NIRVĀNA. — N., in pāli “nibbāna,” means “extinction,” in the proper and figurative sense. In the latter sense it is a term of Buddhist dogmatics, and designates the state of perfect inner peace of the monk who, through observance of the eight forms of righteousness indicated by the fourth noble truth (v. BUDDHISMO), has attained arahatta, holiness.
These forms of righteousness constitute the “eightfold path” and lead to the extinction of the fire of sensuality (rāga), the flame of hatred (dvesa), and the consequent blindness (moha). This kind of n., called “visible,” can be attained during life, and must not be confused with “absolute n.,” or parinirvāṇa, also inaccurately called n., which is the extinction of life as well. And since the action of the saint who partakes of visible n., being devoid of attachment and egoism, no longer produces new harman (v.), parinirvāṇa is annihilation, death without rebirth. Clear in this regard are the words attributed to the Buddha at the death of the Elder Godhika: “He has entered n. (absolute) without his consciousness (viññāna) being found anywhere (Samyutta N., V. I, p. 120 ff.). Once consciousness is extinguished, sensation also ceases.” When the venerable Sāriputta defined absolute n. as ineffable bliss, the brother Udāyī objected to him: “But how can there be bliss in a state devoid of sensation?” “It is precisely in this that bliss consists,” Sāriputta replied: that there is no sensation (Anguttara N., V. V, p. 414 ff.). The pain of existence depends, in fact, upon sensation. Sāriputta nevertheless does not share the opinion of those who believe in the annihilation of the saint; rather, elsewhere in the canon (Samyutta N., V. III, p. 109 ff.) he refutes this doctrine, professed by the brother Yamaka, calling it a “sinful heresy.” Of one who has attained parinirvāṇa, it can only be affirmed that he has been freed from rebirth; the rest is a mystery which the Buddha refused to disclose even when the presumptuous Maluṇyaputta asked him for an explanation on this subject (Majjhima N., V. I, p. 426). This is not to say that the canonical literature itself lacks obscure allusions to something immovable and eternal, capable of offering the saint a refuge after death; in the Itivuttaha, a collection of the so-called apophthegms of the Buddha, the veil of mystery seems to be lifted: “There is, O disciples, an Unborn, Unbecome, Unmade, Uncompounded. If it did not exist, there would be no escape for the Born, Made, Become, Compounded (43).” And in the Suttanipata, replying to a question from Kappa, who asks him to indicate an island where one about to be overwhelmed by the waves might save himself, the Buddha answers: “I name for you an incomparable island, Kappa, where solitude reigns and every desire comes to an end; I call it n., the destruction of old age and death” (V, 11).
As regards the “Great Vehicle,” parinirvāṇa, conceived as supreme and unknowable Reality, continued to be regarded as the crowning achievement of the Bodhisattva’s career, but was placed below the joys of Amitābha’s paradise and relegated to the end of three immeasurable periods, scarcely short of eternity.
F. Heiler, Die buddhistische Versenkung, 2nd ed., Munich 1922, p. 36 ff.; the citations from Nikāya (N.) refer to the London edition of the Pali Text Society, 1888-1911. Ferdinando Belloni Filippi