On Nibbana (Nirvana)

According to Buddha there is something not subject to destruction, suffering, impurity, bounds, an ending or a beginning. That is Nibbana.

You must have at least the first jhana attainment to have Nibbana [Sanskrit: Nirvana] attainment.

The True Knowledge of Nibbana comes in one mental moment. When one attains this a state of purity, illumination is spontaneous.

All people experiencing Nibbana necessarily experience the same thing. This is not the same consciousness, rather it is the same function of consciousness.

To attain Nibbana, all must be balanced. No single event can so balance. No single deed can directly precipitate Nibbana. A good action by itself will not lead directly to Nibbana. Nibbana cannot be obtained by simply developing lovingkindness, for example.

It is not true that one can attain the highest excellence by being good only. This is part. Buddhas ethics can be found in many places, the uniqueness of the Buddha’s teaching is that it offers a path, a way to the supermundane, the highest good. Freedom: lokuttara. The way to the otherworldly good can be found only in Buddhism.

Enlightenment is to be free of memory and perceptions.

Buddha’s intention was to help his disciples attain enlightenment (Nibbana) … he had no intent to bother with those unworthy.

Truth of Nibbana: anyone can find this out by refining concentration.

Nibbana is the fourth reality: it has no cause. It can only be known when one turns away from the world.

There may be a thousand books on Nibbana. Of the authors, none care to practice. Nibbana is meant to be known directly. It cannot be communicated by words.

Fourth stage of Nibbana destroys past karma. An Arahat's actions produce no results because he has a kriyacitta consciousness. It is merely a functional consciousness – does not produce good or bad results.

An Arahat can be compared to a fan in which the electrical current is shut off – the blades continue to spin for a while.

The supermundane experience destroys effects. Millions of effects that are coming to you are destroyed by Nibbana.

Parinibbana – what happens to Arahat, Buddha who dies. The texts do not answer. They cannot say whether a self ceases. Process, movement ceases.

There are monks who have never had a thought of anger throughout their lives … still no Nibbana.

Conceit / pride stays to the last stage of Enlightenment.

People are free to have any view of this proposition (Nibbana).

One must be very sensitive to know Nibbana. Insight is like a flash-of-lightening. Piece of illuminating information changes your nature spontaneously. But for the experience to work, work must be done. This is Vipassana – insight – truth. To know things as they are truly.

Nibbana: Not a subject of discussion. Any able teacher can test a person for Nibbana attainment. There are secret qualities that accrue to a person on the way to Nibbana long before he attains it, which can be noticed by a teacher.

Nibbana – followed by three moments. Can regard them as the fruit moments. There might be five people in the East with 2nd stage Nibbana. The possessor of the 2nd, 3rd or 4th phala of Nibbana can withdraw himself at will. However the 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A of the four stages of Nibbana cannot be repeated. A person with attainments 1A and 1B is a sotāpanna – a stream-winner. [Upon enlightenment] Buddha denied his birth lineage – it changed after his attainment of Nibbana.

Nibbana attainment … three moments: A, B, C. A good practitioner can call back the three moments again and again. Super-mundane state. Free of all limitations. To get stuck in phala is unlawful. Nibbana attainment is always followed by phala but to be able to place yourself in it by choice is difficult.

Development of insight is the only way to Nibbana. If ripe for it the dhamma eye can open any time, at a word.

There is a straightforward technique to know Nibbana. How is this thing done? Better to do than to get involved in theory without practice. The most important part is mental culture [that you do] after the course.

Nibbana, not subject to the law of causality.

With the arising of this, that arises. When that is not, that does not come to be; with the cessation of this that ceases.

Within possibility of anyone here in Austin to get a deity’s glance; to be aware of your prayers. First attainment of Nibbana is possible. Also 1st and 2nd jhanas.

Since words belong to the mundane, they cannot express the supermundane. This not a dodge; it is simply not possible.

Just as a small building is nothing for someone who has seen the Empire State Building, just so when one see Nibbana other things pale by its significance.

The mind must be without concepts for the experience of Nibbana, then the great experience might come. But the Buddha said that Nibbana cannot be had by all in this life. Jhana cannot be had by all. If one does not have the merits, the previous causes then they cannot have it. It is still important to make the effort. To try for it, that is virtue. To try to start here and now. Keep mind free from evil – this is very important preparation.

The one karma that produces immediate effects is Nibbana.

The idea that your experience will absolve the need of others to have the same experience is false.