Moksha

Moksha (Sanskrit, m., मोक्ष, moksa ) or Mukti means in Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism salvation, liberation, often referred to as enlightenment. Moksha is the last of the four goals of life in Hinduism. The others are Artha (wealth ), Dharma (religion, law ), Kama ( desire, passion ). Moksha is the final goal of life as well as via the usual religion also.

Moksha involves the liberation from the chain of birth, death and rebirth ( samsara ) and represents the ultimate goal of human life dar. Although there may in Hinduism an idea of ​​heaven, which a person can enjoy with good karma after the death of the body However, this is only temporary. The myths describe various dens of evil-doers, but Hindus do not anticipate that even the most serious misconduct could have eternal impact. The individual will inevitably come back to earth and the cycle from birth to birth continues until the final redemption.

This cycle, samsara, or the relative existence in the material world is in this case usually rated as negative, as a kind of prison, Illusion, as something to which one is bound. Moksha means the liberation of this binding. Hinduism meaning the liberation of the soul and, as in Sikhism and Buddhism an exemption from the I-thought. Enlightenment is always associated with knowledge, which refers to the nature of the bonding. In the Hindu Advaita Vedanta philosophy it is the realization that the world is an illusion, even the ego is an illusion and its nature is identical with the formless Divine, the Brahman.

One problem with the concept of Moksha is that it is by its very nature is a phenomenon beyond human reason, is thus being defined by the fact that it goes beyond him. Therefore, descriptions of enlightenment are often paradoxical, and similar to the concept of God beyond rational explanation. Much of the Hindu scriptures about Moksha deals with the denial or termination of mental religious concepts or ideas. ( Ribhu Gita, Ashtavakra Gita, Gita Avadhuta )

Many traditions describe enlightenment as a state of detachment, free from the ' I ' and the attachment to the world. This condition is referred to as ' Sackski ' witness consciousness. For some however, this state of the witness one means only the beginning, because he is still a state of duality. But in the end, therefore, is the complete unity of the world in Brahman, the highest, formless Being. The sentence from the Buddhist Mahayana ' Nirvana is Samsara ' could point in the same direction. Naturally, such an approach leads to a less negative evaluation of the world, as it is already seen as one and identical with Brahman or Nirvana.

For the followers of Advaita Vedanta Moksha can be achieved only during human life, not after death. It is said that this last goal even the Devas, the celestials, would be born as a human being, as it can only be achieved in human life redemption. Their existence in the " heavenly " state is not infinite. The person who learns during life coming full salvation, called Jivan Mukta ( Jivan = soul, Mukti = Liberation).

Others, however, especially believers in dualistic bhakti traditions assume that you can learn only after death by God's grace Moksha. This final enlightenment after death is called Videha Mukti.

If temporary enlightenment experiences are meant, is the talk of Samadhi. Sahaja Samadhi, the natural Samadhi is identical with ' Jivan Mukti '.

Different paths to salvation

The traditions of Hinduism recommend three, sometimes four, different ways to achieve moksha: Bhakti yoga, the path of God's love, jnana yoga, the path of knowledge and karma yoga, the path of selfless action. The doctrine of Bhakti yoga, which includes some popular trends of Vaishnavism as well as of Shaivism, propagates that man need the grace of God for salvation. While some are of the opinion that grace would be achieved through loving devotion, bhakti, others go out of the grace of God that may be purchased without fault of their own.

Especially in the directions of the Vaishnava Bhakti Yoga, the path of many followers of Vishnu, it goes into the redemption is not the unity and identity of the individual with the Brahman, but to participate and fellowship with God, similar to the redemption ideas of Christianity. Here Moksha is seen as a liberation from material existence after death, and freedom from all mental bonds, not the resolution of any duality. For them, bhakti, love for God and God's love for man, the only requirement.

The path of Jnana Yoga is based on the redemption through the pursuit of true knowledge and insight. In the opinion of the representatives of this path the inexorable law of karma, according to which man is solely responsible for its redemption applies. This corresponds to the point of view of classical Brahmanism and the philosophy of the Upanishads. The Advaita Vedanta describes the Mahavakyas the Atman, the soul, as identical with Brahman, the formless Supreme and absolute consciousness - Ayam Atma Brahma. The recognition of this identity leads to the dissolution of the false ego - thoughts ( Ahankara ) which overlays the Atman. Moksha here means the knowledge of the unity of the individual with the highest Divine, Brahman.

Karma Yoga or Karma Marga, the yoga of action, demands action without attachment to the results. Often this term is understood as a way of selfless service.

Some schools, such as Vivekananda, are added as a fourth way to salvation nor Raja Yoga, which also include meditation and asceticism.

The Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University ( BKWSU ) provides in Moksha or Mukti Jivan a central concept of their theology. Jivan Mukti translates as liberation in life. This refers to a life with God, so that the Prakizierende is free of external and internal influences after long practice. He leads a positive, value-oriented life which is determined by the emotional closeness and loving relationship with God. God is a white light point with an oval, gold red light aura for spiritual grouping. Moksha or Mukti Jivan experienced by the member if it is the mind of Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga is dedicated, a silent form of meditation. The World of salvation, that is, without suffering and body, an otherworldly world of light, of them the highest place ( Paramdham ) is named for the Brahma Kumaris. However, the goal of all meditative efforts is not the final redemption as in Buddhism.

Founded around 1936/37, has this New Religious Movement ( NRA ) with several hundred thousand members, their headquarters in Mount Abu, Rajasthan, North India.

In Buddhism, the usual term for redemption Nirvana.