Page 409 - Pali English Dictionary.

Nibbāti Nibbāna

sionless Sn 235 (nibbanti dhīrā yathâyaṁ padīpo=vijjhāyanti; munī nāmakāyā vimutto atthaṁ paleti, na upeti sankhaṁ").
yathâyaṁ padīpo nibbuto evaṁ nibbanti KhA 194, 195), 915 Yet, it is a reality, and its characteristic features may be de-
(kathaṁ disvā nibbāti bhikkhu=rāgaṁ etc. nibbāpeti Nd 1 scribed, may be grasped in terms of earthly language, in terms
344); J iv.391 (pāyāsaṁ). See also parinibbāti (e. g. Vbh of space (as this is the only means at our disposal to describe
426). abstract notions of time and mentality); e. g. accutaṁ ṭhānaṁ,
pāraṁ, amataṁ padaṁ, amata (& nibbāna — ) dhātu. — It is
Nibbāna (nt.). — I. Etymology. Although nir+vā "to blow".
the speculative, scholastic view and the dogmatising trend of
(cp. BSk. nirvāṇa) is already in use in the Vedic period (see
later times, beginning with the Abhidhamma period, which has
nibbāpeti), we do not find its distinctive application till later
more and more developed the simple, spontaneous idea into an
and more commonly in popular use, where vā is fused with
exaggerated form either to the positive (i. e. seeing in N. a def-
vṛ in this sense, viz. in application to the extinguishing of
inite state or sphere of existence) or the negative side (i. e. see-
fire, which is the prevailing Buddhist conception of the term.
ing in it a condition of utter annihilation). Yet its sentimental
Only in the older texts do we find references to a simile of the
value to the (exuberant optimism of the) early Buddhists (Rh.
wind and the flame; but by far the most common metaphor and
Davids, Early Buddhism, p. 73) is one of peace and rest, per-
that which governs the whole idea of nibbāna finds expres-
fect passionlessness, and thus supreme happiness. As Heiler
sion in the putting out of fire by other means of extinction than
in the words of R. Otto (Das Heilige etc. 1917; quoted l. c.
by blowing, which latter process rather tends to incite the fire
than to extinguish it. The going out of the fire may be due to p. 41) describes it, "only by its concept Nirvāna is something
negative, by its sentiment, however, a positive item in most
covering it up, or to depriving it of further fuel, by not feed-
pronounced form." — We may also quote Rh. Davids' words:
ing it, or by withdrawing the cause of its production. Thus to
"One might fill columns with the praises, many of them among
the Pali etymologist the main reference is to the root vṛ (to
the most beautiful passages in Pāli poetry and prose, lavished
cover), and not to vā (to blow). This is still more clearly ev-
on this condition of mind, the state of the man made perfect
ident in the case of nibbuta (q. v. for further discussion).
according to the B. faith. Many are the pet names, the poetic
In verbal compn. nis+vā (see vāyati) refers only to the (non
epithets, bestowed upon it, each of them — for they are not
— ) emittance of an odour, which could never be used for a
synonyms — emphasising one or other phase of this many —
meaning of "being exhausted"; moreover, one has to bear in
sided conception — the harbour of refuge, the cool cave, the
mind that native commentators themselves never thought of
island amidst the floods, the place of bliss, emancipation, lib-
explaining nibbāna by anything like blowing (vāta), but al-
n
ways by nis+vana (see nibbana). For Bdhgh's def of nibbāna eration, safety, the supreme, the transcendental, the uncreated,
the tranquil, the home of ease, the calm, the end of suffering,
see e. g. Vism 293. — The meanings of n. are: 1. the going
the medicine for all evil, the unshaken, the ambrosia, the im-
out of a lamp or fire (popular meaning). — 2. health, the sense
material, the imperishable, the abiding, the further shore, the
of bodily well — being (probably, at first, the passing away of
unending, the bliss of effort, the supreme joy, the ineffable,
feverishness, restlessness). — 3. The dying out in the heart
the detachment, the holy city, and many others. Perhaps the
of the threefold fire of rāga, dosa & moha: lust, ill — will
most frequent in the B. texts is Arahantship, Ǥ the state of him
& stupidity (Buddhistic meaning). — 4. the sense of spiritual
who is worthy ʼ; and the one exclusively used in Europe is Nir-
well — being, of security, emancipation, victory and peace,
vana, the Ǥ dying out, ʼ that is, the dying out in the heart of
salvation, bliss.
the fell fire of the three cardinal sins — sensuality, ill — will,
II. Import and Range of the Term. A. Nibbāna is purely
and stupidity (Saṁyutta iv.251, 261)," (Early Buddhism pp.
and solely an ethical state, to be reached in this birth by ethical
practices, contemplation and insight. It is therefore not tran- 72, 73.) And Heiler says (p. 42 l. c.): "Nirvāna is, although it
scendental. The first and most important way to reach N. is might sound a paradox, in spite of all conceptional negativity
nothing but Ǥ eternal salvation, ʼ after which the heart of the
by means of the eightfold Path, and all expressions which deal
religious yearns on the whole earth."
with the realisation of emancipation from lust, hatred and illu-
The current simile is that of fire, the consuming fire of
sion apply to practical habits and not to speculative thought.
passion (rāg — aggi), of craving for rebirth, which has to be
N. is realised in one's heart; to measure it with a speculative
extinguished, if a man is to attain a condition of indifference
measure is to apply a wrong standard. — A very apt and com-
towards everything worldly, and which in the end, in its own
prehensive discussion of nibbāna is found in F. Heiler, "Die
2
buddhistische Versenkung" (München 1922), pp. 36 — 42, good time, may lead to freedom from rebirth altogether, to cer-
tain and final extinction (parinibbāna). — Fire may be put out
where also the main literature on the subject is given. — N. is
by water, or may go out of itself from lack of fuel. The ethical
the untranslatable expression of the Unspeakable, of that for
state called Nibbāna can only rise from within. It is therefore
which in the Buddha's own saying there is no word, which
in the older texts compared to the fire going out, rather than
cannot be grasped in terms of reasoning and cool logic, the
to the fire being put out. The latter point of view, though the
Nameless, Undefinable (cp. the simile of extinction of the
word nibbāna is not used, occurs in one or two passages in later
flame which may be said to pass from a visible state into a state
books. See J i.212; Miln 346, 410; SnA 28; Sdhp 584. For the
which cannot be defined. Thus the Saint (Arahant) passes into
older view see M i.487 (aggi anāhāro nibbuto, a fire gone out
that same state, for which there is "no measure" (i. e. no di-
through lack of fuel); Sn 1094 (akiñcanaṁ anādānaṁ etaṁ
mension): "atthangatassa na pamāṇam atthi... yena naṁ vajju:
dīpaṁ anāparaṁ Nibbānaṁ iti); S i.236 (attadaṇḍesu nib-
taṁ tassa n' atthi" Sn 1076. The simile in v. 1074: "accī yathā
buto sādānesu anādāno); S ii.85 (aggikkhandho purimassa
vāta — vegena khitto atthaṁ paleti, na upeti sankhaṁ: evaṁ
upādānassa pariyādānā aññassa ca anupāhārā anāhāro
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