Post # 65 – Nibbana – Part 3

You  need to read Post # 63 & Post # 64 before reading this Post. It must now be very clear that Nibbana is not something mystic and/or divine, which is beyond ones easy reach. It is something that exists as a phenomenon, a reality that is realizable by those who follow Buddha’s teaching.

The reader must now ask himself/herself the question, while all this sounds very profound and true, is Nibbana something that I can realize for myself? The answer that Buddha achieved it and so did all the Arahants ( Noble Ones), may not be enough as a motivation to keep you going. You will need some more details to get activated.

One finds that Nibbana as a phenomenon is not taught in any other religion and is unique to Buddha- Dhamma. So how does one come to terms with this? Why is Buddha-Dhamma so special? This line of questioning therefore requires first an explanation about Buddha-Dhamma itself before discussing Nibbana.

Buddha-Dhamma can be described in many ways. However the one that best suits this discussion is to see Buddha-Dhamma in the light of the following.  It has to be seen not as a religion as religions go. With a religion one can get solace from a divine omnipotent source by prayer. In Buddha-Dhamma it is very clear that one has to work out one’s own salvation. No outside source can help us. Buddha-Dhamma is not a philosophy. Philosophies articulate theories and postulations by different thinkers that are rational and logical. They appeal to the intellectual mind. But philosophies are often not verifiable or can be scientifically tested. On the other hand Buddha-Dhamma is well articulated in the beginning to be true and pure, in the middle to be true and pure and at the end to be true and pure and well consistent and complementary in all three stages. Most of all it can be experienced. For our purpose therefore it is best described only as a  teaching and a practice (way of life) where the factors/aspects can be experienced by anyone who will try. 

The word Buddha-Dhamma is a compound word and has to be explained more in its etymological format for this purpose. The word Dhamma in Buddha-Dhamma, means the abiding laws and principles that govern the processes of the cosmos (soba-dharama). That is, this Dhamma exists today; Dhamma existed yesterday; it existed during the time of Gauthama the Buddha and way before him into the infinite past. Dhamma exists today; it will exist tomorrow and will continue to exist way into the infinity of the future. Therefore this Dhamma is the ultimate reality and the only reality that exists in this cosmos.

The word ‘Buddha’ in the context of Buddha-Dhamma, refers to a title given to a special person who has reached enlightenment through ardent effort and striving to develop the virtues of Seela (Moral Restraint), Samadhi (Tranquil, Concentrated and One-pointed  Mind) , and Panna (Experiential Wisdom) to the highest possible level.  Siddartha Gauthama strived hard and reached this Buddha-hood some 2600 years ago. With this sharp and developed mind he discovered the Dhamma, the existing reality. He did not create it or fashion it to be what it is today, but only saw it. What he saw was the nature of Dhamma; how it functions and influences; how it influences the living being; what the consequence or impact of this influence is; and the way, to cope. This is the doctrine or Buddha-Dhamma. Therefore one could see how special this Buddha-Dhamma is.

What Buddha discovered for our purpose from among everything else, are the four noble truths, the laws of cause and effect and the unsatisfactory state of the Samsaric process. This unsatisfactory state of the Samsaric process, the effort needed to escape from Samsara and its dangers are well elaborated in many suttas. (Bala Panditha Sutta and Deva Duta Sutta and Petha  Wattu Suttas)

Bhikku Bodhi in his talk on Nibbana says -“The unhappiness people experience psychologically is due to a tension between desire and the lack of what is desired. The two possible approaches to overcome this tension are to obtain what is desired or eliminate desire. Usually man goes for the first option by believing that happiness can be found by getting what you desire or satisfying desire. Getting things from outside is vulnerable for failure. When they are not permanent, the loss is painful. The second option of eliminating desire is independent of external objects and therefore not vulnerable for failure. It is a happiness and inner satisfaction that can never be destroyed. Full freedom from suffering is elimination of craving and ending re-becoming.  It is the state of final deliverance- Nibbana, the ultimate goal of a Buddhist”.

When one sees Nibbana this way, one is encouraged to find out how it can be realized. It is this motivation and inspiration that this Post is aiming to establish.

In some Dhamma Desanas the monks explain a very precise and clear way of attaining Nibbana. The basic steps one has to follow according to these talks, to develop in the path to Nibbana are not too demanding. They seem very encouraging and clear enough to engage in as a practice.

