam Buddha

Born a prince, chose the life of a wandering beggar, Siddhartha Gautam gained a whole new perspective on life with the fabled four sightings that were predicted for him turning to a new direction: that of Nirvana Buddhism. These enabled the young prince to see suffering as a part of life that could be changed if desires that led to them were controlled and one followed the middle path of moderation and avoidance of extreme self-indulgence. He also propagated belief in the four noble truths and practice of the eight fold path towards gaining Nirvana (freedom from the cycle of birth and re-birth, an existing Indian concept) as well as practicing meditation to find the higher being within each of us that could guide one along a path of self-awareness, leading to awakening and ultimately to Nirvana Buddhism.

Of course, the manner in which Gautam Buddha attained Nirvana Buddhism was marked by intense dedication to the cause of finding out the absolute truth and reason for consequences; he did claim that though "flesh may wither, blood may dry up, but I shall not rise from this spot until Enlightenment has been won" when he sat under the Bodhi Tree for forty days. However, when he did gain the vision he sought, the awakened being in Gautam realized the effect of true Enlightenment as one that understands past and present lives, the importance of living in the present, the transience of worldly goods and the worthiness of non-violence, respect towards all living creatures, and the deepest workings of life that caused human suffering. At the end of this spiritual quest lay the roots for Nirvana Buddhism, which Gautam Buddha taught in simple and straightforward language to his disciplines as outlined in the value of the Three Gems (Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha), the Four Noble Truths and the Lotus or Eight Fold path of Life.

An unbroken chain of teaching from the Buddha to his disciplines to their followers continued till present day, the ultimate aim of Buddhism remaining constant even as factions in the earlier religion gave birth to many different schools of Buddhism and Nirvana Buddhism rates high still.

He who once as a child left unattended beneath a tree while his father performed the ceremonial first ploughing of the season engaged in his first meditation; attained a high degree of absorption that five sages flying overhead were halted in mid-flight by the power of his contemplation, led the way for many others to realize Nirvana Buddhism by sticking to its exact meaning. According to Buddhist belief, the literal translation of nirvana would be 'blowing out' or 'extinction,' which is explained in the context of Gautam Buddha having achieved his elevated and enlightened state of Nirvana by removing desire completely since it is desire that leads to suffering.

Thus, to move ahead in the footsteps of the Buddha towards a life of total Enlightenment and completely transfer the essence of being (the Soul) out of the realm of conscious roving (samsara, as life is referred to in Buddhism), the main aim of Buddhism lies in being able to break away from the Circle of Life and attain Nirvana Buddhism.