Let’s study together thru the conversation of the students who really need to know about “Buddhism”

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Tim :   Hi, Rob, where will you go this weekend ?

Rob :  No where,I hope to finish the Buddhist texts

           that I borrowed from you.         

Tim :  Do you ?  Are you enjoying them ?  

Rob :  Yes, I am.  But it is not easy to understand

           some Buddhist concepts,

           especially when Pali terms are used.

Tim :   That’s true.  Not only the ancient language

           But also our different cultural backgrounds can make us

           uncertain of the exact meaning of Buddhist texts.

Rob :  Tim, would you mind telling me what nibbana is ?         

Tim :  Well, this Pali term can be defined in several ways

           Such as the extinction of desire, hate, and ignorance;

           the extinction of all defilements and suffering;

           the extinction of impurities, and so on.

Rob :  Does it have the same meaning as the English term nirvana ?         

Tim :   Yes, it does.  I remember  that the definition of nirvana

           In an English dictionary is

           “a state of complete happiness and peace.”

           In Buddhism, as soon as our impurities become extinct,

           we will attain the state of complete happiness and peace.

           Nirvana or nibbana is actually the ultimate goal of Buddhism.

Rob : How many goals does Buddhism have ?    

Tim :  According to the Buddhist teachings, we classify

           the goal of Buddhism into three levels :

           Primary:      Happiness in this lifetime 

           Secondary: Happiness in the hereafter

           Ultimate:     Nirvana-Perfect Happiness

           The person who attains nirvana is freed of the fetters

           which bind him/her to the cycle of rebirths.

           He, therefore, is free from all worldly attachments

           such as birth, death, sorrow, decay,anger, craving, and

           ignorance.  Nirvana is a blessed state of perfect freedom.

Rob :  Where is nirvana ?        

           I mean where do those who attain nirvana exist ?

Tim :  The Buddhist scriptures state that thereare

           two kinds of nirvana :

           one is known in Pali as “saupadisesanibbana”,

           and the other is “anupadisesanibbana”.

           The person who attains the first kind of nibbana

           is known as an arahant, like the Buddha when He

           became enlightened and propagated Buddhism,

           including His enlightened disciples.  Therefore,this

           kind of nibbana is also known as nibbana with the body

           remaining; and those who attain it live in the world. 

           The second kind of nibbana is known as nibbana without

           any reminder of physical existence.  That is the state of

           the complete extinction of all passions.

Rob :  Is there any remainder of mental existence ?         

Tim :  Yes, I think so.

Rob :  Where is it ?         

Tim :  It is supramundane.  It exists beyond these planes of

           existence,but Buddhism has a way to see and prove it.

Rob :  How ?

Tim :  Through meditation practice.

Thanks & regards : AJ S. Srisopa (Cr. All Dhammateachers)