In these talks the learned monks refer to many Suttas in which there are clear ways that a lay-disciple may follow and attain Nibbana.  Ven. Dankande Dharmarathna Thero in his dhamma sermon on ‘Sansaren Etharaweema’ describes the unsatisfactory state of the Samsaric process. Quoting the suttas (Bala Panditha Sutta and Deva Duta Sutta) he explains that by following four virtuous qualities of Kalyana Mitra Sevanaya (associating with noble friends); Saddarma Sravanaya (learning the Dhamma); Yoniso Manasikara (being always mindful and acting wisely with clear comprehension in accordance with Dhamma); and following a Dhamma-nu-Dhamma Prathipadawa (the noble eightfold path) one enters sothapanna margaya, the path. This path and the attainment of its fruition, the Sothapatthi (stream enterer) state, is the first stage in realizing Nibbana. It is a significant mile-stone.

Ven. Madawela Somapala Thero in his Dhamma Desana on ‘Sowan Palaya Labeema’ quotes the sutta (Sotha Patti Sutta in Samyaktha Nikaya) where he explains that Sotha is the Ariya Astangika Margaya (the Noble Eightfold Path).  This path carries you along to Nibbana like a river that flows into the great ocean, without turning back. In these sutta, the Thero explains that in addition to the four fold virtues described earlier, the stream enterer has to also develop unwavering trust (sraddawa) in the Buddha, Dhamma (the teaching), the Sanga (Noble ones) and the Seela (moral restraint).

Upon entering the path one develops Saddha (unwavering trust), Viriya (ardent effort), Sathi (mindfulness), Samadhi (deep concentration) and Panna (experiential wisdom) as faculties and strengths. They help you achieve ‘sothapatthi magga chitta’ and ‘pala chitta’; the two sequential mind states of the path and fruition of Sothapatthi (stream enterer). These two states of magga chitta’ and ‘pala chitta’ gives a first glimpse of Nibbana which hitherto was only an intellectually acquired knowledge. It now becomes, although momentarily, an experience which keeps you on track with no doubt about the path and ultimate end.

This experience is compared to the situation of a man lost in the middle of a jungle in a dark stormy night.  The darkness, the storm and the rain are quite frightening. He wants to somehow escape to a safe place. He is quite lost and he sees no refuge and does not know which way to go. Then suddenly there is a flash of lightning. In that momentary illumination he sees at a distance in the valley below a village where there would be safety. In the darkness, although momentarily, he saw where he must go. There will now be no uncertainty or doubt in his mind as to which direction he has to go. The stream enterer undergoes a similar experience on reaching that attainment. 

These dhamma talks also describe how the path and the progressive attainments of the different stages in the path help to eliminate varies shackles or fetters (sanyojanas) that chain you down to the Samsaric process. There are altogether ten of them. With Sotha Patthi, you rid yourself of three such shackles. They are; the view of- a ‘Me’, a ‘Mine’ and an ‘I am’ (sakkaya ditti); the doubt about the Buddha, his noble qualities along with seven more aspects taught in the Dhamma (Vichi Kichchava); and wrong practices and rituals (Seelabatha Paramasa). With the attainment of this stage in the path, the stream enterer will not be reborn thereafter in the four unhappy realms (Satara Apayas) and avoid ‘ananthariya papa karmas’ the ultimate bad karmas, which drags a being straight to the nirayas (Hell Realms) in the next birth. The stream enterer will also not come under the influence of teachers with wrong views (Mithya Ditti) and will end his Samsaric process somewhere within the next seven rebirths.

This therefore seems the first target for every practitioner of the Dhamma. Further, once you are established in the Sothapatthi Margaya, you will reach an important intermediate state. That is either becoming a Sadda-nu-Sari or Dhamma-nu-Sari.  In the former of the two, unwavering trust in the Noble Triple Gem is the driver which takes you forwards towards the Sothapatthi state. In the case of the latter the driver is the inspiration gained from the understanding of the Dhamma. This inspiration carries you forward. It seems that any one of these intermediate states is quite achievable in this life itself for the one who is practicing in the path and can be the first target to aim at. With these states you leave behind your ‘Puthujana’ (mundane) outlook of life and enter the ‘Ariya Margaya’, the path followed by the noble ones.

