Nirvana: Transcendental reality of Buddhism or a "feel good" state of mind?

[hellas1]

Hello All Buddhists,

I've been reading a book about non-duality which describes this viewpoint from varying religious/spiritual milieus.

Some of those are Buddhist, Advaita Vedanta, and Samkhya Yog.

I wanted to see, FROM BUDDHISTS ONLY, who of you believe that Nirvana IS a transcendental reality or metaphysical reality and who of you believe it to be a just a "really happy" state of mind.

My Bent: 2 places in the Nikayas: The Majjhima & Digha Nikaya state that consciousness is "uncreated, radiant, shining everywhere." This viewpoint obviously conflicts with MOST of modern "Buddhism" except for Dzogchen and some forms of Ch'an & Zen.

Comments please......
hellas1

[Chaigidel]

not a buddhist but I am a student of the philosophy--

for nonduality to exist nothingness must be attained.

nirvana is pure nothingness.

[Irishman]

I practice Zen, and there are many sutras in the Chan tradition explaning that reincarnation as states of mind. As such, nirvana is the state of mind of being purely undisturbed. It is NOT 'just' being really happy, but instead it is the ideal of being unmoving, ending your ego.

If you are interested in a non-religious source of this philosophy, look up Derek Parfit, he is a philosopher from Oxford (I think) who came to Buddhism upon studying philosophy of identity.

Nirvana is not happiness, it is understanding of the true nature of reality.

[Ummon]

Most absolutely, it isn't a feeling of happiness. On the other hand it isn't understanding of the nature of reality either. It is more likely, something we don't understand yet, which has to do with very interesting stuff.

Like with most truths, I haven't really said anything worth reading.

[hellas1]

Hi all,

In very few "Buddhist" traditions there exists this concept of "Sudden Enlightenment."

Dzogchen, Zen, Ch'an, Rinzai and maybe the Soto schools are the only ones who mention this.

The other schools teach a "Gradual Path" way.

I reiterate: In the Theravadan Pitaka: Specifically the Majjhima and the Digha Nikayas the Buddha states (at least it's put into his mouth) that:
O monks, there is this pure consciousness, radiating everywhere, uncreated and unstained, etc. etc.

Both Nikayas say the same thing but with a little bit different verbage added to the Digha version (I believe.)

This concept agrees FULLY with that of Sat-Chit-Ananda of Advaita Vedanta. Furthermore, it also agrees with the "Sudden path" teachngs about the already clear and radiant state of mind inherent in each person.

My Question is: How do God and Nirvana differ, in this light?

BTW, Guru Padmasambhava said in the book "Liberatiion through Naked Awareness," that "some tirthikas call this the Atman." In this immediate context he equates the Atman with the Priimordial Essence of the Mind, which IS clear, radiant and unobstructed from the beginning.

Comments?..........
hellas1

[Ummon]

This would deserve a discussion on funxtional magnetic resonance and meditators. Wisely, we may though know that we don't know.