6.5. The Types of Nibbāna

In Buddhist texts, such as Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha and Nibbānadīpanī, nibbāna has been described in different categories. Studying the different types of nibbāna enables to one to understand the concept of nibbāna better: What nibbāna is, what the nature of nibbāna involves, and how blissful it will be, and so on. In my opinion, speculation on the concept of nibbāna is a kind of philosophical issue, and categorization of nibbāna is a kind of textual view.

There are not two kinds of nibbāna, but one single nibbāna receiving its name according to the way it is experienced before and after death.

Nibbāna is attainable in this present life. Buddhism dose not state that its ultimate goal could be reached only in a life beyond. When nibbāna is realized in this life with the body remaining, it is called Sopādisesanibbāna dhātu. When an Arahant attains parinibbāna, after the dissolution of body, without any remainder of physical existence, it is called Anupādisesa nibbānadhātu

In the Nibbānadhātu sutta of Itivuttaka Pāli, nibbānadhātu is divided into two aspects. One is a type of nibbāna the residue remainning and the other is a type of nibbāna without the residue remaining. The former type is named as “saupādisesadhātu” (the full extinction of defilement) and the latter one is named as “anupādisesadhātu” (the full extinction of existences).

The canonical statement reads as follows:

Monks, there are these two nibbāna-elements (nibbānadhātu). What are the two? The nibbāna-element with residue left and the nibbāna-element with no residue left.

What, monks, is the nibbāna-element with residue left? Here, a monk is an Arahant, one whose taints (āsavas) are destroyed, the holy life fulfilled, who has done what had to be done, laid down the burden, attained the goal, destroyed the fetters of being and is completely released through final knowledge. However, his five sense faculties remain unimpaired, by which he still experiences what is agreeable and disagreeable and feels pleasure and pain. It is the extinction of attachment, hate and delusion in him that is called the nibbāna-element with residue left (saupādisesa nibbānadhātu).

Now what, monk, is the nibbāna-element with no residue left? Here a monk is an Arahant… completely released through final knowledge. For him, here in this very life, all that is experienced, not delighted in, will be extinguished. That, monks, is called the nibbānaelement with no residue left (anupādisesa nibbānadhātu).^[1]

With regard to this understood that since one has attained the highest path and fruition knowledge, that is, the attainment of full enlightenment, he or she is able to remove all defilements through the power of the enlightened wisdom. There are no defilements remaining in the individual any longer. This kind of nibbāna is also named as “kilesaparinibbāna”. It is said that after entering the state of nibbāna after death, the enlightened beings are no longer in the existence, but are in a state known as non-existence. As a matter of fact, enlightened beings are still in the existence of absolute peace, but they no longer have rebirth and death; no longer exist in saṃsāra (the cycle of life and death) and no longer possess the five aggregates (khandhas) as well. Thus it is named as “khandhaparinibbāna”.^[2]

The two views offer us a clear picture of how the condition of enlightened beings will be, before the situation of their death and after the situation of their death. However, Ven. Anuruddha thought that these two views did not provide sufficient information about the state of nibbāna. He approached another way to clarify what the state of nibbāna will be. His way is nothing especially new; it is a collection of the manifestations of the state of nibbāna that are described in Pāli texts. He describes the three faces of manifestation in the state of nibbāna: They are: void, signless, and desireless. The following is his clear statement recorded in the Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha.

Nibbāna is called the void (suññata) because it is devoid of greed, hatred and delusion, and because it is devoid of all that is conditioned. It is called signless (animitta) because it is free from the signs of greed, etc., and free from the signs of all conditioned things. It is called desireless (appaṇihita) because it is free from the hankering of greed, etc. and because it is not desired by craving.^[3]

Somehow, his view might be helpful for nibbāna seekers to get wider knowledge and deeper understanding of the concept. Yet the information that he provided is unclear for some to recognize the stages of nibbāna so that they are still confused by the differences between theoretical nibbāna and practical nibbāna. There are two aspects to be understood. The first one is nibbāna as “explanatory principle” and the second one is nibbāna as “experiential realization”. Ledi Sayardaw brings out his view to analyze the stages of nibbāna. He emphasized that the state of nibbāna is so profound (gambhīra) and its true nature so hard to see (duddasa) that the concept of nibbāna may mislead one to the wrong path and to misinterpret its meaning by mixing it with other views.