From the Sothapatthi state and continuing on with the above practice to a higher degree of qualitative progress, and further development of the understanding of the four noble truths, one reaches the Sakadagami (once returner) state. Then continuing on, the Anagami (non returner) state is reached. Thereafter the final state of Arahant (an enlightened one) is attained after the full development of these virtues to achieve realization of Nibbana.

This step by step path of practice leading to the attainment of Nibbana unfolds in seven stages, known as the seven stages of purification (Satta Visuddhi). They are Purification of Virtue (sila Vissuddhi); Purification of Mind (chitta Vissuddhi); ....of View (ditti Vissuddhi); ....by Overcoming Doubt (kankavitarana Vissuddhi); ...of Knowledge of what is Path and not Path (maggamagga-nana dassana Vissuddhi); ...of Knowledge and Vision of the Way (pathipada-nana dassana Vissuddhi); ...of Knowledge and Vision (nana-dassana Vissuddhi )-( Sri Nanarama Mahathera- The Seven Stages of Purification and Insight Knowledges).

This development comes with practice in the Dhamma that Buddha taught out of compassion for all beings. He said “Then you should train yourself –harmoniously, cordially, and without dispute-in the qualities I have pointed out, having known them directly: the four frames of reference (sathara satthi-pattana); four right exertions (samma-padana); the four bases of power (iddhi-pada); the five faculties (indriya); the five strengths (bala); the seven factors of awakening (bojjhanga); the noble eightfold path (ariya-magga) and this forms the heart of my message” – the bodhi-pakkhiya-dhamma (Thanissaro Bhikkhu – The wings to awakening)

Attainment of Nibbana is a realization one gets while one is alive. It is attained in two stages. First is when the above purifications and insight knowledge develops to the highest level, all sanyoganas (shackles) are broken and defilements are eliminated. Then you attain the Sow-upadi-shesa Nibbana element, or Kilesa Parinibbana. That is reaching liberation in this present life itself. Bhikkhu Bodhi in his aforementioned talk on Nibbana says this is the Nibbana with a residue remaining- (ie. the five aggregates). It is the attainment by a living Arahant. Then at the end of that life, with the exhaustion of the karma that gave this life and the destruction of the five aggregates, the Arahant reaches the Anu-padi-shesa Nibbana element or Skanda Parinibbana, the Nibbana element without a residue remaining, as the ultimate end without a further re-becoming (In the booklet ‘Niwana’ by Piyadasa Mathugama).

These extracts from text were brought in only for the purpose to show the range of aspects that are there when one tries to learn about Nibbana. They also establish the authenticity of the method and practice in realizing Nibbana, as coming from Buddha’s teaching. These should in no way appear daunting and put you off as a very complex practice. It is to be clearly understood that this is a practicable process requiring only the commitment, the energy and the resolve for attaining this state, which so many Arahants have achieved. We have to appreciate that we are trying to break the Samsaric habits that have been cultivated over eons of time and that is not easy. Also the attainment is not overnight, but has to be obtained step by step by accumulation. The achievement is realized through an incremental process.

Conclusion – Nibbana is the focus in Buddha’s teaching and therefore one must try to motivate oneself to understand this more fully. One has to come to terms with the fact that Samsara is unsatisfactory and dangerous, and one must escape from the cycle of birth and death. One has to realize that this particular human life is a rare opportunity and that it should not be missed to make some progress in the path. The clear steps described to develop, Shadda, Viriya, Sathi, Samadi and Panna have to be learned in detail and the practical way to engage in them in a household life has to be worked out. One must target reaching the preliminary stages of either the Dhamma-nu-Sari or Shradda-nu-Sari in this life itself which is quite achievable. Continuing further, the attainment of the state of Sothapatthi thereafter is within easy reach. What is needed is the basic understanding on how to conduct ones daily lay life to achieve above. Then the next stages of development requires the understanding of how to improve on the qualities in bodhi-pakshika dhamma and the development of the purifications and insight knowledge by regular and appropriate meditative practices in Samatha and Vidhrshana, to culminate the process. Please await Posts on a practical way to engage  in a household life to gain this liberation.

May you get the necessary inspiration!