buddha.. the more you want, the more you suffer. so, to achieve that state of "empty" mind, try to eliminate all desire. the less desire you have, the more content you are. gambling, drinking, whoring, smoking, drugs, etc. these are things that make you happy for a short time. but actually cause you pain in the long run because you become addicted to the behavior. I am still a long way from achieving nirvana. but I can see that I am much further up the ladder then many others. my problem is I like accummulating material things. pack rat. I envy people who can live with nothing more than what they have in a backpack. and are content with that. I know a couple of people who have reached that level. the closer you get to nirvana, the easier it becomes for you to recognize it in others. it's all in the eyes. where the eyes of a dead fish are cloudy, the eyes of someone aware are sharp. when you look in their eyes, it's like you can see through them. an endless hole.