Nibbana
Nibbana (Pali), nirvana (Sanskrit), is the highest spiritual state and the ultimate goal of Buddhism.
The word nibbana comes from nir meaning ‘stop’ and và meaning ‘to blow.’ Thus Nibbana is the extinguishing or blowing out of the fires of greed, hatred and ignorance. Alternatively, it may come from nir plus vana meaning ‘desire’ and thus mean the ‘stopping of desire.’ When, as a result of practicing The Noble Eightfold Middle Path, ignorance and craving give way to knowledge and fulfilment, one attains Nibbana and at death is no longer subject to rebirth and all the suffering that entails.
Nibbana is only the most well-known name the Buddha uses for this exalted state. He also called it The Culmination, The Further Shore, Truth, The Immaculate, The Joyful, Utter Peace, The Wonderful, The Pure, The Safe Refuge, etc (S.IV,369-72).
33 synonyms for Nibbana
- The Unconditioned
- The destruction of lust, hate, delusion
- The Uninclined
- The taintless
- The truth
- The other shore
- The subtle
- The very difficult to see
- The unaging
- The stable
- The undisintegrating
- The unmanifest
- The unproliferated
- The peaceful
- The deathless
- The sublime
- The auspicious
- The secure
- The destruction of craving
- The wonderful
- The amazing
- The unailing
- The unailing state
- The unafflicted
- Dispassion
- Purity
- Freedom
- Non-attachment
- The island
- The shelter
- The asylum
- The refuge
- The destination and the path leading to the destination
The nature of Nibbana
Is Nibbana (Nirvana) a physical place? Is it existence? Is it non-existence? These are questions that have been asked by Dhamma / Dharma practitioners and answered in varying ways by Dhamma / Dharma teachers from the time of Buddha through today. The Buddha said:
Everything exists: That is one extreme. Everything doesn't exist: That is a second extreme. Avoiding these two extremes, the Tathagata teaches the Dhamma via the middle: From ignorance as a requisite condition come fabrications . . . (continues with Dependent Orgination formula). (Samyutta Nikaya 12.15)
The Buddha answers no to the following 4 questions / possibilities (Majjhima Nikaya 72):
- After death a Tathagata (Buddha) exists: only this is true (The Buddha answers "No")
- After death a Tathagata does not exist: only this is true (The Buddha answers "No")
- After death a Tathagata both exists & does not exist: only this is true (The Buddha answers "No")
- After death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist: only this is true (The Buddha answers "No")
The Buddha is apparently deliberately being vague since no terms in conventional language can do it justice to describe Nibbana. In other Suttas the Buddha argues against nihilism which suggests that Nibbana is not nihilistic. A number of potential explanations have been provided by Buddhist teachers.
The non-existence view
A number of teachers have argued that the person does not exist, the being, no matter how great, including the Buddha, cannot be contacted. They argue that there is no soul, no permanent self and that Nibbana is the extinguishment of all defilements, all craving, all suffering, all becoming. They argue that it is not annihilation since there was no being, no soul to begin with.
The pantheistic view
Other teachers have argued, including Thanissaro Bhikkhu that the being or Mind (Pali: Citta) entering the state of Nibbana is like a "fire unbound." In the Sutta quoted above, the Buddha talks about a fire that goes out and asks "where did it go" and then refers to the idea that the fire did not disappear, just that it is no longer held by its fuel. Thanissaro Bhikkhu argues that it is like a fire no longer dependent upon the fuel (of a body or the 5 aggregates). These teachers do not refer to this as pantheism, but it does have similarities to notions of pantheism found in other Dharmic paths including Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism.
Pantheists sometimes describe the union with the divine as a drop (the mind) entering the divine ocean, no longer existing in an individual sense but still existing in some way. Those holding this view in Buddhism have the following additional quote to support that view: "Just as the river Ganges inclines toward the sea, flows towards the sea, and merges with the sea, so too Master Gotama's assembly with its homeless ones and its householders inclines toward Nibbana, and merges with Nibbana." (Majjhima Nikaya 73.14)
The polytheistic, existence view
Others still take it even further, for example the famous Ajahn Mun, who stated that the Buddha even talked to him during his deep meditation experiences, suggesting that the Buddha is at some place in a Buddha-land or Buddha-field. A sizable number of Thai Theravada Buddhists believe that Ajahn Mun and his Dhamma successor, Ajahn Boowa, were fully enlightened arahants. This view is also similar to notions found in other Dharmic paths and also in Mahayana Buddhism.
The correct view?
The correct view will be found in the practice when one reaches full enlightenment and experiences Nibbana first hand. Until then Buddhists can continue on with their practice, continuing to follow the teachings and practice as outlined in the Pali Canon and see on their own which one is right or mostly right.
References
- The Complete Book of Buddha's Lists -- Explained. David N. Snyder, Ph.D., 2006.
- http://www.thedhamma.com/