We are all familiar with the band Nirvana. Some of you might even be fans of them. You see the fans quite a lot, sporting the band tee, wearing a flannel and combat boots. You know, the typical 90s grunge style. However, as popular as Nirvana is in the music industry, how many of its fans actually know about the significance that word has in Buddhism? In my experience, not a lot. So here’s a quick breakdown of the basics of Buddhism, by someone who comes from a Buddhist family.
Before I start, I want to acknowledge that Kurt Cobain did show an interest in Buddhism and he also understood the peaceful meaning behind “Nirvana” when creating the band name, so this is not a jab at Cobain for using a term he didn’t know the meaning of.
I will spare you the details regarding the Buddha’s life. However, what’s important to know is that no one is born a Buddha. A Buddha is someone who has attained enlightenment, which we will get to later. Lord Buddha, the creator of the Buddhist religion, was born as a Prince in India who, later in life, left the palace to live a life as a monk to find the end to suffering. The Buddha wasn’t a God; he was born a human.
Now, let’s talk about Nirvana. Buddhists believe that we are constantly being reincarnated after death. Unfortunately, according to Buddhism, life is suffering; we get sick, we get angry, we get greedy, we are subject to pain. Therefore, death is peace. But, how can we be at peace if we’re always being reborn? That is what Nirvana is: The state where you are finally broken free from the death and re birth cycle. The ultimate peace.
Nirvana is the goal that Buddhists want to reach. Becoming enlightened means to have found Nirvana, thus becoming a Buddha. Reaching the state of Nirvana, however, is extremely difficult. It takes an excruciating amount of mediation, freeing your mind, and the understanding and following of the Four Noble Truths and The Eightfold Path (which you can read about here and here). Not everyone can reach Nirvana, in fact only a select few can, but everyone can follow the basic principles of Buddhism.
Buddhism is an amazing religion that even non-religious people can follow as a philosophy. But, there is the longstanding idea in the Western world that Buddhists are hippies, which is not true. Buddhism has given me a sense of faith and I love being a Buddhist. Many of my closest friends are Buddhist. I didn’t write this article to make you convert into Buddhism but, rather, to help get rid of the idea that all Buddhists are either hippies who like to smoke marijuana or bald men in orange robes living in isolation for their whole lives. Buddhists are everyday people who just want to practice peace, just like any other religion. And, if you are considering practicing Buddhism, just know you don’t have to go to the extremes. You can simply try meditating, following the five precepts (x), and learning more about Buddhism!
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