涅槃：Nirvana

 

涅槃

 

 

涅槃の原語（nib-bāṇa/nir-vāṇa）はnir-√vā (外-風吹く)から「吹き出す、(火を)吹き消す」と解釈されているが、「吹き止む」が一般用法であり仏教では特に聖典常套句「無風の灯火」 (ni-vāte padīpa）の様に業風静止状態になる事である。

 

涅槃は坐禅の表裏止観（静止観察）の前者の究極であり正覚と表裏一体である。それは無為（asaṅkhata/asaṁskṛta）、静止（upasama/upaśama）、寂静（santa/śanta）、無展開（nibbuta/nirvṛta）と言われ自然収束を意味する。

 

これは進化過程で動物が発達させた脳・神経系などにより生存し、競争に勝つ為に身につけた業（行為・習慣・遺伝）を人間が象徴（言語・文化等）、組織（国家・文明等）を生み四苦八苦十二苦の解決の道である。

 

涅槃・覚醒は動物の動く習性により静坐して業を静止し貪瞋痴三毒の暴走（業風）を静める事をしない為神秘的なものと受け取られているが、誰でも何も必要とせず静坐すれば判り、修養続行すれば得られるものである。

 

ブッダは二師より三昧（samādhi：定：synthesis:統合）を習ったが、それは正覚に資しないとして禅（jhāna/dhyāna）を正定とし、これにより戒定慧三学を普遍法縁起に従って本来の涅槃・正覚に戻る三学として示した。

 

木は生物中最長の寿命を持ち真理・法と「永続する」という（語根も近く）共通の意味を持つ。ブッダは法（現象）を如実に知見しその法則を発見しその通りに生きたので如来と呼ばれるが、実は如在者(Thathā-gata)。

 

ブッダとは「目覚めた者」の意味であり、ゴータマ・ブッダの他に多くのブッダが居るが、「縁起を見る者は法を見る。法を見る者は仏を見る。」と言われ、普遍法縁起を見る者は仏を見、法に生きるものは覚者である。

 

静坐・坐禅は誰もが三毒業風に動揺する事なく、欲が苦の因、無明（縁起：相依・相対：無常・苦・無我：涅槃の無覚証）が生死（輪廻）の因である事が判り不動・不畏・不死を得る事ができるので皆が試される様に！

 

法遍天地満
華開世界起
帰家安坐処
共友蓮華界

。

 

Nirvāṇa

 

The original Pāli and Sanskrit word for nirvāṇa (nibbāna/nirvāṇa) is commonly derived from nir- + √vā (“to blow”), and is therefore often interpreted as “blowing out” or “extinguishing” (as of a flame). However, in ordinary usage the more fundamental sense is “the blowing has ceased” or “the wind has stopped.” In Buddhism this is well illustrated by the canonical stock phrase “a lamp in a windless place” (nivāte padīpo), which symbolizes the state in which the karmic winds have become completely ceased.

Nirvāṇa is the culmination of the stilling aspect of śamatha-vipaśyanā (calming and visioning), inseparable from Right Awakening. The scriptures describe it as the Unconditioned (asaṅkhata / asaṁskṛta: unmade), stilling (upasama / upaśama), peace (santa / śānta), and quiescence (nibbuta / nirvṛta), all pointing to the natural settling and cessation of conditioned activity.

Throughout evolution, animals developed brains and nervous systems that enabled survival through movement, competition, and adaptation. Human beings inherited these karmic patterns—actions, habits, and heredity—and further expanded them through symbols such as language, culture, society, states, and civilization. The Awakened Way is the way of resolving the many forms of suffering arising from this karmic development, including the Four Sufferings, the Eight Sufferings, and the Twelve Sufferings (Eight Suffering + Four Collective Sufferings: dictatorship, war, nuke, catastrophe).

Nirvāṇa and awakening often appear mysterious because living beings naturally continue moving according to their animal instincts and seldom practice still sitting long enough to calm the runaway karmic winds generated by greed, hatred, and delusion. Yet nirvāṇa is neither mysterious nor supernatural. Anyone who sits still, needing nothing, can begin to understand it directly, and through continued cultivation can realize it.

Before his awakening, the Buddha studied various forms of samādhi (synthesis) under two renowned teachers. Realizing that these states did not lead to right awakening, he established jhāna (dhyāna; Zen) as Right Samādhi (Right Synthesis). On this foundation he taught the Triple Learnings—sīla, samādhi, and paññā—as the practical path of returning to our original nirvāṇa and awakening in accordance with the universal Dharma of Dependent Co-origination.

Among living beings, trees possess the longest lifespans. Interestingly, the words for tree, truth, and that which endures share closely related roots and evoke the common idea of permanence and steadfastness. The Buddha directly realized phenomena (dharmas) as they truly are, discovered the universal law governing them, and lived completely in accord with it. For this reason he is called the Tathā-gata—not merely “the Thus-Gone” or “Thus-Come One,” but more profoundly, the One Who Abides in Suchness (cf. hasta-gata āmla: mango being at/in the hand).

The word Buddha simply means “the Awakened One.” Although Gautama Buddha is the historical Buddha of our age, Buddhism recognizes many Buddhas. As the Buddha declared:

“Whoever sees Dependent Co-origination sees the Dharma; whoever sees the Dharma sees the Buddha.”

To see the universal Dharma of Dependent Co-origination is to see the Buddha, and one who lives in accordance with the Dharma is, in that sense, an awakened one.

May everyone test this for themselves through still sitting and zazen. Without being disturbed by the karmic winds of the Triple Poisons, one directly realizes that craving is the cause of suffering, and that nescience (no witness) of Dependent Co-origination—of interdependence, impermanence, suffering, and non-self—is the cause of birth-and-death (saṃsāra)! Through such realization one attains the Immovable, the Fearless, and the Deathless.

May all together accomplish the Buddha Way!

 

The Dharma fills heaven and earth.
The Lotus blossoms; the world arises.
Returning home, we sit in peace.
Together as friends in the Lotus World.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.