Is it actually possible to reach the Nirvana, as defined by Buddha?

Question

or is it an illusion, such as other promises done by various religions regarding the existence of a Paradise after life.

Have you personally met a person who had actually reached the state of Nirvana? Does such a person exist?

Answer 1

Of course nirvana is possible.

meditate consistently, and change the position you use for meditation. Throw away the lotus positions.

I recommend meditating on a seiza bench, or in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.

I'm sure Buddhists would call me a heretic; but "I DON'T CARE".

You can not still the mind and body if you are in excruciating pain all of the time you sit. The pain will distract the mind, and keep it from awakening to your True Nature.

Before reaching kensho, satori, or enlightenment; you MUST go through a mental stage called makyo (audible and visual halucinations).

When I teach Zen; I have then start on a seiza bench is possible, and a chair if not possible to sit seiza.

I recommend seiza because of several factors.

1. your legs are not crossed and blocking the flow of energy through your body.

2. It is relative comfortable to sit in.

3. There is nothing to inhibit the deep controled breathing.

Some people sit in the lotus position and meditate for 20 years or more before they reach makyo or enlightenment.

I have taught several people to sit via seiza bench, or on a rolled up blanket or pillow to keep their weight off their heels, and experienced makyo in a matter of weeks.

I believe I have experienced glimpses of kensho; but have not had this confirmed by a zen master.

I CAN tell you that I have experienced both absolute and positive sammadi (single pointed concentration. The difference between the two sammadi's is that absolute sammadi occurs in meditation, and positive sammadi is the ability to bring the single pointed mind out of meditation into the everyday world.), Makyo (the visual and audible halucinations, and experienced the state called no mind (where all of the chatter of the subconscious mind just falls away.

If you are really interested in this; get a copy of "Zen Training: methods And Philsophy" by Katsuki Sekida. This book is like having a zen master in a book.

This author spoke english as his second language, and he uses odd terminology that doesn't make sence until you have read and re-read it and re-read it again.

There is another good book "The Three Pillars of Zen" Phillip Kaplaeu. This book is very good; but does not delve to the depths of the mind the way Sekida does.

Entry level books to teach you zazen are as follows.

"Zen: Lessons fFrom a Modern Master" Katsuki Sekida
"Taking the Path of Zen" Robert Aitlen
"Zen Mind: Beginners Mind" Shunryu Suzuki

If I may be of further assistance; feel free to E-Mail me.

Answer 2

Buddha has said: "I was Buddha, you all will be buddha". We may reach Nirvana if we, all, ahve a pure heart. But since Buddha's mission in Nirvana is to bless and protect the world and the world changes everyday, new concepts will be born. And Buddha must find answer for those concepts. So personally, I think that we may be at the same level of the purity of heart as buddha, but his mercy is so vast that we cannot compare him to us.

Answer 3

I believe Nirvana exists in some form, but very, very few people actually want to achieve it, because to reach Nirvana one must give up the ego entirely and relinquish whatever defines the self. This is very difficult to do, even for a space of moments, because most people are egocentric. And we need to be egocentric in order to go through the process of learning how to achieve inner peace. As someone else wrote, the journey is important, not simply the destination.

Answer 4

Although some of the answers given above are very very good and honest from their perspective it happens to us every day many many times. The experience is so fleeting that without training in 'centralising the mind' we miss the experience.

When our mind is centralised, there are no distractions allowing us to experience the joy of inner peace, or Nirvana as you've stated. When we go to sleep for example, the exact moment that we pass from fully conscious to the first stages of slumber are akin to this experience.

Non Buddhists are unaware of their true nature...what it is which is truly them...they consider ...not unreasonably so that they are Body and soul, with this idea firmly embedded it is impossible to reach a fully Realised state...this is because they will never consider that their true 'nature' what it is which is truly 'them'...their true essence.. exists outside those other cosiderations..ergo they will never be able to allow that true essence freedom of encumbrance and freedom to control the Mind. They will always think 'I Am'...never will they consider...'I Cannot Be because the real I is never allowed access to Mind to Become Me for even a fleeting time'.

With efort and some training and instruction it is always possible to reach Peace but without the Understanding of the Skandhas the training in Understanding will be wasted. The instructor will say now focus the Mind.. now release the 'Me' of the Mind....do you see.. you lose Understanding...

We cling to all our Skandhas..all 5.. we must release all 5 to attain Peace.

Buddhists consider a Life or a Being...in this case a Human Being, as consisting of 5 Parts known as Skandhas. One of these is known as Mind. Buddhists see this as a Skandha only and as such is not the real person. It sees, hears, smells, touches, experiences....but it...is an it...and is only one part of 5. Substantially these Skandhas make up our Life Form our Being....but our essence of Being is completely different, permanent, elusive, insubstantial, hidden...and evolving and very very very occassionally it is this essence for want of a better term which is allowed access to experience. With training of 'centralising the mind' we as this essence purposefully become aware of existence sloughing away the influence of all the 5 Skandhas, when fully aware and in control of the 5 Skandas our awareness is filled with ....nothingness peace freedom from All influence....Nirvana....

It is at this point that we purposefully bring to the Mind Skandha that issue or worry which bothers our awareness, it is the whole purpose of the exercise to examine our problems, it is only in the state of Peace that real insight is possible.

Yes it is possible but only with a full understanding of the 'I am Not Me' concept...the heart of the 2nd Noble Truth...

Peace my friend from a Buddhist

Answer 5

Yes,it is possible.When a person has got rid of greed,hatred and delusion then he has reached nirvana.
My master late teacher,the great Ven.Ajahn Chah was one such person.Heard there is one in Myanmar at this moment.

Answer 6

The Buddha said after his enlightenment that he just reached the shore where he once started. Therefore Nirvana is just where you are. You just have to move on to arrive where you are. In Zen Buddhism it is expressed that Delusion is Enlightenment. So why worry to arrive if the desired place is just under your feet?

Answer 7

I doubt if is possible, unless a person puts himself into a completely spiritual situation.

But, it is the journey that is important---------the act of living a life that could eventually get you there.

Answer 8

Hi
I don't think the Buddist will ever have Nirvana, it has to be given by our creator Jehovah and if you want to know of how to live in a paradise on earth seek Jehovah and he will tell you.
Lammy

Answer 9

I don't know, Kurt Cobane's probably there now.

Answer 10

- No, Many are being deceived by the devil, you need the forgiveness of your sins, so start going to church, seek Jesus Christ YO ! ! !