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THE TWO NIRVANA THEORY IN THE EARLY CANON Figure 2.1 Potter’s wheel since there is no more attachment left (anupAdisesa). As certain advanced disciples will obtain either one or the other, the two nirvana elements cannot be understood as successive stages, as posited by the Theravada exegetical tradition, but must be mutually exclusive means by which different disciples attain their liberation. 12 The crucial argument put forward is, as noted by Huzita Koudazu in The Journal of Indian and Buddhist Studies, that ‘there is no clear evidence within the early canon saying upAdi to mean the aggregates’. 13 Louis de La Vallée A B Spinning around even after its electric motor has been powered off Figure 2.2 Either non-returner or arahant Potter’s wheel [saupadisesa nibbanadhatu] without attachment Life as a disciple in Buddhism with attachment [anupadisesa nibbanadhatu] 15 Momentum Arahant [anupadisesa nibbanadhatu] Non-returner [saupadisesa nibbanadhatu]
THE DOCTRINAL DEVELOPMENT OF NIRVANA Poussin 14 and E. J. Thomas 15 seem to have had the view that the use of upAdi to refer to the aggregates could not be the oldest usage. However, such evidence can be found within the early canon, though not directly but indirectly. According to Gombrich, the term upAdi means objectively ‘fuel’, which denotes ‘the aggregates’ in a metaphorical structure that embraces enlightenment and its opposite. 16 In this chapter, I deal with this problem of the two nirvana theory by examining the etymology of upAdi in terms of its subjective and objective meanings, the usage of upAdisesa within the context of nirvana and the usage of upAdisesa within the context of the four noble persons, and by establishing the differences between the non-returner and the two nirvana elements. Etymology of upAdi The word upAdi is usually found compounded with sesa, ‘remainder’. Despite its phonetic similarity with upadhi, its synonym is upAdAna, which shares the same etymology, deriving from upa A √dA (to give). 17 UpAdAna has both objective and subjective meanings. Objectively, it means ‘fuel, supply, provision’ or, literally, that material substratum by means of which an active process is kept alive or going. 18 In the UpAdAnasutta in the SaNyuttanikAya, the word upAdAna is used in the following way: ‘Verily such a great bonfire, so fed, so supplied with fuel, would burn for a long while.’ 19 Subjectively, it means ‘drawing upon, grasping, holding on, grip, attachment’ in the sense that a fire clings to fuel in order to keep burning. Similarly, living beings cling to food, or more precisely nourishment, to keep alive. This word can also be used in terms of the process of rebirth. It is that by means of which the process of rebirth is kept going or alive: that is to say, it is the cause of rebirth. In the later systematisation, upAdAna was used in this subjective sense and was of four kinds: ‘Sensuous Clinging (kAmupAdAna), Clinging to Views (diMMhupAdAna), Clinging to mere Rules and Ritual (sClabbatupAdAna), and clinging to Personality-Belief (atta-vAdupAdAna)’. 20 This subjective meaning of upAdi is almost synonymous with a meaning of upadhi 21 that is derived from a different verb: upa √dhA (to put). The literal meaning of upadhi is ‘that on which something is laid or rests, basis, foundation, substratum’. 22 According to PED, it designates in the oldest texts worldly possessions and belongings, such as ‘wife and children, flocks and herds, silver and gold’. 23 We can see this usage of upadhi in the famous dialogue between the Buddha and Mara in the SuttanipAta: ‘One with sons rejoices because of (his) sons’, said Mara the evil one. ‘Similarly the cattle-owner rejoices because of (his) cows. For acquisitions (upadhi) are joy for a man. Whoever is without acquisitions does not rejoice.’ 16
Page 2 and 3: METAPHOR AND LITERALISM IN BUDDHISM
Page 4 and 5: TEACHING BUDDHISM IN THE WEST Edite
Page 6 and 7: METAPHOR AND LITERALISM IN BUDDHISM
Page 8 and 9: FOR DONGJE MY ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE D
Page 10 and 11: CONTENTS List of figures and tables
Page 12 and 13: PREFACE I am glad to be able to tha
Page 14 and 15: ABBREVIATIONS The abbreviations for
Page 16 and 17: ABBREVIATIONS RV Rgveda. SA SaNyukt
Page 18 and 19: INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION In the Ab
Page 20 and 21: INTRODUCTION to reach it was descri
Page 22 and 23: INTRODUCTION two nirvana theory in
Page 24 and 25: NIRVANA AND ITS REFERENCE Part 1 TH
Page 26 and 27: NIRVANA AND ITS REFERENCE 1 NIRVANA
Page 28 and 29: NIRVANA AND ITS REFERENCE early Bud
Page 30 and 31: NIRVANA AND ITS REFERENCE original
Page 34 and 35: THE TWO NIRVANA THEORY IN THE EARLY
Page 54 and 55: DEVELOPMENTS OF THE TWO NIRVANA THE
Page 68 and 69: NIRVANA IN THE THERAVf DA BUDDHIST
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NIRVANA IN THE THERAVf DA BUDDHIST
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NIRVANA IN NORTHERN BUDDHIST SCHOOL
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Table 5.4 Summary of the doctrinal
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CONCLUSION The term anAgAmin was of
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CONCLUSION passion, hatred and delu
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CONCLUSION The Sautrantikas probabl
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SELECTED SOURCES FOR THE NIRVANA CO
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NOTES Indians; and also because we
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NOTES 13 Huzita (1988: 8). 14 La Va
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NOTES 70 See Dutt (1960: 252-71), L
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NOTES 146 Akanuma (1929: 126). 147
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NOTES 39 yaP sAsravair dharmair vis
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NOTES 5 Harvey (1990: 66-7). 6 DN I
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NOTES 65 Tr. Norman (1992: 120): ac
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NOTES 132 Bareau (1955: 285). 133 B
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NOTES 15 Life faculty is one of the
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NOTES 77 Akb-h pp. 67-8. 78 Accordi
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NOTES 149 SA (TD2 57c8), SN IV 109.
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NOTES 6 SN IV 251-2. 7 The Chinese
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NOTES (1969: 378-82), which was mad
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BIBLIOGRAPHY BIBLIOGRAPHY PRIMARY S
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BIBLIOGRAPHY SECONDARY SOURCES Adik
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BIBLIOGRAPHY Pasadika, Bhikkhu (198
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faculty see indriya fetters see saN
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