Nibbana Internal or External

''' Q.  Give your comment on Nibbāna whether it is external or internal of the body with the references to Rohittassa Sutta, Majjhima Nikāya? '''

 Ans:  Lord Buddha never say what is untruth, just say what is truth and beneficial. If we say that Nibbana is external it becomes contrast of Lord Buddha’s speech at Rohitassa Sutta But if we follow according to Rohitassa sutta it becomes contrast  with the Abhhidhamma Text book which has mentioned beyond five aggregates. It is quite interesting to open the real meaning of Lord Buddha in the Rohitassa Sutta.

 How I think is, there are may be some reasons why the Buddha said. It might be to be consistence with the Rohitassa’s questions to reach at the end of the world. To follow the Buddha’s unique delivering discourse (from, Samutti sacca to Paramattha Sacca). And in order to express indirect way about realization of Nibbāna.

 Actually Rohitassa intended to make known about the world of space for ending all kinds of suffering (okāsaloka) but the Buddha the omniscient One knows the best way to end all kinds of suffering.

 It has mentions in the  Sutta thus “in this  body” but it also mentions in the commentary “I don’t make known these four truths in external things like Tinna  grass and wood but it can be make known in this body of four Great elements [1]. According to sub-commentary four great elements refers to both physical and mental phenomena. The Buddha said metaphorically about Nibbāna is in this body. Nibbāna is absence of five aggregates [2] as Nibbāna does not exists in the Khandha. So, it is free from khandha. As it is outside of Khandha so it is external

 In the sutta, it does not mean Nibbāna is in the body. But in order to realize Nibbāna we have to depend on the five aggregates which are the formation of the world (Sa ṅ '' khāraloka). ''

This is by means of  proper ways of seeing and understanding   the world of formation (Sa ṅ khāraloka), can be reached at the end of the world by eradicating of all defilements.

Finally, I believe that Nibbāna is external/ out of five aggregates, in the Sutta Just Lord Buddha mentioned in indirect way as Nibbāna is in this body. And in the Sa ṅ  gaha  and Rohittassa’s Sutta Commentary have mentioned, it can be make known the Cessation Truth by means of Five aggregates in this body.

[1]   Rohitassa Sutta tr. by Piya Tan and has slightly changed from translation. [2]  Comprehensive manual of Abhidhamma,p. .

Uploaded on 27th Nov 2011

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