Ryuei Michael McCormick* (nichirenscoffeehouse.net)
It literally means “to extinguish” and refers to [the blowing out of] the fires of greed, anger, and ignorance.
Nirvana is usually spoken of in terms of what it removes or destroys -- namely the three poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance -- and the suffering [disappointment] they engender.
In the following passage, the Buddha clearly states what nirvana refers to. It shows that an equally valid term would be “the deathless” because in extinguishing the fires of greed, anger, and ignorance one is released from the cycle of birth and death. One awakens to the unconditioned.
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| Statue of the historical Buddha at Temple Pharornkaew, Thailand (CCPC2008/flickr.com) |
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Nirvana is the goal of Buddhism. It is not a heavenly paradise or any kind of eternal life or union with a divine being.It literally means “to extinguish” and refers to [the blowing out of] the fires of greed, anger, and ignorance.
Nirvana is usually spoken of in terms of what it removes or destroys -- namely the three poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance -- and the suffering [disappointment] they engender.
In the following passage, the Buddha clearly states what nirvana refers to. It shows that an equally valid term would be “the deathless” because in extinguishing the fires of greed, anger, and ignorance one is released from the cycle of birth and death. One awakens to the unconditioned.
“Venerable sir, it is said, ‘the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion.’ Of what now, venerable sir, is this the designation?”
“This, monk, is a designation for the element of nirvana: the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion. The destruction of the taints is spoken of in this way.”
When this was said, the monk continued to ask the Buddha: “Venerable sir, it is said, ‘the deathless, the deathless.’ What now, venerable sir, is the deathless? What is the path leading to the deathless?”
“The destruction of lust, the destruction of hatred, the destruction of delusion: this is called the deathless. This Noble Eightfold Path is the path leading to the deathless: ...right view... right concentration” (Connected Discourses of the Buddha, p. 1528).
The third noble truth as expressed in the Buddha’s first discourse at the Deer Park actually does not use the term nirvana.
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| An explosion of light (mohansuniverse.wordpress.com) |
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Rather, the third noble truth is the truth of the cessation of suffering. Nirvana is simply another name for the [complete] cessation of suffering and its causes. Many others are used as well. “Monastics, I will teach you the taintless and the path leading to the taintless. Listen...
“Monastics, I will teach you the truth and the path leading to the truth...
“I will teach you the farther shore... the subtle... the very difficult to see... the unaging... the stable... the undisintegrating... the unmanifested... 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... nirvana... the unafflicted... dispassion... purity... freedom... the unclinging... the island... the shelter... the asylum... the refuge...” (Connected Discourses of the Buddha, pp. 1378-1379).
Nirvana is directly visible
Nirvana might seem to be a remote goal, something that lies forever beyond our horizon. However, the Buddha assured people that it was indeed possible to come to know-and-see it within one’s lifetime.The way to do this knowledge-and-vision is to abandon greed, anger, and ignorance. Once the brahmin Janussoni approached the Buddha... and spoke to him thus:
“It is said, Master Gotama, ‘Nirvana is directly visible.’ In what way is nirvana directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, worthy of application, to be personally experienced by the wise?”
“When, brahmin, a person is impassioned through lust... depraved through hatred... bewildered through delusion, overwhelmed and infatuated by delusion, then one plans for one's own harm, for the harm of others, for the harm of both. And one experiences in mind suffering and grief.
“But when lust, hatred, and delusion have been abandoned, one neither plans for one's own harm, nor for the harm of others, nor for the harm of both. And one does not experience in mind suffering and grief.
“In this way, brahmin, nirvana is directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, worthy of application, to be personally experienced by the wise.
“Since one experiences the complete destruction of lust, hatred, and delusion, in this way, brahmin, nirvana is directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, worthy of application, to be personally experienced by the wise.” (Numerical Discourses, p. 57).Simply abandoning greed, anger, and ignorance is easier said than done. More
*This essay on nirvana is a chapter of a book on the life and teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha according to the Pali Canon or the Agamas worked on by McCormick since college, written in 2003. It restricts itself to the earliest existing Buddhist texts in an effort to present only what is likely to have been taught by the historical Buddha. My works are informed by Mahayana and the older Theravada teachings. I hope to cover both canons to show how it does or does not relate to the faith, teaching, and practice of Nichiren Buddhism as a source of common sense and spiritual guidance.
