Vajradhara
One of Many
Namaste all,
i'd like to talk about Nibbana/Nirvana and some of the misunderstandings regarding this fundamental idea to the Buddhadharma.
by and large non-Buddhists obtain an idea of Nibbana which is somewhat akin to their understanding of a postmortem afterlife state like the fairly orthodox iterations of the Abrahamic ideas of Heaven. this is due in no small part to poor transliterations of the Buddhadharma into English and the transposition of one philosophical paradigm into another.
the Buddha explains that Nibbana is not a postmortem state and that the experience of Nibbana is something which takes place in the here and now, during the current arising, while we are fully engaged in Samsara. the Buddha frequently makes the point that Samsara and Nibbana are one and the same thing.
these are all pretty standard things that the Buddha taught in various places, to various audiences and thus you'll find the Suttas repleat with different explanations of the Samsara/Nibbana interdependent co-arising.
one aspect of the Buddha's teaching on Nibbana continually seem to be overlooked by most Western commentators that i've read and either unknown or unappreciated by most western Buddhists that i've dialoged with in any depth about these subjects.
the Buddhas exposition of Nibbana reveals that Nibbana is of two qualities, two tastes of same salt (as the expression was); the Nibbana of complete cessation which is the dominant focus of all discussions regarding Nibbana in the West termed "Nibbana without remainder" and the Nibbana of partial cessation which is neglected in the greater discourse on Nibbana which is termed "Nibbana with remainder".
the Buddha explains that there is a very subtle difference between these two states and that beings experiencing Nibbana Without Remainder are subject to no more arisings whereas beings experiencing Nibbana With Remainder are subject to one more arising.
the Buddhas words on it are thus:
These two proclaimed by the one with vision,
Unbinding properties
the one independent,
the one who is Such:
one property, here in this life
with fuel remaining
from the destruction of craving,
the guide to becoming,
and that with no fuel remaining,
after this life,
in which all becoming
totally ceases.
Those who know
this state uncompounded,
their minds released
through the destruction of craving,
the guide to becoming,
they, attaining the Teaching's core,
delighting in ending,
have abandoned all becoming:
they, the Such.
metta,
~v
i'd like to talk about Nibbana/Nirvana and some of the misunderstandings regarding this fundamental idea to the Buddhadharma.
by and large non-Buddhists obtain an idea of Nibbana which is somewhat akin to their understanding of a postmortem afterlife state like the fairly orthodox iterations of the Abrahamic ideas of Heaven. this is due in no small part to poor transliterations of the Buddhadharma into English and the transposition of one philosophical paradigm into another.
the Buddha explains that Nibbana is not a postmortem state and that the experience of Nibbana is something which takes place in the here and now, during the current arising, while we are fully engaged in Samsara. the Buddha frequently makes the point that Samsara and Nibbana are one and the same thing.
these are all pretty standard things that the Buddha taught in various places, to various audiences and thus you'll find the Suttas repleat with different explanations of the Samsara/Nibbana interdependent co-arising.
one aspect of the Buddha's teaching on Nibbana continually seem to be overlooked by most Western commentators that i've read and either unknown or unappreciated by most western Buddhists that i've dialoged with in any depth about these subjects.
the Buddhas exposition of Nibbana reveals that Nibbana is of two qualities, two tastes of same salt (as the expression was); the Nibbana of complete cessation which is the dominant focus of all discussions regarding Nibbana in the West termed "Nibbana without remainder" and the Nibbana of partial cessation which is neglected in the greater discourse on Nibbana which is termed "Nibbana with remainder".
the Buddha explains that there is a very subtle difference between these two states and that beings experiencing Nibbana Without Remainder are subject to no more arisings whereas beings experiencing Nibbana With Remainder are subject to one more arising.
the Buddhas words on it are thus:
These two proclaimed by the one with vision,
Unbinding properties
the one independent,
the one who is Such:
one property, here in this life
with fuel remaining
from the destruction of craving,
the guide to becoming,
and that with no fuel remaining,
after this life,
in which all becoming
totally ceases.
Those who know
this state uncompounded,
their minds released
through the destruction of craving,
the guide to becoming,
they, attaining the Teaching's core,
delighting in ending,
have abandoned all becoming:
they, the Such.
metta,
~v
