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

2 sam-skarah — sambhuya-karinah. It would be incorrect to surmise that samskdraskandha is alone meant, although the chief samskdra, karma or cctana, the elan vital, the biotic force which arranges the coordination of all other elements, is first of all meant. But redana aud samjiid are samskdras, and vijnana aud rupa are, accorlingto the rules of the 12 membered pratitya-samutpada, always included iu every life. From this whole passage it appears clearly that the Buddhist conception of samskdra and samskrtatva is but an other name for pratitya - samutpannatva, cp. ibid. p. 28.

3 pratitya pratitya ya utpadaS ca.

4 apra itya. 5 apravartamanah.

6 This absolutely lifeless something representing the picture of the Universe in which all energies are extinct reminds us, to a certain extent, of the final condition of the Universe as re¬ presented by modern science according to the law of entropy, cp. above p. 26.

7 pudgala. 8 avdcya,.

n anitya. 10 djavamjavibhdva.

11 tad tad upadanam aSritya.

12 updddya pravartate—pratitya pravartate, sc. it obeys to the laws of causation or ct>- ordination. The theory of the Vatslputrlyas about an abiding personality (pudgala), which they nevertheless do not consider as a reality (dharma) or a Soul (atman), is exposed with detailed argumentation by Vasubandhu, Ab. Kosa, XI and above p. 31. n. 1.

13 updddya updddya pravartamanah. 14 idanim.

15 anupadaya.

10 apravartamanah

17 Lit., p. 529. 9 — 530.2. a Otherwise, those who have the tenet that the forces (samskarah) are migrating, for them it is said that in-every-case-coordinated origination and destruc¬ tion is Nirvana when going on without coordination. But for those for whom the personality (pudgala) is migrating, for them this (personality), being undefinable as to whether it is eternal or non-eternal, possesses a coming and going when reposing on different substratums, it is then going on upon a substratum; this very (personality) which is going on (pravartamana) upon •different substratums is now called Nirvaua when it no more is going on npon a snbstratum».

NIK VAN A

Now, whether it be coordinated energies 1 alone, or (some central prin¬ ciple like the one called) «personality», 2 it is clear that the mere fact of their evolution being stopped can neither be characterized as an Ens, nor as a non-Ens. 3

And further,

X. The Buddha has declared

That Ens and non-Ens should be both rejected.
Neither as Ens nor as a non-Ens
Nirvana therefore is conceived.

On this point it is stated in Scripture, «0 Brethren, those who seek an escape out of this (phenomenal) existence in (a kind of new) existence 4 or in annihilation 5 they have no true knowledges Both should be rejected, the craving for (eternal) life and the craving for (eternal) death. But this Nirvana (is the only thing) which the Buddha has characterized as the thing not to be rejected. On the contrary, (he has declared it to be the only thing) desirable. 6 But if Nirvana would have been (eternal) existence 7 or (eternal) death, 8 it also would have been rejectable. However it is not rejectable.

Neither as Ens nor as a non-Ens
Nirvana therefore is conceived.

VI. Nirvana is not both Ens and non-Ens together.

There are some (Vaibhasikas) who assume a double character in Nir¬ vana. It is a non-Ens so far it is the place in which the defiling elements and the elements of existence in general are extinct. But in istelf (this lifeless place) is an Ens. 9 The author now proceeds to state that such double Nirvana is impossible.

1 sawskarah. 2 pudgala.

3 This clearly is an answer to those Hlnayanists wh<j maintain that their Nirvana is am

Ens (vastu, dharma).

4 bhara. 5 vibhava.

6 aprahatacya. 7 bhava.

* ahhava.

9 This is the Vaibhagika view about the reality of Nirvana with but a little change inits formulation. It is here examined once more in order to fill up the schema of the quadrilemma.

XI. If Nirvana were both Ens and non-Ens,

Final Deliverance would be also both,

Reality and unreality together.

This never could be possible.

If Nirvana had the double character of being both an Ens and a non- 531. 3 . Ens, then Final Deliverance would be both a reality and an uureality.

It would then follow that the presence 1 of the energies 2 (of life) and their extinction, both represent Final Deliverance. However a Final Delive¬ rance (from phenomenal life) and the energies (of phenomenal life) cannot be the same . 3 Therefore, says the author, this is impossible.

And further, 531. 6 .

XII. If Nirvana were both Ens and non-Ens,

Nirvana could not be uncaused.

Indeed the Ens and the non-Ens
Are both dependent on causation.