Continuing the discussion from Nibbana – A "dhamma", a "dhatu" – or utter extinguishment?:
This is a discussion thread to resolve the currently held views of a few people regarding nibbāna as me, myself, mine, self or Self. In other words, such views as:
- Nibbāna is I
- Nibbāna is inside me
- I am inside nibbāna
- Nibbāna is a property of myself
- I am nibbāna
- I have nibbāna
- My fake self is the 5 aggregates while my true self is always nibbāna
- Nibbāna is the ground state (like ocean) from which all phenomenon (like waves) spring off
- My purified mind is Nibbāna, defilements (like clouds) only hiding the moon (Nibbāna)
-
Nibbāna is the same One Self of all of us together
etc.
In short summary:
- ALL above views are wrong views.
- Nibbāna is a reality as explicitly declared by the Buddha by the 3rd Noble Truth.
- Furthermore, NOTHING can be declared as me, myself, mine, self or Self.
- Nibbāna is NOT impermanent, NOT suffering and NOT self.
Here I will present a few reasons to clarify:
Reason #1:
Suppose that nibbāna is really me, myself, mine, self or Self.
Fact 1: Nibbāna is NOT impermanent, NOT suffering.
Fact 2: The only way we can have dispassion to anything is by seeing them as impermanent, suffering and not self.
We will run into bad situation because: How can we now have dispassion toward nibbāna?
Answer: It’s impossible!
If we don’t have dispassion toward nibbāna, craving will arise and then clinging will arise. That means suffering will follow.
The Buddha does NOT teach such dhamma!
Reason #2:
Suppose that nibbāna is really me, myself, mine, self or Self.
Fact 1: Nibbāna is NOT impermanent, NOT suffering.
Fact 2: The 5 aggregates are impermanent, suffering and not self.
Fact 3: All our actions are based on the 5 aggregates.
We will run into bad situation because: How do we even care about wholesome or unwholesome action?
Answer: It’s not relevant anymore! You can do all the unwholesome actions in the world and the Nibbāna aka true you does not get any tiny effect. You can do all the wholesome actions in the world and the Nibbāna aka true you does not get any tiny effect. Why do we even care to do any action, instead of just laying down or die already?
This is nihilism and annihilationism and hedonism and whole bunch of other wrong views in one package.
The Buddha does NOT teach such dhamma!
Reason #3:
Suppose that nibbāna is really me, myself, mine, self or Self.
Fact 1: Nibbāna is NOT impermanent, NOT suffering.
Fact 2: The 5 aggregates are impermanent, suffering and not self.
Fact 3: Before enlightenment, the mind does NOT know and does NOT experience Nibbāna.
Fact 4: At the moment of enlightenment, the mind does know and does experience Nibbāna.
We will run into bad situation because:
- If we equate the mind as Nibbāna, we will have 2 different versions of Nibbāna, according to fact 3 and fact 4. This will invalidates fact 1 and gives contradiction.
- So, we can NOT equate the mind as Nibbāna.
- So, the mind can’t have the same characteristics of “not impermanent” as Nibbāna.
- So, after enlightenment, because the mind is impermanent, it will surely cease to know and will surely cease to experience Nibbāna. When that happens, Nibbāna aka true you suddenly does not know and does not experience yourself anymore. This will invalidates fact 1 and gives contradiction.
This is inherent contradiction from within.
The Buddha does NOT teach such dhamma!
Conclusion: I hope that I have presented as above some guidelines (not exhausted list) to bring down such wrong views regarding Nibbāna.
I would like also to beg monks and nuns to not stay indifferent and ignore such wrong views.
Please have compassion and pour out wisdom to bring the light of Dhamma to other beings.