In Indian religions moksha (Sanskrit: मोक्ष mokṣa; liberation) or mukti (Sanskrit: मुक्ति; release —both from the root muc "to let loose, let go") is the final extrication of the soul or consciousness (purusha) from samsara and the bringing to an end of all the suffering involved in being subject to the cycle of repeated death and rebirth (reincarnation).

Origins[link]

It is highly probable that the concept of moksha was first developed by Indian people whose spiritual ideas greatly influenced later religious thought. Buddhism and Jainism are continuations of this tradition, and the early Upanishadic movement was influenced by it. Reincarnation was likely adopted from this religious culture by Brahmin orthodoxy. Brahmins wrote the earliest recorded scriptures containing these ideas in the early Upanishads.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]}

Hinduism[link]

All the works in Hindu Philosophy and all the saints till date , including the legendery God men like Ramakrishna Parama Hamsa of 19th century have declared and accepted, moksha or liberation or being One with God cannot be described by words or can be expressed in any means possible to others.. Just like if a sugar doll goes to find the depth of ocean, it will never comeback, it will be one with the Ocean the moment it steps in, Hence the Bramhan is the only thing in this world which remains pristine pure.

Moksha can only be experienced by one and himself alone can feel it.Though all agree, it is the form of ultimate and eternal joy or bliss.

There are three major views on moksha from traditional Vedanta philosophy.

Advaita[link]

According to Advaita Vedanta, the attainment of liberation coincides with the realization of the unreality of 'personal self in the psyche' [ego] and the simultaneous revelation of the 'Impersonal Self' as the ever-existent Truth Brahman, the source of all spiritual and phenomenal existence. The Neti Neti ("not this alone, not that alone") method of teaching is adopted. Between sentient Awareness and insentient matter is an illusion formed in the mind. Moksha is seen as a final release from this illusion when one's worldly conception of self is erased and there takes place a loosening of the shackle of experiential duality, accompanied by the realization of one's own fundamental nature: sat (true being), cit (pure consciousness), and ananda, an experience which is ineffable and beyond sensation (see satcitananda).^[9] Advaita holds that Atman, Brahman, and Paramatman are all one and the same - the formless Nirguna Brahman which is beyond the being/non-being distinction, tangibility, and comprehension.

Dvaita/Vishistadvaita[link]

In Dvaita (dualism) and Vishistadvaita (qualified monism) schools of Vaishnava traditions, moksha is defined as the loving, eternal union with God (Ishvara) and considered the highest perfection of existence. The bhakta (devotee) attains the abode of the Supreme Lord in a perfected state but maintains his or her individual identity, with a spiritual form, personality, tastes, pastimes, and so on.

Achieving moksha[link]

In Hinduism, atma-jnana (self-realization) is the key to obtaining moksha. The Hindu is one who practices one or more forms of Yoga - Bhakti, Karma, Jnana, Raja - knowing that god is unlimited and exists in many different forms, both personal and impersonal.

There are believed to be four Yogas (disciplines) or margas (paths) for the attainment of moksha. These are: working for the Supreme (Karma Yoga), realizing the Supreme (Jnana Yoga), meditating on the Supreme (Raja Yoga) and serving the Supreme in loving devotion (Bhakti Yoga). Different schools of Hinduism place varying emphasis on one path or other, some of the most famous being the tantric and yogic practices developed in Hinduism.

Vedanta approaches are split between strict non-duality (advaita), non-duality with qualifications (such as vishishtadvaita), and duality (dvaita). The central means to moksha advocated in these three branches vary.

1. Advaita Vedanta emphasizes Jnana Yoga as the ultimate means of achieving moksha, and other yogas (such as Bhakti Yoga) are means to the knowledge, by which moksha is achieved. It focuses on the knowledge of Brahman provided by traditional vedanta literature and the teachings of its founder, Adi Shankara. Though Advaitha philosophy existed from millinimums right from the vedanta, upinishads period and advocated by many saints like Sukha, Sanaka, Goudapada, Govinda Bhagvatpada, AdiShankara is the most famous and profound presenter of Advaitha philosophy. Hence is many times cited as founder of Advaitha.^[10] Through discernment of the real and the unreal, the sadhak (practitioner) would unravel the maya and come to an understanding that the observable world is unreal and impermanent, and that consciousness is the only true existence. This intellectual understanding was moksha, this was atman and Brahman realized as the substance and void of existential duality. The impersonalist schools of Hinduism also worship various deities, but only as a means of coming to this understanding - both the worshiped and worshiper lose their individual identities.
2. Non-dualist schools sees God as the most worshippable object of love, for example, a personified monotheistic conception of Shiva or Vishnu. Unlike Abrahamic traditions, Advaita/Hinduism does not prevent worship of other aspects of God, as they are all seen as rays from a single source. The concept is essentially of devotional service in love, since the ideal nature of being is seen as that of harmony, euphony, its manifest essence being love. By immersing oneself in the love of God, one's karmas (good or bad, regardless) slough off, one's illusions about beings decay and 'truth' is soon known and lived. Both the worshiped and worshiper gradually lose their illusory sense of separation and only One beyond all names remains.

