Orange County Buddhist Church

  A Way Of Seeing (Nirvana Day, 2006)

    Nirvana Day is commemorated on February 15^th, which falls on a Wednesday this year.  It is probably more proper to say that the death of the historical Buddha, Śākyamuni Gotama, is commemorated on that day.  Other Buddhist schools may do so on other days, depending on which calendar, solar or lunar, they use and how they count.  It probably does not matter on what day he died, but it saves confusion to know that more than one date is referred to as Nirvana Day.  He died peacefully, not executed.

    The basic definition of “Nirvana” is a “blowing out of the fires of insatiable desire, or blind passions, bonnō;” one scholar translates it as “a ‘blowing out’ of the ‘fires’ of…existential discontent.”  In either case, we can see that it is really synonymous with enlightenment, and, when used that way, refers also to the Pure Land.  However, in the case of the historical Buddha, the word “Bodhi” is generally used for his enlightenment; so we celebrate Bodhi Day on December 8^th.  The death of the historical Buddha is nearly always referred to as his Nirvana.

    There are at least two kinds of Nirvana taught within the Buddha Dharma:  1. with this body, and 2. without this body, i.e., at or after death.  Śākyamuni is generally regarded as the only one to have experienced both.  This is important in Buddhist history because it becomes one of the reasons for the split between Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism, but let’s leave that for the historians.          

    The historical Buddha showed that enlightenment, or Nirvana, was possible, albeit very difficult.  More important, the decision he made to share that enlightenment became the foundation of the path of the bodhisattva (one who forsakes enlightenment until and unless all sentient beings share in that enlightenment), which led to the manifestation of the Primal Vow of Amida.  That Primal Vow has made it possible for us all to realize Nirvana (the Pure Land) without this body and become one with Amida.

    On February 15^th, it would be wonderful if we were all to express our deepest gratitude to Śākyamuni Buddha and the Buddha Dharma for making it possible to live a life of deeper meaning until we are able to realize that oneness with Amida.

                                Gasshō,
                                Donkon Jaan
                                Rev. John Doami

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