Nibbana Dilemma – Is It Worth It?

[camerata]

Nibbana dilemma – is it worth it?

by Cittasamvaro

After discussion on the nature of Nibbana (the Goal) and Samsara in the last few posts, the next question, is whether Nibbana is worth it. Why not just enjoy the vicissitudes of birth and death in eternity …

The Fight and Temptation

This question is especially relevant when you consider the arduous meditation, renunciation and spiritual struggle that are involved. It is not by accident that the Bhagavad Gita, the Buddha’s story, Parsifal of the Round Table and other stories all use the analogy of a great battle to win enlightenment. These characters all had to face insurmountable odds to win through to the final goal.

Any Takers?

The fact is that most people – by far the most – are not interested.

When the Buddha was enlightened he said:

This dhamma won to by me, is deep, difficult to see, difficult to understand, peaceful, beyond logic, subtle, intelligible by the wise.

But this generation delights in sense pleasure, rejoices in sense pleasure .. and so is a matter difficult to discern, that is, the arising of the world, the calming of habitual tendencies, the renunciation of attachment, destruction of craving, dispassion, stopping, nirvana.

If I were to teach dhamma others would not undertstand me, and that would be wearisome.

This dhamma will be

….

unseen by slaves of passion, who are cloaked in the fog of ignorance

.

This remains true today. Who is interested in ‘dispassion’ (viraka, or non-lusting). Few.

And why should anyone be interested? Does it matter?

It is tempting to try and justify the path and the goal, and to explain away the ideas of renunciation and dispassion – maybe inserting the words ‘peaceful’ or ‘letting go′ instead. But at the end of the day, a very few people will gain a genuine notion to make enquiry. This is not therapy!

Full article.

[james24]

True Nibbana in my opinion is only reached when you let go to the attachment of trying to attain it

. Logically it makes no sense to read and learn all this great advice and then do something as selfish as devoting your whole life trying to attain your own eternal happiness.

[Brucenkhamen]

True Nibbana in my opinion is only reached when you let go to the attachment of trying to attain it

. Logically it makes no sense to read and learn all this great advice and then do something as selfish as devoting your whole life trying to attain your own eternal happiness.

It's a case of balance, one has to have enough motivation to follow the path and do the practise but if one's motivation is very goal oriented or based on the idea of gaining something then it takes you away from the present moment and I think likely to be counterproductive.

I think most people start with an incorrect motivation but practise changes you, eventually it dawns on you that the path isn't about gaining something for me, it's about relinquishing attachment to the things that create notions of seperation and self.

[lungmi]

True Nibbana in my opinion is only reached when you let go to the attachment of trying to attain it

. Logically it makes no sense to read and learn all this great advice and then do something as selfish as devoting your whole life trying to attain your own eternal happiness.

It's a case of balance, one has to have enough motivation to follow the path and do the practise but if one's motivation is very goal oriented or based on the idea of gaining something then it takes you away from the present moment and I think likely to be counterproductive.

I think most people start with an incorrect motivation but practise changes you, eventually it dawns on you that the path isn't about gaining something for me, it's about relinquishing attachment to the things that create notions of seperation and self.

Or old Daoist wisdom: The way is the aim

[fabianfred]

For me

1. the goal is Nibbana not enlightenment or Buddhahood.

2. trying for nibbana in this life is reaching too far....go for stream-entry....much more attainable.

3. realising that the opportunity to hear the true dhamma is rare and precious....buddhas are rare....human rebirth is rare....not to waste this golden chance.

4. remaining stuck in samsara is not an option because when we are reborn when there is no dhamma known and no buddha we are back in the dark of ignorance....easy to make mistakes which cause us to fall to the lower realms....difficult to escape from.

[rockyysdt]

2. trying for nibbana in this life is reaching too far....go for stream-entry....much more attainable.

In terms of practice, what's the difference?

[Brucenkhamen]

2. trying for nibbana in this life is reaching too far....go for stream-entry....much more attainable.

In terms of practice, what's the difference?

Good point!

[christiaan]

As I understand Nibbana to be the state of knowledge and so of abolute truth,

I can see many many people have this desire for truth and knowlege within their Karma.

I have this inner drive too, to me it is part of being human.

However the road is difficult. One first has to learn to know the roads, to become aware of the roads.

Even having the desire to learn these roads ask activity and that is the other part of it, knowing the road one has to become active.

[lungmi]

As I understand Nibbana to be the state of knowledge and so of abolute truth,

I can see many many people have this desire for truth and knowlege within their Karma.

I have this inner drive too, to me it is part of being human.

However the road is difficult. One first has to learn to know the roads, to become aware of the roads.

Even having the desire to learn these roads ask activity and that is the other part of it, knowing the road one has to become active.

Take off the desire, going the road as a free man or woman you have big adventure.

[fabianfred]

2. trying for nibbana in this life is reaching too far....go for stream-entry....much more attainable.

In terms of practice, what's the difference?

none, but since the goal of Arahant is much harder to achieve aiming for stream-entry is more attainable and therefore no reason to let yourself be disheartened by a seemingly unreachable goal.

[Jawnie]

The idea of whether nirvana is "worth it" or "not worth it" is a dualistic concept and label that simply does not apply. Is your natural state "worth it"?