One must achieve moksha on his or her own under the guidance of a Guru. A guru or a siddha inspires but does not intervene.

Components[link]

Paradise (svarga) is believed to be a place of temporal attractions to be avoided by the seeker to pursue the ultimate goal of union / yoking with God through Yoga. In fact, even acquiring intermediate spiritual powers (siddhis) is to be avoided as they can turn out to be stumbling blocks in the path towards ultimate liberation, mukti. The Bhagavad Gita says that it is impossible to get out of Moksha once achieved. The Blessed Lord states:

"Because you trust me, Arjuna, I will tell you what wisdom is, the secret of life: Know it and be free of suffering forever."—Bhagavad Gita, chapter 9, verse 1

Buddhism[link]

In Buddhism the concept of liberation is Nirvana. It is referred to as "the highest happiness" and is the goal of the Theravada-Buddhist path, while in the Mahayana it is seen as a secondary effect of becoming a fully enlightened Buddha (Samyaksambuddha).

Jainism[link]

In Jainism, moksa and nirvana are one and the same.^[11][12] When a soul (atman) achieves moksa, it is released from the cycle of births and deaths, and achieves its pure self. It then becomes a siddha (literally means one who has accomplished his ultimate objective). Attaining Moksa requires annihilation of all karmas, good and bad, because if karma is left, it must bear fruit.

Sikhism[link]

The Sikh concept of mukti (moksha) is essentially that of jivan mukti, the one attainable in one’s lifetime itself. Sikhism rejects the idea of considering renunciation as the vesture of a jivan mukta. Contrast with it, for example, the Jain view according to which “The liberated persons… have to lead a mendicant’s life, for, otherwise, they cannot keep themselves free from karma” (G. N. Joshi: Atman and Mokhsa. Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, 1965, p. 260).

Jivan mukti itself brings one to the brink of videha mukti (incorporeal emancipation) which is freedom not from the present body, but from any corporeal state hereafter. It spells for the mukta a final cessation of the weals and woes of the cycle of birth-death-birth (janam-maran). This ultimate mukti is a continuation of jivan mukti, going on after the shedding away of the corporeal frame to the final absorption into the One Absolute—the blending of light with Light (joti jot samana).

The Sikh mukti is positive concept in two important ways. First it stands for the realization of the ultimate Reality, a real enlightenment (jnana). The mukta is not just free from this or that, he is the master of sense and self, fearless (nirbhai) and devoid of rancor (nirvair), upright yet humble, treating all creatures as if they were he himself, wanting nothing, clinging to nothing.

In Sikhism, one rises from the life of do’s and don'ts to that of perfection — a state of "at-one-ment" with the All-self. Secondly, the mukta is not just a friend for all, he even strives for their freedom as well. He no longer lives for himself, he lives for others.

'Mokh Dwar' in Sikhism

The concept of 'moksha' in Sikhism appears in the form of 'mokh dwar' in 'Japuji'. Guru Nanak says in Pauri 15 of Japuji, "manne paavae mokh dwar" which means that by reflecting on Lord's Name, one finds the door to salvation. 'Mokh dwar' or the door to salvation is the tenth invisible door in the body. This is also called 'band-khallaassi' (liberation from bondage) where in 'Pauri' 25 of 'Japuji', the Guru says, "Liberation from bondage (from the cycle of birth and death) is by the Will of the Lord". In 'Pauri' or step 4 of 'Japuji', the Guru says, "Nadri-Mokh-Dwar" which means that the door of salvation opens by His Grace. Noted Sikh scholar Dr. Harjinder Singh Majhail ( 2007: Pp. 105-106) writes in Chapter 5 entitled Glossary with Detailed Analysis of Concepts in Japuji in Japuji: the Gate Way of Liberation, "The nine doors of body open to the nether world. These nine doors are: two eyes, two ears,two nostrils, mouth, anus and the procreative organ. It is through these nine doors that our concentration spreads into the whole world. The tenth door which remains unmanifest, takes us to the highest of the high through the tenth door. Guru says in Sri Guru Granth Sahib (Page 1093), " By establishing the nine houses and a royal mansion above i.e. the tenth door of our body also called 'mokh dwar', the Lord comes to abide in his own mansion i.e. the tenth one." But it is regular practice in 'naam-simran' (meditation) which can help us to ascend to the highest one by opening the tenth door of our body which is the gate way of liberation. This tenth door can be opened if 'satguru' blesses us with 'naam-simran. We perform our 'simran' or meditation by Guru's Grace only and open tenth door of our body to obtain "band-khallaassi" or the 'moksha' (liberation from bondage of birth and death and attain ultimate oneness with the Lord. This way we get 'moksha' i.e. liberation from the bondage of birth and death to finally become one with our Creator.

See also[link]

• enlightenment
• Henosis
• Salvation

References[link]