Metaphor and Literalism in Buddhism: The ... - misterdanger.net

NIRVANA IN NORTHERN BUDDHIST SCHOOLS
‘obtained and so on’ is used with reference to present acquisition
(prApti). It is not used when present acquisition ceases. Alternatively,
‘obtained and so on’ is conventionally designated ( prajñapti) in
respect of a person (pudgala). There is no person but dharma in
itself (dharmatA) in [nirvana without a remainder of clinging], so it
is not mentioned here. 58
Whereas the first answer tells us why these terms were applied to the nirvana
with a remainder of clinging (sopadhiUeLanirvAOadhAtu), the second answer
shows how the Sarvastivada-Vaibhalikas understand the ontological state
of nirvana without a remainder of clinging (nirupadhiUeLanirvAOadhAtu).
In ‘UpAdisesa within the context of nirvana’ in Chapter 2, I showed that
the significance of no-self (anAtman) in terms of the cognitive theory could
be that there is no need for a self (Atman) behind the five aggregates to explain
our cognitive process. This did not mean that all early Buddhists had the
radical theory presented in the simile of a cart in the Milindapañha against
the UpaniLadic notion of self (Atman). 59 What Indian Buddhist schools said
was that self (Atman), or person (pudgala), exists not as an entity (dravya) but
simply as a designation (prajñapti). 60 What was designated was, especially
for the Sarvastivada-Vaibhalikas, the series of aggregates (skandhasaNtAna).
As seen in ‘The Chinese abhidharma works’ in Chapter 2, nirvana for
them was extinction through knowledge (pratisaNkhyAnirodha), which was
further defined as disjunction (visaNyoga). Nirvana with a remainder of
clinging (sopadhiUeLanirvAOadhAtu) could be achieved by a person ( pudgala),
technically the series of aggregates (skandhasaNtAna), who has terminated
all connections with defilements and as a consequence has henceforward
been protected from them through antidotes, the acquisition of disjunction
(visaNyogaprApti) against all defilements existing in the three time periods.
According to the MahAvibhALAUAstra, disjunction can be attained by an
ordinary person (pKthagjana), UaikLa or aUaikLa, yet nirvana with a remainder
of clinging or nirvana without a remainder of clinging can be attained
only by an aUaikLa. 61 Through terminating junctions with impure dharmas
and attaining the acquisition of disjunction, a person can advance from laity
to UaikLa and to aUaikLa. Thus, disjunction can only be nirvana with a
remainder of clinging at the moment when the last defilement left is terminated,
whereas disjunction can only be nirvana without a remainder of
clinging at the moment when the last defilement left is terminated and at the
same time his vitality (Ayus), or technically life faculty ( jCvitendriya) and
homogenous character of the group (nikAyasabhAga), is destroyed.
As pointed out in the first answer, 62 nirvana with a remainder of clinging
(sopadhiUeLanirvAOadhAtu) can be the present acquisition (prApti) of disjunction
against the very last defilement left that was archived by a living saint
(arahant), or the series of aggregates, and in this respect we can say ‘the
complete cessation of all fetters (saNyojana) is obtained (prApta), possessed
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