[Buddha-l] question: nirvana in early Buddhism

[Jackhat1 at aol.com]

In a message dated 11/22/2006 2:13:52 P.M. Central Standard Time,  
bathieme at hotmail.com writes:

am sure  there is a diversity of views on this topic within early Buddhism, 
but I'm  trying to understand the gist. Is "nirvana without 
remainder/nonabiding  nirvana" as conceived by early Buddhists a cessation of 
consciousness in  the sense that awareness is obliterated? Or are we to 
undrestand that it  is a cessation of personal consciousness, that perhaps 
has the flavor of  being united with a universal field in some way? I 
wouldn't be surprised  if the latter is too Vedic, but the former sounds 
awfully  nihilistic.



Buddhadasa Bhikkhu and some contemporaries interpret the Pali Canon's  
rebirth teaching as meaning moment to moment cessation of conscious and  moment to 
moment rebirth of a new state of mind. For example, one moment I am  angry. The 
next moment I am peaceful. If I see things clearly and make the right  
decision, I am reborn in the next moment as free of suffering. The Buddha  clearly 
meant this moment to moment cessation and rebirth to include those after  
physical death.
 
Jack
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