[Buddha-l] liturgical languages

[jkirk]

> I thought only those who had attained nirvana while still
> a "mentating human" went into parinirvana when they ceased
> being a "mentating human"; parinirvana presupposes nirvana,
> no ?  Otherwise, why not just say "he died" rather than
> "he went into parinirvana" ?
>
> ---------
> Bill Kish
==========================
Yes why not?
I've seen the term used loosely as I did, and also precisely as you proposed
it should be used. However, it makes no sense to me that parinirvana (total
or complete nirvana) would not apply to any corpse (as long as one does not
believe literal reincarnation). As some have said on the list, one may
extinguish the kleshas for a period of time and then succumb to them again,
so one may experience their absence (nirvana) and then experience the
absence of the absence, if I may put it that way, if one is again subject to
the defects. That's why I refered to Batchellor's book, where he suggests
that getting rid of defects and dukkha is perhaps not a one-time thing in
the life of a mentating human.
Joanna