He divided nibbāna into seven types with references to the three baskets (Tipiṭaka) in his book, nibbānadīpanī. They are:

1. micchādiṭṭhi-nibbāna (nibbāna with wrong view),
2. sammuti-nibbāna (nibbāna in present life),
3. tadaṅga-nibbāna (nibbāna in the moment),
4. vikkhambhana-nibbāna (nibbāna with supperssion of defilement),
5. samuccheda-nibbāna (nibbāna with extinction of defilement by destruction),
6. paṭipassaddhi-nibbāna (nibbāna with extinction of defilement by traquilization),
7. nissaraṇa-nibbāna (nibbāna with full extinction of defilements).^[4]

Of the seven,—

(1) micchādiṭṭhi-nibbāna is combination of two words: micchādiṭṭhi and nibbāna. Micchādiṭṭhi here means wrong view. This means, according to the Nibbānadīpanī, that one misinterprets happiness that is related to five senses of sensual pleasure (kāmasukha) as immediate nibbāna in present life.

In the Brahamjāla sutta of Dīgha Nīkaya, the Buddha addresses this kind of view as a wrong view about the true nibbāna.

“Here a certain ascetic or Brahmin declares and holds the view; ‘In as far as this self, being furnished and endowed with the fivefold sense-pleasures, indulges in them, then that is when the self realizes the highest nibbāna (paramadiṭṭhadhamma-nibbāna) here and now.”^[5]

In modern society, some people also believe that the pleasures of the senses are the highest happiness. Taking this kind of worldly view, there is no doubt that same ascetic mistakenly interpreting such kind of happiness as mundane nibbāna. But, according to the Buddhist view, what they view is not relevant to the state of nibbāna.^[6]

(2) Tadaṅga-nibbāna is understood as meaning that if one is able to remove defilements (kilesas) from moment to moment, or to temporarily abstain from unwholesome deeds (akusala-kamma), such as killing (pāṇātipāta), stealing (adinnādāna), and wrong livelihood (micchājīva), then that one can generate peace and happiness. This is named as Tadaṅga-nibbāna. The reason is that when one undertakes some unwholesome actions and tortures others, one has to worry about his her actions and has to suffer with anxiety and sorrow for his or her actions. Since one stops undertaking unwholesome actions, that is torturing others and disturbing people, the mind finds much peace and happiness. Since unwholesome deeds are no longer in one’s mind at the moment, that kind of state of is called Tadaṅga-nibbāna. This is also recognized as a kind of nibbāna, but it is not considered to be the true state of the final nibbāna.^[7]

Vikkhambhana-nibbāna refers to the absorption or jhāna states. Vikkhambhana-nibbāna here means suppression of defilements by serenity or stopping the influence of the hindrances for a certain period of time. Since one can overcome the five hindrances (nīvaraṇa) by repression, one is able to enter the state of absorption (jhāna). Hindrances involve five qualities, whice are obstacles to the mind and disturb one’s mental vision. From the practical point of view, in the presence of them one cannot reach neighborhood-concentration (upācāra-samādhi) and full concentration (appanā-samādhi). As a result, one is unable to discern the truth.

The five hindrances are:

1. sensuous desire (kāmacchanda),
2. ill-will (vyāpāda),
3. sloth and torpor (thina-middha),
4. restlessness and worry (uddhacca-kukkucca), and
5. skeptical doubt (vicikicchā).

In the presence of these five unwholesome qualities, one is unable to enter the state of jhāna. Thus it is categorized as vikkhanbhana-nibbāna in the theoretical sense.^[8]

To obtain, clearer information about this kind of vikkhanbhananibbāna that is related to diṭṭhadhamma-nibbāna one may study what is recorded in the Diṭṭhadhamma-nibbāna sutta of Aṅguttara Nikāya. The following is the canonical statement.

