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

Table 5.4 Summary of the doctrinal development of nirvana
NIRVANA IN NORTHERN BUDDHIST SCHOOLS
Exegeses and treatises (UAtras)
Abhidharma
the JñAnaprasthAna
Early canon
the Itivuttaka
Metaphorical
structure
Nirvana
Theravadins Sarvastivadins Sautrantikas
A real existent Non-existence
Existing separately
(pAMiyekka) from
mere destruction
[Extinction through
knowledge
(pratisaNkhyAnirodha)] b
[The cessation of
passion, hatred
and delusion] a
The cessation of the
triple fires of passion
hatred and delusion
Concept
Momentum (Avedha)
of the series of
aggregates
Life faculty ( jCvitendriya)
and homogeneous
character of the
group (nikAyasabhAga)
Vitality (Ayu) The five aggregates
The five faculties
(indriya)
The five aggregates
Reference of
upAdi/upadhi
105
Non-arising of further
latent defilements
(anuUaya)
The disjunction from
all impure
(sAsrava) dharmas
The cessation of
defilements (kilesa)
The complete cessation
of all fetters
The cessation of
cankers
The cessation of the
triple fires of passion
hatred and delusion
Nirvana with a
remainder
of clinging
Non-arising of
further
life ( janman)
The disintegration
of the series
of aggregates
The cessation of
the five
aggregates
The cessation
of the
five aggregates
Nirvana without
a remainder
of clinging
a SN IV pp. 251–2. Cf. ‘The cessation of passion, hatred, delusion and cankers (Asavas)’ in the Chinese equivalent of this sutta.
b Extinction through knowledge was the equivalent of nirvana in Northern abhidharma, while in Southern abhidhamma nirvana wasregarded as the one and only
unconditioned.