08. Saüsàra and Nirvàna
Nibbàna is two forms - Saupàdisesa (Nirvàna with the substance left
attained in this life) and Anupàdisesa (Nirvàna without substance attained
after the death).
Herein, monks, a monk is a worthy one who has
destroyed the defiling impulses, lived the life, done what has to be done, laid
aside the burden, achieved the noble goal, destroyed the fetters of existence,
and is freed through insight. He remains his five senses, through which, as
they are not yet destroyed, he experiences pleasant and unpleasant sensation
and feels pleasure and pain. This cessation of craving, hate, and confusion is
called the nibbàna with the substrate left. - Itivuttaka Pali
Buddha attained the state of cessation (nirodhasamàpatti)
and Ven. Anuruddha said; His mind was firm, without exhalation and inhalation.
When the sage passed away, free from desire, having found peace, the liberation
of the mind was like the extinction of a lamp. - Mahaparinibbàna Sutta.
It is also reported that when the Buddha
attained the state of cessation (nirodhasamapatti) just before passing
away. Ananda, his favourite disciple, informed venerable Anuruddha that the
Buddha had died. And Anuruddha had to correct him saying: ``Friend Ananda, the
Blessed One has not yet passed away; he has attained to the state of cessation
of perception and feeling.'' In fact, the Buddha emerged from that state before
he finally passed away. Thus, it would not be proper to identify the state of
consciousness in the highest state of yogic meditation either with nibbana
or with parinibbana.
The three types of persons are:
1.
The first person attempts to follow a good life avoiding evil actions. In
this attempt he may suffer but is not discouraged by that suffering. He can be
compared with the `stream entrant' (sotapanna), but in the present
context is called `one who goes against the stream' (patisotagami).
2.
The second type of person is the one who has advanced further in the path
of spiritual progress and has reached the stage of `once returener'.
3.
`non-returner' (anagami) because he has destroyed the five kinds
of fetters (samyojana).
4.
The fourth type of person is the one who is fully enlightened and is
completely freed and therefore remains unseated by the world, like a person who
has `crossed over' (paragata) and remains in safety when everything
outside him is in turmoil.
The third person has trained his mind through meditation and is able to
control it as he wishes. When an external object impinges on his senses he can
prevent the intrusion of ego-consciousness because he understands the nature of
the process of perception.
Once the intrusion of the ego-consciousness
is prevented, it is possible to arrest the influx of such unhealthy elements (akusala
dhamma) as coveting (abhijjha) and dejection (domanassa).
When he is confronted with the outside world, he does not generate attachment (raga);
instead he generate detachment (viraga).
1.
There is, monks, that sphere wherein there is neither earth nor water nor
fire nor air; there is neither the sphere of infinite space nor of infinite
consciousness nor of nothingness nor of the sphere of
neither-perception-nor-non-perception; where there is neither this world nor
the world beyond nor both together, nor moon nor sun; this I say is free from
coming and going, from duration and decay; there is no beginning nor
abolishment, no result, no cause; this indeed is the end of suffering. (Udana)
2.
Non-substantiality is indeed difficult to see. Truth certainly is not
easily perceived. Craving is mastered by him who knows, and for him who sees,
there is nothing (grasped).
3.
Monks, there is a not-born, not-become, not-made, not-compounded. Monks,
if that not-born, not-become, not-made, not-compounded were not, no escape from
the born, become, made, compounded would be known here. But, monks, since there
is a not-born, not-become, not-made, not-compounded, therefore an escape from
the born, become, made, compounded is known.
4.
For him who is attached, there is vacillation; for him who is not
attached, there is no vacillation. When there is no vacillation, there is calm;
when there is calm, there is no delight; when there is no delight, there is no
coming and going (birth and death); when there is no coming and going, there is
no disappearance and appearance, there is nothing here nor there or between
them; this indeed is end of the suffering.
Nibbana signifies the
absolute end of craving, not because a person in this state does not experience
pleasant or unpleasant (manapa, amanapa), happy or unhappy ( sukha, dukkha)
feelings, but because he is unmoved by them.
The person who has attained
the state of cessation of perception and feeling need not even make an effort
to remain unmoved because, while in that state, he does not come into contact
with, and thus is not aware of, the outside world. In the former state a person
has knowledge of the nature of contact (passa) and therefore he remains
unmoved. In the latter, he does not have such knowledge nor any feeling of it.
In fact, even if the entire earth were to tremble, he who has reached this
state of contemplation will remain unmoved.
The freedom (vimukti) or the
attainment of nibbana consists in eliminating the three causes (ignorance -
avijja, craving - tanha, grasping - upadana) by the development of insight or
knowledge (vijja) and elimination of craving (tanhakkhaya) and non grasping
(anupadana).
The paean of joy (udana)
expressed by the Buddha as well as many Arahants: ``Destroyed is birth; lived
is the higher life; done is what has to be done; there is no more tendency for
future birth or existence'' (khina jati vusitam brahmacariyam katam
karaniyam naparam itthattaya ti)
Cited Text: Kalupahan, David, J. Buddhist Philosophy:
A Critical Analysis, Hawaii, 1976 
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