What is Nirvana?

It has been said that, “Of all Buddhist concepts, nirvana has perhaps been the most misunderstood.” There is reason to believe that Sidhartha Gautama (the Buddha) did not himself spend much time dwelling on this topic, which may explain the variety of beliefs which exist on this topic within modern Buddhism. In the view of the Buddha, dwelling heavily on the “end goal” of nirvana (or “release” from the “rounds of rebirth”) was counterproductive—and could actually lead to more incarnations rather than the cessation of samsara (or rebirth). For him, the “focus should be on mindful progression on the path, not on the [final] destination.” One should live a life focused on what must be compassionately done now, and that would lead to one’s release from the cycle of reincarnation. However, excessive emphasis on the reward of “heaven” or nirvana was really a form of “attachment” that very well could prevent the achievement of that final goal. Thus, his emphasis was more on how one must live now, rather than upon the “reward” that would come to those who lived well.

 

Of course, nirvana is not a solely Buddhist concept. A number of the dharmic (or East Asian) religions speak of “nirvana”; and yet, what each believes about it is not identical. Indeed, even within Buddhism, not all interpret nirvana the same way—and within specific denominations of Buddhism (e.g., Theravada, Mahayana, or Vajrayana) there is also variety of ideas about what this term means and what nirvana will actually be like. Buddhism, like Hinduism, is not a theologically dogmatic religion and, consequently, there can be numerous views about a given principle, doctrine, or practice—even within the same denomination.

 

The Sanskrit word “nirvana” literally means to “extinguish” or “blow out” (much like how one “blows out” the flame of a candle). For some Buddhists, this word is intended to highlight the doctrine that nirvana is achieved when one has completely “extinguished” any “attachments,” “worldly desires,” or “karma.” Therefore, some Buddhists refer to its achievement as a state of “coolness.” For others, the term nirvana implies that reaching that final state of existence means the “extinguishing” of all individuality, making all things in nirvana essentially one. Thus, the term is perceived as meaning the cessation of “thingness” or “separateness.”

 

Many in the Theravada tradition see nirvana (or “nibbana,” as it is called in the Pali language) as the state in which there is no longer birth, attachment, change, or death. It is a state of “rest” and what one might call “unconditioned reality.” It is the opposite of “dukkha” (which is “dissatisfaction” or suffering); nibbana (or nirvana) being a state of “complete satisfaction.” Practitioners of Theravada Buddhism in Thailand often define nirvana as the “pure released mind” or what one might describe as “pure” or “true consciousness.” Theravadans in Burma, on the other hand, described it as a state of being “beyond consciousness.” For many, in the Theravada tradition, nirvana is what the word implies—“extinction.” Thus, it is the “cessation of experience” or the loss of “individual experience,” as all things merge into a greater whole. Those in nirvana do not cease to exist, but they certainly have no individual existence (in the view of many Theravada Buddhists).

 

Mahayana Buddhism has a slightly different taken on the nature of nirvana. For those of the Mahayana tradition, rather than it being about losing one’s consciousness, it is sometimes perceived as a state of “perfected” or “ultimate consciousness”; a state of “blissful calm.” Also, whereas Theravada Buddhists perceive nirvana as the cessation of any future births (or incarnations), Mahayana Buddhists typically believe in bodhisattvas—beings who achieve nirvana, but then return to the earth to assist others in their quest for enlightenment and nirvana. (It is commonly believed in the Mahayana tradition that the Buddha, once he died, did not fully leave the world but—having attained nirvana—remained actively present in the world, helping humans in their pursuit of enlightenment and nirvana.) Thus, while some practitioners of Theravada perceive nibbana as “beyond consciousness” and “thingness,” those in the Mahayana tradition often see it as geared toward “social consciousness” and a working for the salvation of the whole.

 

Not all dharmic religions see nirvana in the same way and not all Buddhists do either. Most, in the various sects of Buddhism, will perceive it as a non-material existence, and as the state of being free from the “bondage” of samsara (or reincarnation). The majority also understand nirvana as achievable only after we have eliminated all of our karma—as it is karma which keeps us in bondage to the cycle of rebirths. However, beyond those few universal principles, there is a great deal of variety in how Buddhists interpret this ultimate end goal of “extinction.”