UNDERSTANDING NIBBANA (Part 1) -- Jeffrey Po

Nibbana is the final goal of the Buddhist Path. All doctrines and teachings of the Lord Buddha Gotama are directed towards the achievement of Nibbana. Nibbana is in fact represented in the Third Noble Truth that calls for the "complete fading away and extinction of this craving, its forsaking and giving up, liberation and detachment from it." Free from those cankers that tie man to cycles of birth and death, one is then said to have achieved Nibbana.

Nibbana is to be understood and described as:

1. The highest level of moral perfection (visuddhi)

If Nibbana is described as the highest level of moral perfection, it is because it means the final extinction of the "three fires" of raga (attachment), dosa (hatred) and moha (delusion). Those three unwholesome/unskillful roots (akusala mulas) consume and condemn man to endless cycles of birth and death (samsara). Nibbana is therefore described as their cessation i.e. the removal of ragakkhaya (cessation of attachment), dosakkhaya (cessation of hatred) and mohakkhaya (cessation of delusion). One who attains Nibbana is then referred to as "siti bhuta" (cooled) i.e. the "three fires" have been extinguished. Those three unwholesome roots are often seen as "boundaries" (sima). They restrict and bound humans not to "see things as they truly are" (yatha bhuta). They limit one's vision into the true nature of reality. Hence their extinction means the achievement of the highest level of moral perfection.

The Sanyutta Nikaya mentions, "What is Nibbana, friend? The destruction of lust, the destruction of hatred, the destruction of delusion - that, friend, is called Nibbana"

2. The highest level of emancipation (vimutti)

Those who have reached the state of Nibbana are qualified to be called ARHANTS (the worthy/holy ones). Arhants are described as one who has gone beyond the constraining factors of raga (attachment), dosa (hatred) and moha (delusion). They are called "Simatiga" They have attained full freedom (vimutti). Having reached total emancipation from samsaric existence (conditioned existence), they live with their minds free from barriers and passions (mariyada). This description of having achieved the highest level of emancipation indicates that all fetters and ice have been shattered (sobha gantha pamocana). It is characterized by the cessation of all defiling psychological cankers (asevakhakkya). At this state, the Arhants are no longer motivated with self-centered desires and is looked upon as having achieved the state of "kamma nirodha" - the cessation of kamma. Their actions do not produce Kammic results (vipaka).

3. The highest level of truth (sacca)

In this regard, Nibbana means the cessation of the world of conditioned experience (samsara). One now sees as they truly are (yatha bhuta). Hence Nibbana is also known as "lokanirodha" - the cessation of the "world". However this does not mean end of the physical world. Rather it infers the "end of the world of experiences that have shackled one to the never ending cycles of birth and death". For Buddhists, "loka" means the "world of experience" and "samsara" is the world of "conditioned experience" The Lord Buddha Gotama is referred to as "loka vidu" This means that He fully comprehends and understands the "world of experience". He has brought insight into the understanding of the "world".

4. The highest level of wisdom (panna)

Nibbana is to be understood in psychological and not metaphysical terms. "Panna" is nothing but the highest knowledge into the full insight of the 5 Aggregates (panca khandha) of existence. "Panna" in this context is not the highest knowledge of reality such as the creator, God and so forth. In this context "panna" is to be seen as "liberating knowledge". Nibbana is neither a place nor a location that one reaches to or arrives at. It is not a mental state whereby one is aid to have achieved. Rather Nibbana, in purely psychological sense means the removal and final extinction of the three unwholesome roots of raga (attachment), dosa (hatred) and moha (delusion). One must necessarily remember that the purpose of the Lord Buddha Gotama teachings concerns the "Noble Truth of Suffering (dukkha)" and its removal (dukkha nirodha). Having removed them inferred being in a supramudane state of intuitive wisdom.

5. The highest level of happiness (paramam sukha)

The Dhammapada V203/204 mentions, "Nibbana is bliss supreme" and the Lord Buddha Gotama declares, "Nibbanam paramam sukham" - Nibbana is the highest bliss.

It is said that we live in a world of conditioned reality and experience. Hence it implies that a world of unconditioned reality and experience must also exist. As an unconditioned state (asamkhata), Nibbana is said to be eternal (dhuva), desirable (subha) and happy (sukha). Nibbana is eternal (dhuva) because it does not undergo any more change. It is no longer influences by impermanence (anicca). It is desirable (subha) in a sense that seeking salvation and spiritual emancipation from the situation of unsatisfactoriness (dukkha) means the desire to search for Nibbanic bliss or experience. It is happy (sukha) because within Nibbana one ultimately finds happiness. The happiness (sukha) of Nibbana is different from the ordinary worldly happiness. Nibbanic bliss is permanent and does not loose its flavor over time. It is a "sense of positive relief" that overwhelms as soon as the three mulas becomes extinct. It is unlike the sense of gratification when sensual desires are fulfilled. In other worlds, Nibbana in itself is found the highest level of happiness.

Of all the 10 grades of happiness considered by Buddhist, Nibbana is viewed as the "highest and most sublime".

In the context of the 5 Aggregates (panca khandha), Nibbana means the eradication of "clinging" (upadana). Thus one fully eradicates the "I-notion" that one uses to identify oneself with the 5 Aggregates. The "I-notion" being:

1. Etam mama - This is mine

2. Eso'ham asami - This I am

3. Eso me atta - This is myself.

No longer clinging to those identifications, the liberated saint can no longer be traced. Hence even the Tathagatha is said to be unable to be identified with or without reference to the 5 Aggregates.

It has been mentioned that Nibbana is to be viewed purely from psychological and not from the metaphysical perspective. There is however suggestion that Nibbana is in fact empirical experiences. If it is considered that the liberated saints (including the Tathagata) no longer identify themselves with or without the 5 Aggregates, hence Nibbana cannot be viewed as empirical experience, least of all, as transcendental experience.

(To be continue in Issue 202......)