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For other uses, see Moksha (disambiguation).
| Translations of Moksha | |
|---|---|
| English | Emancipation, liberation, release |
| Sanskrit | मोक्ष (IAST: mokṣa) |
| Assamese | মোক্ষ (mokkho) |
| Bengali | মোক্ষ (mokkho) |
| Gujarati | મોક્ષ (mōkṣa) |
| Hindi | मोक्ष (moksh) |
| Javanese | ꦩꦺꦴꦏ꧀ꦱ (moksa) |
| Kannada | ಮೋಕ್ಷ (mōkṣa) |
| Malayalam | മോക്ഷം (mōkṣaṁ) |
| Marathi | मोक्ष (moksh) |
| Nepali | मोक्ष (moksh) |
| Odia | ମୋକ୍ଷ (mokṣa) |
| Punjabi | ਮੋਕਸ਼ (mōkaśa) |
| Tamil | வீடுபேறு (vīdupēru) |
| Telugu | మోక్షము (mokshamu) |
| Glossary of Hinduism terms |
A depiction of liberated souls at moksha.
Moksha (/ˈmoʊkʃə/; Sanskrit: मोक्ष, mokṣa), also called vimoksha, vimukti and mukti,[1] is a term in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism for various forms of emancipation, enlightenment, liberation, and release.[2] In its soteriological and eschatological senses, it refers to freedom from saṃsāra, the cycle of death and rebirth.[3] In its epistemological and psychological senses, moksha is freedom from ignorance: self-realization, self-actualization and self-knowledge.[4]
In Hindu traditions, moksha is a central concept[5] and the utmost aim of human life; the other three aims being dharma (virtuous, proper, moral life), artha (material prosperity, income security, means of life), and kama (pleasure, sensuality, emotional fulfillment).[6] Together, these four concepts are called Puruṣārtha in Hinduism.[7]
In some schools of Indian religions, moksha is considered equivalent to and used interchangeably with other terms such as vimoksha, vimukti, kaivalya, apavarga, mukti, nihsreyasa and nirvana.[8] However, terms such as moksha and nirvana differ and mean different states between various schools of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.[9] The term nirvana is more common in Buddhism,[10] while moksha is more prevalent in Hinduism.[11]
Etymology
Moksha is derived from the root, muc, which means to free, let go, release, liberate.[12]
Definition and meanings
The definition and meaning of moksha varies between various schools of Indian religions.[13] Moksha means freedom, liberation; from what and how is where the schools differ.[14] Moksha is also a concept that means liberation from rebirth or saṃsāra.[3] This liberation can be attained while one is on earth (jivanmukti), or eschatologically (karmamukti,[3] videhamukti). Some Indian traditions have emphasized liberation on concrete, ethical action within the world. This liberation is an epistemological transformation that permits one to see the truth and reality behind the fog of ignorance.[web 1]
Moksha has been defined not merely as absence of suffering and release from bondage to saṃsāra. Various schools of Hinduism also explain the concept as presence of the state of paripurna-brahmanubhava (the experience of oneness with Brahman, the One Supreme Self), a state of knowledge, peace and bliss.[15] For example, Vivekachudamani – an ancient book on moksha, explains one of many meditative steps on the path to moksha, as:
जाति नीति कुल गोत्र दूरगं
नाम रूप गुण दोष वर्जितम्।
देश काल विषया तिवर्ति यद्
ब्रह्म तत्त्वमसि भाव यात्मनि॥ २५४ ॥
Beyond caste, creed, family or lineage,
That which is without name and form, beyond merit and demerit,
That which is beyond space, time and sense-objects,
You are that, God himself; Meditate this within yourself. ||Verse 254||
— Vivekachudamani, 8th Century CE[16]
More at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moksha