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Buddhist Philosophy in India and Ceylon c17.s5: 5. Nirvāṇa as the Unconditioned

Buddhist Philosophy in India and Ceylon c17.s5

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5. Nirvāṇa as the Unconditioned

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There is comparatively little development in the schools of the conception of release. The *Milindapañha*³ in the older portion insists on the conception of release as cessation of birth, old age, death, and the attendant woes of life; it is held that he who has overcome the tendencies to rebirth is aware of his success in producing cessation of craving leading to it, while those, who have not, still know the excellence of release by hearing of it from those who have experience of it, precisely as the pains of mutilation are known by listening to the moans of the sufferers. In the later portions we have, after an assertion of the non-existence of any true being in the world, a discussion of space and Nirvāṇa as uncaused by any of the recognized causes; there is a cause of the realization of Nirvāṇa, but not of its origin, just as one can go to the Himālayas, but cannot bring them to oneself. Nirvāṇa is uncompounded; it cannot be said to have been produced, or not to have been produced, or to be possible of production, to be past, future, or present, or perceptible by any sense organ. Nirvāṇa exists and is perceptible by the mind; with a pure heart, free from obstacles and cravings the disciple can see Nirvāṇa. Its nature can be explained only by similes, just as wind cannot be grasped, though it most assuredly exists.

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³ pp. 50, 69; 268, 271 f., 313 ff.

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Nirvāṇa is utter bliss, without pain; though its form, figure, duration, or size cannot be explained, yet something may be said of its qualities. It is untarnished by evil dispositions; it cools the fever arising thence; it is boundless, full of saints; it blossoms with the flowers of purity, knowledge, and emancipation. It is infinite, is satisfying to all desires, it is very exalted, and immovable. It can be realized by freedom from distress and danger, by peace, calm, bliss, delicacy, and purity. There is no place where Nirvāṇa is stored up, save only right living.

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The Dhammasaṅgaṇi almost ignores the term Nibbāna, but in the ancient supplementary exposition or comment (atthuddhāra) Nibbāna is invariably substituted for the term uncompounded element. Yet it is noteworthy that in the text itself the uncompounded element is never identified with the fruit of sainthood which is certainly one aspect of Nirvāṇa. This uncompounded element is described by a long series of negatives; it is not connected with thought in any form, nor with the fetters, the contagions, the ties, corruption, grasping, joy, ease, disinterestedness; it is, however, positively described as supra-mundane; it is invisible, non-impinging, without material form; uncaused; it cannot be affected by insight or culture; it is indeterminate and produces no result.¹

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¹ Psych. Eth., pp. 359, 361, 367 ff. There is nothing new in ADS. vi. 14; ix. 9.

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In the Kathāvatthu we meet the Andhaka conception of Nirvāṇa as morally good, but this view is rejected, since morally good means positively that which will produce a good rebirth, and this is inappropriate to Nirvāṇa. An interesting discussion arises on the dictum in the Majjhima Nikāya that the enlightened man does not think about Nirvāṇa. This leads to the Pubbaseliya doctrine that Nirvāṇa as an object of thought is really a hindrance, a view very imperfectly refuted by the Theravādin, while Buddhaghosa is so perplexed by the issue—the Pubbaseliya being accorded the last word in the discussion—that he falls back on the quite impossible solution that Nirvāṇa here is simply temporal well being, a matter connected with the satisfaction of natural desires only.²

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² xix. 6; ix. 2; MN. i. 4. On Nirvāṇa as void, see ch. xiii, § 1.

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