on the exact nature of this liberation. Salvation is always self-attained in Dharmic traditions, and a more appropriate term would be moksha ('liberation') or mukti ('release'). This state and the conditions considered necessary for its realization is described in early texts of Indian religion such as the Upanishads and the Pāli Canon, and later texts such the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and the Vedanta tradition. Moksha can be attained by sādhanā, literally 'means of accomplishing something'. It includes a variety of disciplines, such as yoga and dhyana (meditation). Nirvana is the profound peace of mind that is acquired with moksha. In Buddhism and Jainism, it is the state of being free from suffering. In Hindu philosophy, it is union with the Brahman (Supreme Being). The word literally means 'blown out' (as in a candle) and refers, in the Buddhist context, to the blowing out of the fires of desire, aversion, and delusion, and the imperturbable stillness of mind acquired thereafter. In Theravada Buddhism the emphasis is on one's own liberation from samsara. The Mahayana traditions emphasize the bodhisattva path, in which "each Buddha and Bodhisattva is a redeemer," assisting the Buddhist in seeking to achieve the redemptive state. The assistance rendered is a form of self-sacrifice on the part of the teachers, who would presumably be able to achieve total detachment from worldly concerns, but have instead chosen to remain engaged in the material world to the degree that this is necessary to assist others in achieving such detachment. Jainism In Jainism, salvation, moksha, and nirvana are one and the same. When a soul (atman) achieves moksha, it is released from the cycle of births and deaths, and achieves its pure self. It then becomes a siddha ('one who has accomplished his ultimate objective'). Attaining Moksha requires annihilation of all karmas, good and bad, because if karma is left, it must bear fruit. See also Antinomianism Assurance (theology) Baptism Born again Collective salvation Divine filiation Easter Enlightenment (spiritual) Gnosis Heaven Henosis Legalism (theology) Penance Perseverance of the saints Prevenient grace Repentance Regeneration (theology) Sanctification Soteriology Steps to Christ Total depravity References Sources (Presentation) Further reading External links A. J. Wallace and R. D. Rusk, "Moral Transformation: the Original Christian Paradigm of Salvation" A recent defence of the moral transformation perspective. The last salvation - Thought provoking story , a sermon by John Wesley (Methodist / Wesleyan perspective) "God's Plan of