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

NIRVANA IN NORTHERN BUDDHIST SCHOOLS
examine which argument represents the original meaning of the image of a
fire extinguished in the context of the TathAgata after death. 169 As seen
before, the image represents a fire’s going out due to lack of fuel and is
different from a fire image seen in the early UpaniLads. The latter predicates
that when a phenomenal fire is extinguished, the essential character (liWga)
of fire is not extinguished but hidden in its latent state, 170 which could be the
origin of the so-called Indian view suggested by F. Otto Schrader. 171
The second argument put forward by Sawghabhadra seems to be based
more on the UpaniLadic image of a fire than on the image of a fire extinguished
in the context of the TathAgata after death. Although the Buddha
seems to have argued precisely against this kind of UpaniLadic view in his
dialogue with Vacchagotta, 172 its influence on Buddhism is apparent from
the position taken by Sawghabhadra’s second argument. By contrast, the
Sautrantika argument explained by Xuan-zang 173 specifically represents
the original meaning of the image of a fire extinguished in the context of
the TathAgata after death. 174 When he says that the fire goes out through
lack of fuel, fuel refers to the five aggregates, as is clearly pointed out by his
saying ‘the liberation attained by the mind of the blessed one is only the
extinction of all aggregates’.
What is the position taken by the Theravada exegetical tradition on this
simile? 175 Although its initial interpretation of Anuruddha’s stanza seen in
the TheragAthAaMMhakathA 176 confirms that the fire goes out through lack of
fuel, its quotation of the PArAyaOa stanza at the end of the clarification
seems to suggest wanting to keep open the possibility of interpreting nirvana
not as mere non-existence. As seen in Chapter 4, nirvana for the later
Theravada exegetical tradition is cessation consisting in non-arising, and
exists separately (pAMiyekka) from the mere destruction of passion, hatred
and delusion. 177 The SammohavinodanC, the commentary on the VibhaWga,
summarises this later position of the Theravadins as follows:
And when it is said in the exposition of the mental sphere, ‘What is
here the unconditioned element? It is the cessation of passion, the
cessation of hatred, and the cessation of delusion’; this means that
the unconditioned element is nirvana whose intrinsic nature is
unconditioned. But because passion etc. cease on coming to this
[nirvana], it is said, ‘It is the cessation of passion, the cessation of
hatred, and the cessation of delusion.’ This is the teachers’ common
explanation of this matter. 178
What has been said here is that the cessation of passion, hatred and delusion
is only a phenomenon that appears on the attainment of nirvana, which
itself exists separately ( pAMiyekka) from this mere destruction.
As seen before, they quote the unidentified sutta to support this position:
‘thus ignorance and craving, on coming to this, are destroyed in this, are
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