Mokti

Mokti is a concept found in several Indian religions, most notably Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. It refers to the ultimate goal of liberation or freedom from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, known as samsara. The nature of mokti and the path to achieving it varies significantly across these traditions.

In Hinduism, mokti is often understood as the attainment of union with the divine or ultimate reality (Brahman), or the realization of one's true self (Atman) as being identical with Brahman. Different schools of Hindu philosophy propose various paths to mokti, including jnana yoga (the path of knowledge), bhakti yoga (the path of devotion), karma yoga (the path of selfless action), and raja yoga (the path of meditation).

Buddhism also emphasizes liberation from suffering and the cycle of rebirth, termed nirvana. While similar in its ultimate aim, Buddhist teachings focus on the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path as the means to extinguish desire and ignorance, which are seen as the root causes of suffering and samsara.

Jainism views mokti as the complete purification of the soul from karmic matter, leading to an eternal state of bliss and omniscience. This is achieved through rigorous adherence to non-violence (ahimsa), truthfulness (satya), non-stealing (asteya), celibacy (brahmacharya), and non-possession (aparigraha).

In Sikhism, mokti, often referred to as mukti or emancipation, involves merging with the divine through remembrance of God's name (Naam Simran) and selfless service (Seva), while living a householder's life. It is about breaking free from ego and worldly attachments to attain spiritual union.

Across these traditions, mokti represents a state of profound peace, freedom, and spiritual enlightenment, transcending the limitations of the material world and the suffering inherent in cyclic existence.