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NIBBANA

Ven. Namtu Sudhamma

(174, Sri Vajiranna Rd Columbo 9 Sri Lanka)

Feb/ 1999

           Every Buddhist devotee has to know what is 'Nibbana' which is the ultimate goal of his/ her, but if she/ he does not completely know it how can he try to achieve or attain it. Nibbana is the ultimate goal of Buddhism, and it is called perfect liberation, freedom, peace, tranquillity, or happiness.

           When all forms of craving are extirpated, Kammic force ceases to operate, it is called one attains Nibbana, thereafter escaping from the birth and death. This Buddhist concept of deliverance is this escape from the ever recurring of life and death which is not merely an escape from sin and hell. It is also called the extinction of the fires of lust (lobha), hatred (dosa) and delusion (moha).

           According to Buddhism, one needs not wait till the life beyond to reach the ultimate goal of Buddhism because Nibbana is attainable in the present life (ditthadhamma-nibbana) depending on one's own intuitive knowledge. It has to be realized by understanding the teaching of the Lord Buddha and practising its discipline meticulously, steadfastly and completely through the Noble Eight Fold Path; that is Right View (Sammadiditthi), Right Thought (Sammasankappa), Right Speech (Sammavaca), Right Action (Samma-kammanta), Right Livelihood (Samma-ajiva), Right Effort {Samma-vayama), Right Mindfulness (Sammasati) and Right Concentration (Samma-samadi).

           Nibbana is to be realized by the wise within themselves (Paccattam veditabbo vinnuti). It is beyond logic and reasoning (atakkavacara), so that Nibbana cannot be explained adequately in conventional terms, it is neither a state or a realm. When the Buddha and Arahats attain 'Nibbana' it does not mean that 'entering into Nibbana' but it simply means "fully passed away or fully extinct (Parinibbuto). Simply saying it is 'Nothingness' because it cannot be perceived by the five seances, i.e. it cannot be seen by our eyes (Cakkhu), it cannot be heard by our ears (Sota), it cannot be smelled by our noses (Ghanna), it cannot be tasted by our tongues (Jivha), and it cannot be touched by our bodies (Kaya). In Buddhism, there is one single Nibbana according to the way it is experienced before and after death. When Nibbana is realized in this life with the body remaining , it is called Sopadisesa-nibbandhadu. When the dissolution of the body takes place after Nibbana, without any remainder of physical existence, it is called Anupadisesa-nibbanadhatu.

           Once Venerable Sariputta said: "O! Friends , Bhikkhus, Nibbanam paramam sukham", and reiterated again and again; then Venerable Udayi asked : "But friend, Sariputta, what happiness can it be if there is no sensation at all?" The reply of Ven. Sariputta was highly philosophical and beyond ordinary comprehension; "There is no sensation itself is Happiness." Nibbana is not conditioned by any cause. Hence there is neither an arising or passing away. It is birthless, decayless, and deathless. It is neither a cause nor an effect.

           (If you have any questions or comments on my article of Nibbana , please be kind enough to write to Ven. Namtu Sudhamma 174, Sri Vajiranna Rd, Columbo 9 Sri Lanka.)

First posted in February 1999