Advanced Thai Conversation (Nibbana Topic) : The Interpretion of 'Nibbana'

Thai Language (NIBBANA Topic) : ธรรมทาน ๒๒ The Interpretion of 'Nibbana'

          'Nibbana' can be interpreted as 'the total extinguishing of things which are hot ; What are the so-called  'hot'  things ? Life itself can be hot The human eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind as well as form, sound, odour, taste, touch, thoughts,vinnana' (consciousness), 'phasa' (contact) and 'vedana' (feelings) are all hot and capable of burning and scorching the mental and spiritual well-being of a human being.

          Why are they  'hot' ? it is because they are the flame of  'raga' or  'lust' , 'dosa' or hatred and 'moha' or delusion. When lust, hatred and delusion burn in one's mind, one will not be able to live peacefully. The mind will only become cool in the absence of such human emotional combustion. Therefor, 'nibbana' is the state of the absolute coolness of life which has previously been hot.

          Hence there is no need for anyone to tell you that the world we are dwelling in at present is even  'hotter'  than before. This is because of the increasing ferocity of the existing flame of lust, hatred and delusion. The cleverer people are now even better at fanning the flame of lust, hatred and delusion, and the more unlikely it will be for them to realise that the extinguishing of such perilous human emotional and mental mainfestation is the aim of life, and they go on looking for the pleasures of life by continuing to fan the flame of their carvings or desires, without giving a thought to extinguishing the flame even in the slightest bit.

From : 'Nibbana'  Buddhadasa Bhikkhu 

Translated from Thai to English by Dr. J. Ratana Nantho Bhikkhu