How to Attain Nirvana in Today's Materialistic Society

Nirvana as we know it refers to 'liberation of the human spirit from the cycles of birth and death'.Religion signifies the importance of Nirvana in religious scriptures but beyond that there is hardly any emphasis on the attainment of Nirvana.As naive beings it becomes an increasingly complex task of unravelling the mysteries attached to 'Nirvana'.

To attain Nirvana it would be a good preliminary start to understand what enlightenment is?Buddha became enlightened sitting under the bodhi tree.If we delve deep into understanding 'enligtenment' we would see it is a state where we can easily communicate with a region of supreme consciousness in the infinite cosmos surrounding us.This statement might sound a little weird but as I talk about it further it would eventually become clear.

I remember attending a Buddhist Vipasana session two weeks back.In the session a monk who was earlier an engineer in Holland told us about his stories on renounciation.He said renounciation is not the only way anybody can achieve enlightenment.There are multitude paths to the same destination.He did get a little confused when I asked him what scientific definition of 'consciousness' is?He said 'it is a state of being aware'.Now the next question that comes to my mind is,aren't I aware almost every second of a day consciously or unconsciously.

Subsequently I feel there are different planes of existence.It is the awareness of the mind towards these planes is what being conscious is all about.Though science completely eliminates this absurd notion,it fails to explain phenomenon like 'reincarnation'.It is at this juncture where religion/occult/metaphysics steps in.The Bhagwad Gita one of the oldest scriptures in Hinduism clearly explains that within this physical body there is another astral persona which is transcedental in nature.This astral self can travel through the space-time continumm easily and is not vulnerable to anything including death.

The realization towards the existence of an astral self and trying to reconnect to a region of supreme cosmic consciousness is an attempt to achieving enlightenment.This supreme cosmic consciousness is what we term as God.This supreme consciousness is always transmitting waves to us but we cannot perceive them,thanks to material attachments.This physical body is an impediment  to achieving enlightenment.It craves for food,sex,clothes and all other forms of material comfort.In order to achieve that we fail to see the web of Karma which is spinning around us.The law of karma says,'every karma has an output-good or bad'.So Madonna's song 'I am a material girl in this material world' was correctly able to explain our attachment to materialism.


There is a drawback with materialism.Every material joy that we experience is momentary.A quest for material pleasures can snatch the happiness out of you as they are short lived and addictive.It can create an endless pyramid of unhappiness around you.Enlightenment tries to create infinite joy in our lives by connecting us to a being of supreme consciousness.A lot of people who have had near death experiences tend to experience the presence of a divine being or a supreme region of consciousness which questioned them on their lives.These people described the experience to be eternally blissful.They experienced immense joy and tranquility on establishing contact with this supreme consciousness.


I believe it is completely hypothetical in this world to lead a life without material objects.The best we can do is to put an end to the ever increasing quest for materialism.Every day that we breathe life should also be spent in realizing our true self.If I am an engineer that might not be my true self.We should try to excavate our celestial identity.This can be achieved through meditation.Meditation connects you to your soul.It tries to take you to a plane of higher consciousness where you can easily reconnect with the supreme consciousness.It might sound easy but it is rather difficult to reach the highest plane of consciousness.

I think dedicating some time off our hectic and monotonous schedules filled with tension might take us on a wonderful journey to spiritual land.If we are focused and tend to carry it ahead,we would definitely be able to reach a point from where we would experience immense joy so pure in nature that it would reduce all ephemeral pleasures we have had to dust.

Reaching enlightenment is in our hands.If we are lucky enough to dissolve the Karmic cycle,Nirvana would be a step ahead.In most cases enlightenment can enable you to see how close you are to Nirvana.Nirvana is obviously a perpetual connection with the supreme consciousness which enlightenment enables us to perceive in this physical body.

I am not sure how much of the above stated literature did you actually buy.If you have any doubts you can always write back to me at saurabhms@gmail.com.