The overall notion of nirvana is not often mentioned in Zen literature especially in pop Zen literature. Yet without understanding it neither Zen Buddhism or just Buddhism make any sense. Buddhism then opens itself up to being revised and subsequently turned into something it is not. The importance of nirvana is made very clear when the Buddha says that his Dharma or religion is taught for the sake of final nirvana without clinging (SN 35:75). This can also mean that nirvana is a personal gnosis of the unconditioned. It is only in the sense of this personal gnosis that we can begin to understand nirvana. “Personal”, I hasten to add, in this context means relating, directly, to ātman this being absolute spirit of which we truly are.
In Buddhist literature we sometimes find nirvana treated as being inexpressible in a commonsense manner. E.g., “I realize nirvana but it is not something determinate that I can share with others.” It is not subjective either, or the same idiosyncratic. Nor is nirvana subject to a beginning, modification or decay. It is also deathless (amṛta). More importantly, as I noted earlier, nirvana is to be realized, personally, within the very self which in Pali is, paccattaṁ. Where else might you realize it if not in your innermost being? It is also worth mentioning that nirvana is beyond the pale of the Five Aggregates which consist of physical form, feeling, perception, volitional formations and consciousness, which are not our true self or ātman being a kind of illusory, fake self that we mistake for our real self which is spiritual.
There are a number of negative and positive descriptions of nirvana such as mentioned earlier the deathless. It is said to be imperishable (acyuta), unchanging and endless (ananta), also unborn and uncreated. Not subject to aging, etc. On a positive note, nirvana is peace (śama or upaśama). It is also bliss or felicity. Zen master Huangbo says perfect Nirvana is the “sudden understanding that one's own nature is original Buddha and True Mind.”
ps- its surely a significant if not main reason that buddha did not want a religion called 'buddhism' to supercede his death.
Posted by: smith | March 22, 2016 at 01:45 PM
the short answer devoid of philosophical love affairs with mind, is yes enlightenment by any name is just that enlightenment. The hindu texts, brahman texts, etc, of which gautama originated and was of, are the same as the enlightenment that 'buddha' finally realized. Buddhism is just a part of hinduism or that which preexisted before within india at the time of which buddha realized the truth. It is the 'truth' which matters, which is enlightenment. The sematics and the mental love affair with ideas and words are not it. It is the 'truth', just as Chritianity defines god, and Jesus defined himself, as the 'truth', the way' and 'the light'. There is only one truth which is to be realized, and that all truth of everything, that is the real and actual truth, versus the false and delusionsl, that is to be realized and is God. yes, buddhism is just another part of the indian spiritual historicity, but many buddhist claimers, 'followers', deny it, hate the idea that they arent speial and exclusive, in that sense there is a lot of ego and pride attachment going on for them. But, the truth, enlightenment, nirvana, are untouched by all ignorances of all kinds and by anyone. Thats the beauty of the truth, of God, it is absolute, absolutely uncorruptable, immutable, and perfect. And it wont yield itself to the ignorant, it wont be realized by ignorance of any degree or kind. lol.
Posted by: smith | March 22, 2016 at 01:43 PM
Mathesis, no harm in inquiring into these things, but I wonder if this confusion arises from trying to fit the essence of the profoundest spiritual teachings into a philosophy dissertation that will soon crumble into dust and be forgotten? Why should nirvana have a "cause"?
Posted by: n. yeti | March 22, 2016 at 08:29 AM
I merely asked if the state I described is equivalent to that true meaning of the ultimate goal of Buddhism. "Becoming infinite", etc is an echo of the Vedantic "brahma-bhûta" lit. "become Brahma" (here is must mean nirguna brahma) which occurs also in the Pali Canon. I am well aware of the austere metaphysical theory of the unconditioned as "beyond being", or, as Plato wrote, "epekeina tes ousias" and that there is much in the Pali Canon in this direction, where bhâva has a negative denotation, as the sphere the the khandas/skandhas, the conditioned, the indefinite , the sphere of corruption and "thirst". There are however passages that speak of a state in which the viññana is described as an infinite and all illuminating - but viññana is also a khanda: how do you explain this ?
It is rather difficult to define what is meant by "New Ageism". Perhaps it might be called a sort of false spirituality which merely rehashes materialism and pop-science in vague sentimental terms ? I believe that the answer to my initial question is that there are some traces of a similar realization in the Pali Canon but much more in the Mahâyâna and the Zen masters. But I make no claim of the equivalence of the state I described to that of the ultimate realization of Buddhism nor do I claim to understand the essence of Buddhism nor speak as a Buddhist. The state I described is completely super-individual and beyond any ordinary ego yet it coexist with ordinary life which does not have to be temporarily extinguished. Any realization which depends on mortification or the negation or elimination of something cannot be truly infinite and a state of liberation. The term Life is a greater form of expression for it encompasses within itself like an ocean all the experience of both Life and Death; whilst terms such as Non-being and Emptiness are mere abstract negations and limitations.
Posted by: mathesis | March 21, 2016 at 03:57 PM
Agreed with what Avalon is saying. In SN 12 there is a good scriptural explanation of the role "becoming" plays in dependent co-origination, i.e. one of the nidanas. But also can be seen simply as the divided trying to contemplate the undivided eventually falls short into views. Buddhism teaches the realization of nirvana, something not to be understood as thought constructs "about" nirvana (positive or negative affirmations being mere expedients toward realization in/of/by the innermost consciousness).
Posted by: n. yeti | March 21, 2016 at 11:17 AM