Definition: Nibbāna is the cessation of saṁsāra — the complete extinction of greed, hatred, and delusion, and with them the ending of rebirth. It is not annihilation but the unconditioned (asaṅkhata), attainable within this life (sa-upādisesa nibbāna, with residue) and fully realised at an arahant's death (anupādisesa nibbāna, without residue).
Canonical usage
Dhp 23 (dhp23:3)
Phusanti dhīrā nibbānaṁ, yogakkhemaṁ anuttaraṁ.
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English (Sujato): …the wise touch nirvana, the supreme sanctuary.
Dhp 32 (dhp32:4)
Nibbānasseva santike.
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English (Sujato): …is close to nirvana.
Dhp 75 (dhp75:1–75:2)
Aññā hi lābhūpanisā, aññā nibbānagāminī.
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English (Sujato): One thing leads to gain, another to nirvana.
Nuances and translation notes
- Sujato: "nirvana" (Skt-register) / "extinguishment" / "quenching" — alternates
- Buddharakkhita: "Nibbāna" (preserved)
- Bodhi: "Nibbāna" (preserved) — argues strongly against translation
- Thanissaro: "Unbinding"
- de Zoysa (Sinhala): නිර්වාණ / නිබ්බාණ — Sanskritic and direct cognates
The fire-metaphor is essential: nibbāna is the extinguishing of the fires (rāga, dosa, moha), not the annihilation of the person. The Buddha explicitly rejects the annihilationist reading (SN 44.1 (cited; not yet ingested)). English "extinction" can mislead; "extinguishment" (of fires) or the untranslated "Nibbāna/nirvana" are preferred.
Related concepts
- samsara — the structural antonym; nibbāna is its cessation
- asankhata — the unconditioned; one of nibbāna's canonical names (pending)
- nirodha — cessation; the third noble truth (pending)
- raga, dosa, moha — the three fires nibbāna extinguishes (pending)
- upadi — the "fuel" / "residue" differentiating the two nibbāna-elements (pending)
Related pages
- dhammapada 02 appamadavagga — Dhp 23, 32
- dhammapada 05 balavagga — Dhp 75 (nibbānagāminī)