Post # 64 – Nibbana – Part 2

 You need to read Post # 63 before reading this Post. I will now in this Post, continue the references made to Nibbana by the eminent scholars mentioned earlier  .

All Sankatha Dhamma by their very nature signifies the three phases of,  arising; falling away and in between, a phase called thithassa anyathatta-undergoing change or transformation of what is existing. Nibbana is unconditioned and not produced by causes and conditions. No arising, no passing away and no transformation. Nibbana is the Uttamam Dhammam – the Supreme Dhamma  (Bikkuhu Bodhi on Nibbana)

Other references to Nibbana in this source material include such descriptions as:

Nibbana is a state where- the Pancha Uppadana Skanda (the five aggregates of clinging) does not exist. It is described as the escape from samsara (sasaren nikweema).  Seeing Nibbana is explained as experiencing Nibbana through wisdom.  Nibbana is also described as an avedika suka, as happiness found outside sensory feelings. 

In the ‘talk’ on Nibbana by Bhikku Bodhi, he explains that – “living is seen to be attractive, pleasurable and permanent, and maximizing the enjoyment and personal pleasures seems to be the goal of man. The reason to seek liberation is because; we have to see that our life is burning with greed, hatred and delusion and subject to aging, sickness and death. This is referred to as suffering. The principal cause for this renewed becoming in a new life in Samsara is craving or thanha, the desire for the world full of sights, sounds, smells, tastes and tactile sensations etc.

We continue to seek happiness in all our actions. We try to obtain the objects we desire. When we get them we feel satisfied. These objects are not permanent and loss or degradation of which causes unhappiness and discontent. If on the other hand if we can eliminate desire we are not vulnerable for loss of what we desire resulting in unhappiness. Happiness and contentment obtained from eliminating desire is permanent not subject to external influences”.

When Nibbana is described as elimination of craving or ridding ourselves from defilements or going out of the flame of desire or other such references, they tend to suggest that it is something to be experienced in default. But Nibbana is also described as an existing reality that can be experienced, and transcendent to existing realms of existence.

Theravada tradition refers to existing realities by the key words- Dhamma, Ayathana, Datu and Sathya. Buddha has referred to Nibbana using these terms in many suttas signifying it as an existing reality and an actuality distinguishing it from concepts. Bhikku Bodhi says the Buddha used the following key words to denote this aspect.

By describing it as the Nirwana Dhamma- it is described as a phenomenon to be experienced from supra mundane wisdom (lokuthtara prgnnawa). Thus the keyword Dhamma, when used to describe Nibbana has the connotation of a phenomenon. Phenomena are divided into conditioned phenomena and unconditioned phenomena. Buddha has referred to Nibbana as an asankatha dhamma (unconditioned phenomena) not produced by causes and conditions. An Uttamam Dhamma (a supreme dhamma), which is an existing reality.

The keyword Ayathana when used by Buddha to refer to Nibbana, he brings out a meaning that it is similar in references to different planes of existence (ayathana meaning realms or spheres of existence). Buddha in Udana Paliya has referred to Nibbana as an Ayathana or realm.

By referring to it as Nibbana Dhatu it is being identified as an element. When referred to as Amatha Dhathu, Nibbana means deathless element.  Nibbana Dhathu is compared to an ocean. The explanation is that however many may reach Nibbana, it does not get any fuller, as it is with an ocean with all the rivers flowing into it.

Buddha has also referred to it as a Pada or State. He called it an Amatha Pada deathless state. Bhikkhu Bodhi quotes Buddha’s words as follows: “Monks there is a state which is unborn,            un-created, un-originated (always existing) and unconditioned. If there was not, then there would be no escape from this Samsara which is a state that is born, created, originated and conditioned”.

To explain Nibbana as a Pada or state (a deathless state), one would recall this story as an analogy.

“There is a man being pursued by his enemies. They want to harm him and destroy him. He tries to run away from them and escape. He comes by a raging river and sees the further shore as an escape. He sees a holy man sitting under a tree in contemplation.  He asks the man whether this river is difficult to cross. The man says yes, but you may build yourself a raft from sticks, twigs and reed and use it to cross in safety.  He follows this advice and reaches the safety of the further shore away from his enemies.

The near side of the river where you are now, is Samsara. The enemies are the karmas and kilesas. The raft is the dhamma which can be shed after reaching the further shore. The holy man is the Kalyana Mitra (noble friend) who explains the ways of the Dhamma. The raging river is craving, wrong views and ignorance, containing the currents of kamma oga (current of desire), bhawa oga (current of happening), ditti oga (current of wrong view), and Avijja oga (current of ignorance). The further shore, the escape or the refuge is Nibbana. This is a state which can be reached if you know the way”.

Nibbana has also been described by Buddha as a Sathya, a truth or reality. The word truth is not referring to it as a true statement but as an existing reality.  Nibbana is referred to by the Buddha as the supreme truth, the noble truth and an imperishable truth.

Nibbana’s nature is described both in negative terms and positive terms. Both sides have to be understood to express it in some form of perceptible way. The negative expressions are- negating suffering (dukka nirodha), negating defilements, destruction of craving, dispassion, eliminating lust (virago) etc..

When used with positive expressions Nibbana is referred to as- unexcelled, the ultimate goal, perfect bliss, perfect health, ultimate peace, unique without a parallel, wonderful and marvelous. Nibbana is also described in positive ways by references such as, desirable, pinnacle of happiness, supreme happiness (paramam sukkam), complete happiness, freedom and emancipation, state of fearlessness and equanimity.

The nature of Nibbana is beyond conventional words and language. Nibbana cannot be described in empirical terms that are used to explain mundane experience. It has therefore been described in ways or expressed as states achieved by default, or through a process of exclusion, such as one would explain darkness, which is an existing reality, through an explanation such as absence of light.

When Nibbana is said to be beyond conventional words and language one is reminded of the story of the fish and the tortoise.  This story is also  illustrated in Bhikku Bodhi’s talk on Nibbana.

 “The story goes to say that - there in a forest was a lake where there were some fish and a tortoise who were friends. One day the tortoise went for a walk on dry land and was gone for days. The fish were missing their friend. When the tortoise came back from this walk on dry land, the fish surrounded him and said – “Hello, there you are, where have you been? We missed you all this time”. The Tortoise said he was away, taking a walk on dry land. The fish were puzzled and asked “What is dry land?” The Tortoise was struggling for words to describe and the fish became impatient. They then started questioning the Tortoise….

“Fish (F) - Is there water in this Dry Land?    Tortoise (T) – No, there is no water in dry Land; F - Is it cool and refreshing?  T – No, it is not cool and refreshing?;   F – Are there waves and ripples in dry land?    T – No, there are no waves and ripples;   F – Can you swim it?     T – No, you can’t swim in it. Then the fish said - Oh is it so? Then your dry land can’t be real, it must be only in your imagination?”

Because the tortoise could not explain dry land to the fish whose domain of experience is only water, does not mean that there is nothing called dry land? Thus describing Nibbana in conventional words and language would be like explaining dry land to fish.  

I hope these references made to Nibbana in different discourses by the Buddha, can serve the purpose to establish the authenticity of the phenomenon based on Buddha’s teaching. These references should also satisfy a rational reader to accept that Nibbana is an existing reality and not something mystic or divine.

Please see Post # 65 for a short account on how Nibbana can be realized by a lay follower.