Ven. Ānanda, it is said, “diṭṭhadhamma-nibbāna” (realization of nibbāna in this very life). What is diṭṭhadhamma-nibbāna declared by the Buddha? Here, sire, the monks who are detached from sensedesires, detached from unwholesome states, they enter and remain in the first jhāna, which is with initial application, sustained application, born of detachment, filled with delight and joy. Thus, sire, one particular diṭṭhadhamma-nibbāna has been declared by the Buddha.^[9] Based on the above statement, it is said that before entering nibbāna, the meditator experiences peace and joyfulness of jhāna which is considered to sandiṭṭhika-nibbāna or vikkhambhana-nibbāna. This is because one can realize the cessation of hindrances within a certain period; this experience is similar to the experience of nibbāna. However, vikkhambhana-nibbāna here does not mean the absolute realization of the true nibbāna. Yet it is categorized as vikkhambhana-nibbāna in the theoretical sense.

(5) Samuccheda-nibbāna is understood to mean that one is able to uproot defilements through the power of path knowledge (arahatta-magga). The meditator can enter the level of samuccheda-nibbāna. Samuccheda-nibbāna here means “extinction of defilement by destructtion”. The destruction of defilement through the power of path knowledge is considered to be the function of samuccheda, call samucchedakicca in Pāli. To attain the level of peacefulness of complete destruction of defilement is called samuccheda-nibbāna. That name is synonymous with “saupādisesa nibbāna” as well as “kilesa nibbāna”, that is, the full extinction of defilement.^[10]

(6) Paṭipassaddhi-nibbāna is directly referred to as arahattaphala citta (supramumdane consciousness of fruition knowledge). Paṭipassadhi-nibbāna here means extinction of defilement by tranquilization. One can understand this kind of nibbāna as the level of paṭipassaddhinibbāna, which means a present state of nibbāna in this very life. In the Maṅgala sutta (Blessing discourse) of Khuddaka Nikāya, the Buddha made a statement to emphasize this kind of nibbāna: “Nibbāna sacchikiriyāca–the realization of nibbāna in this very life”. Since one can experience the peaceful and blissful state of nibbāna in this very life, this level of nibbāna named as paṭipassaddhi-nibbāna.^[11]

(7) Lastly, the final nibbāna is described as Nissāṇana-nibbāna. It fulfills both requirements of nibbāna, that is, the full existence of defilements (saupādisesa nibbāna) and the full extinction of existences (anupādisesa nibbāna). This study provides a lot of information to help scholars understand this kind of nissāṇana-nibbāna or the ultimate reality in the Abhidhamma. The purpose of all these categories of nibbāna is to clarify what kinds of nibbāna Buddhist emphasize with respect to the goal and why they aim at nibbāna as their final goal. There is simple answer as to why they do it. It is because they want to be liberated from suffering that is linked to the existences of saṃsāra (cycle of rebirth). As a matter of fact, nissāṇana-nibbāna, which means full liberation, is categorized as the absolute peace of the final nibbāna.^[12]

Regard the categories of nibbāna, there can be more than these aforementioned types of nibbāna. There must be consideration of one of the four noble truths, called Nirodhasaccā, which means absolute cessation of defilements or sufferings due to craving. Since it is said that nirodhasaccā is nibbāna and nibbāna is also called nirodhasaccā, nibbāna can be described as the “cessation of craving”. Thus nibbāna can become many in a theoretical sense. For instance, the cessation of clinging to eye-base (cakkhāyatana) is considered to be one nibbāna. Similarly, there are the cessation of clinging to ear-base, nose-base, tongue-base, body-base and mind-base. Based on these six kinds of sense-bases, there could be altogether six types of nibbāna.^[13]

Similarly, there are six types of objects (ārammaṇa), such as visible objects (rūpārammaṇa), sound objects (saddārammaṇa) etc. There are six for consciousness (viññāṇa), six for contact (samphassa), six for contact feeling (samphassa vedanā), six for perception (saññā), six for volition (sañcetanā), six for craving (taṇhā), six for though (vitakka), six for discursive thinking (vicāra). Thus, there are altogether sixty types of nibbāna referring to the state of sixty functions of cessation.^[14] For this reason, Buddhists may say that even if merely one enlightened being has realized the different types of cessation depending on the different functions of cessation, there will be thousands of nibbāna.

However, the essence of nibbāna is the one only (ekodhammo), that is, the absolute peace (santisukha).

