The Conception of Buddhist Nirvana — Th. Stcherbatsky (1927)

The following aphorisms are directed against those who not being able to realize that Nirvana is simply the limit of all constructions (of our pro¬ ductive imagination) continue to imagine a kind of Nirvana which either represents reality or non-reality or both or neither.

IV. Nirvana, first of all, is not a kind of Ens,

It would then have decay and death.

There altogether is no Ens

Which is not subject to decay and death.

There are indeed philosophers who have a preconceived idea 4 that Nirvana must be something positive. 5 The following is their line of argument. According to our system, 6 they say, there is a positive thing which represents a barrier, 7 a definite limit 8 for the existence of a stream 9 of defiling elements, creative actions and (consequent) existences. 10 It is comparable to a dam checking a stream of water. This is Nirvana. We know from experience 11 that a thing 12 without having a reality of its own 13 could not be efficient 14 in that way.

(The Sautrantika objects). It has been declared that absolute indiffe-

1 sarva-kalpand-ksaya.

2 Ratnavali or Ratna-malika , a work ascribed to Nagarjuna.

3 bhdva) id. 4 abhinivista.

5 bhdva. 8 iha.

7 nirodhatmakah padarthah. s niyata-rodha = nirodha — nirvana.

9 mntdna. 10 lde&a- karma -janmo.

11 drSyate. 12 dharma.

IS vidyamdna-svabhdva. u Jcdrya-kdrvn.

p. 191

rence, 1 the extinction of desires which are associated with enjoying life, 2 that this kind of blank, 3 is Nirvana. What (in itself) is a mere Extinction 4 cannot be envisaged as (a kind of) Ens. 5 It has been just declared,

But in Nirvana consciousness itself is gone.

Just as a light (when totally extinct).

To regard the extinction of the light of a lamp as a (kind) of Ens is logically impossible. 6

(The Vaibhasika) answers. Your interpretation of the words «ex tine- 525 . tion of desire», as meaning «extinct desire» is wrong. (The right interpre¬ tation is the following one). «That thing in which desire is extiuct» (is called extinction of desire). It can then be asserted that when that ultimate entity 7 which is called Nirvana is present, it means that every desire (and conscious¬ ness) are extinct (at final Nirvana). (The extinction) of the light of a lamp is a mere example. And even this example must be underwood (as an illu¬ stration of tfie idea) that consciousness is quite extinct s in something that (continues to) exist.

Our Master (Nagarjuna) now examines (the consequences of the theory) 525 . which determines Nirvana, as a kind of existence. Nirvana is not a positive thing (he says). Why? Since it would follow that it must possess the charac¬ teristics of decay and death, because every existence is invariably connected with decay and death. He means, it would not then be Nirvana, (the Abso¬ lute), since like our life 9 it would be subject to decay and death.

In order to make sure this very point, that every life is iuvariably 525 . connected 10 with the marks of decay and death, the Master says, «there is no existence without decay and death». Indeed, that thing which is without decay and death is not at all an Ens, it is a mirage, as e. g., flowers in the sky. They never decay and never die, (hence they do not exist).

1 viraga.

2 nandirdga-sahagatd trsna.

3 nirodha.

4 ksaya-matram.

5 bhdva.

6 nopapadyate.

7 dharma.

* vimoksa.

9 vijhanddi = skandhdh.

10 Read avyabhicaritdm.

1S2 NIRVANA

525. 18. Moreover,

V. If Nirvana is Ens,

It is produced by causes.

Nowhere and none the entity exists
Which would not be produced by causes.

526. 3 . (Thesis). If Nirvana is (a kind) of Ens, it would then be produced from causes.

(Reason). Because it is an Ens.

(Example). Just as consciousness and the other (elements of our life).

The contraposition 1 (of the major premise will result in the following sentence): What is not produced by causes does not exist, like the horns on the head of a donkey. Pointing to this the author says,

Nowhere and none the entity is found
Which would not be produced by causes.

526. 6 . The word «nowhere » refers to location, the place or the time. It might be also taken (as referring to) a philosophic system. The word «none» refers to the located thing, whether it be an object of the external world or a mental phenomenon.

526. s. Moreover,

VI. If Nirvana is Ens

How can it lack substratum?

There whatsoever is no Ens
Without any substratum.

526.ii. If, in your opinion. Nirvana is a positive entity, it must repose on a substratum, it must have a root in the totality of its own causes. But such a definitely located 2 Nirvana is accepted by nobody. On the con¬ trary, Nirvana (is the Absolute), it does not repose on any substratum. Therefore, if Nirvana is an Ens, how can it be an Ens without any substratum? Indeed,

526. 13. (Thesis). (Nirvana) cannot exist without substratum.

(Reason). Because it is an Ens.

vyatireka.

2 upadaya.

(Example). Just as consciousness and other (elements of existence).

The contraposition of the major premise is further adduced as a reason,

There whatsoever is no Ens
Without any substratum.

IV. Nirvana is not a non-Ens.