2 upvotes, 1 direct replies (showing 1)
View submission: Is nirvana a permanent state?
That's basically what he said. The cessation of defilements and dukkha can itself be an object of mind/meditation, the realization of the Unconditioned, i.e., the mind recognizes what it is to not be conditioned by suffering. The possibility of this realization is ever present, but the realization itself is conditioned by following the Eightfold Path and bringing and end to identification and appropriation of aggregates and sense bases.
Comment by redsparks2025 at 24/02/2025 at 21:52 UTC*
0 upvotes, 2 direct replies
You and I hold different views than numbersev. You are not repeating what numbersev said in your own words. If anything you are allowing numbersev incorrect statement confuse your mind probably because numbersev said a lot of things all mixed together.
numbersev said a lot of things but my main objection is to the statement that "*Nirvana is the unconditioned reality. Meaning it doesn't arise, nor is it dependent on any other requisite causes or conditions. It doesn't change nor cease. It always is*." This too me is just plainly false.
numbersev statement seems to describes nirvana as a physical thing but it is a state of mind. Having achieve the mental state of nirvana then yes one's mind may perceive "*unconditioned reality*" but nirvana itself is not that unconditioned reality. Nirvana is a state of mind that perceives reality without all our mental/psychological hangups, it is not reality itself.
We humans have **no direct access** to reality as we experience reality through our senses which is then interpreted via our mental facilities which themselves are influenced by our mental/psychological hangups or what you (and Buddhism) calls "*defilements*". And NO reality is NOT an "*illusion*" to which I made a comment about here = LINK[1].
Buddhism's teachings can be confusing for many but if you keep in mind that Gautama Buddha was more concerned with the psychological aspect of overcoming duhkha rather than the metaphysical aspect of reality then you will not be so confused.
Even the statement "*unconditioned reality*" is a bit misleading but I will let is stay as long as one understands that "*unconditioned*" just means perceiving "*reality*" without all our mental/psychological hangups, i.e., "*defilements*" getting in the way.
Must I remind you of the finger pointing to the moon[2]. When I read numbersev statement my mind just went WTF is numbersev writing about. I can't believe people were taking in by numbersev words voting them up. I am certain numbersev didn't intentionally mean to confuse others but numbersev statement is false nonetheless.
"*We are suspended in language in such a way that we cannot say what is up and what is down. The word "reality" is also a word, a word which we must learn to use correctly.*" ~ Niels Bohr.