There is no peace except nibbāna,
Nibbāna cannot but be peace,
This certainly that it is peace,
Is what is reckoned here as truth.^[15]

The nibbāna is the existence of something that liked to the transcendental entity or transcendental element called Dhammadhātu (the truth of the Dhamma). According to Theravāda Buddhism, nibbāna is nothing but ultimate reality that dose not go beyond absolute peace. Absolute peace (nibbāna) is often named as ultimate peace and unconditional happiness. This kind of peace and happiness is immeasurable in the conceptual sense, because it has no empirical quality. In this regard, some kinds of happiness and peace are subject to empiricism in this universe. Even, then the happiness of the celestial beings is beyond the empirical experience for humans, for only celestial beings can obtain the celestial happiness. Similarly, only enlightened beings can realize that surpramundane happiness is. This condition is something like a man who is blind, since he was born. For him, it is hard to accept the existence of color or light that ordinary people can see. In this regard, the blind man is likened to a worldling (puthujjana). For the worldling, it is also hard to accept the existence of nibbāna, which truly exists for enlightened beings.

The concept of nibbāna is philosophically very complicated in Buddhism, but practically it can be understood and realized. There is no universal agreement about the concept of nibbāna from a Theravāda perspective; one cannot ignore the original sources of Pāli canons and Pāli literature. According to Shwe Kyin Sayadaw, A Myanmar Buddhist monk Pāli scholar, Nibbāna is not absolute is not absolute extinction nor is it annihilationism either, because nibbāna has nothing to do with absolute extinction, but, it has to do with absolute peace and happiness. The existence of nibbāna is absolutely present. In the state of nibbāna, the existence of the five aggregates comes to an end. In this regard, it is said that nibbāna is like non-existence. Yet there remains absolute peace and the deathless element (nibbānadhātu). In reality, nibbāna exists for enlightened beings.

Seeing the aforementioned views of nibbāna, from the point of view of theoretical aspects, it seems that it is so profound that there is no way to cover everything, that is, every aspect of nibbāna. From this point onwards, this study will not discuss in detail what nibbāna, but rather will focus on the aspect of experiential realization. In Buddhism, practice and theory are equally important to understand the essence of the Dhamma. Buddhists emphasize that theories or studying theories (pariyatti) are for knowledge, but they value practice of meditation (paṭipatti) more than theories because it provides liberation through spiritual wisdom (paṭiveda).

Spiritual wisdom involves insight wisdom (vipassanāñāṇa) and path and fruition knowledge, also known as “enlightenment” (maggaphalañāṇa). Insight wisdom here means the intuitive understand flashing forth and exposing the truth of the impermanency (anicca), the suffering or unsatisfactory (dukkha), and the impersonal and unsubstantial nature of all corporeal and mental phenomena (anatta). Wisdom (paññā) has to be developed along with the two other things: morality (sīla) and concentration (samādhi). Insight wisdom is not the result of a mere intellectual understanding, but it obtained through direct meditative observation of one’s own phenomena that contain physical and mental processes. The culmination of insight meditation, known as mindfulness meditation leads one directly to the stages of path and fruition knowledge.^[16]

According to Buddhist perspectives, it understood that study of theories is not wisdom. However, wisdom can be obtained through study of theories together with individual practice of meditation. Buddhists postulate that without practice, no one is able to attain the absolute peace of nibbāna. The study of meditation method is necessary to fulfill the aims of this study.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Itivuttaka Pāli, Khuddaka Nikāya, The Itivuttaka: The Buddha’s Sayings, trans. John D. Ireland, p. 31-23.

[2]:

BD, p. 106.

[3]:

Ac-Ab, p. 260.

[4]:

Ledi Sayadaw, Nibbāna Dīpanī, p. 212.

[5]:

Long Discourses of The Buddha, p. 85

[6]:

Ledi Sayadaw, Nibbāna Dīpanī, p. 714-716

[7]:

Ledi Sayadaw, Nibbāna Dīpanī, p. 717-724

[8]:

Vism, p. 88-91

[9]:

AN III, p. 246-247

[10]:

Ledi Sayadaw, Nibbāna Dīpanī, p. 728-729

[11]:

Khuddapāṭha Pāli, p. 5

[12]:

Ledi Sayadaw, Nibbāna Dīpanī, p. 731.

[13]:

Ledi Sayadaw, Nibbāna Dīpanī, p. 733.

[14]:

Vsm, p. 502

[15]:

Ibid

[16]:

BD, p. 230-231