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The Island: An Anthology of the Buddha's Teachings on Nibbana
Introduction by Ajahn Sumedho
A difficulty with the word ‘nibbāna’ is that its meaning is beyond the power of words to describe. It is, essentially, undefinable.
Another difficulty is that many Buddhists see Nibbāna as something unobtainable – as so high and so remote that we’re not worthy enough to try for it. Or we see Nibbāna as a goal, as an unknown, undefined something that we should somehow try to attain.
Most of us are conditioned in this way. We want to achieve or attain something that we don’t have now. So Nibbāna is looked at as something that, if you work hard, keep the sīla, meditate diligently, become a monastic, devote your life to practice, then your reward might be that eventually you attain Nibbāna – even though we’re not sure what it is.
Ajahn Chah would use the words ‘the reality of non-grasping’ as the definition for Nibbāna: realizing the reality of non-grasping. That helps to put it in a context because the emphasis is on awakening to how we grasp and hold on even to words like ‘Nibbāna’ or ‘Buddhism’ or ‘practice’ or ‘sīla’ or ”
Excerpt From: Ajahn Pasanno & Ajahn Amaro. “The Island.”
A difficulty with the word ‘nibbāna’ is that its meaning is beyond the power of words to describe. It is, essentially, undefinable.
Another difficulty is that many Buddhists see Nibbāna as something unobtainable – as so high and so remote that we’re not worthy enough to try for it. Or we see Nibbāna as a goal, as an unknown, undefined something that we should somehow try to attain.
Most of us are conditioned in this way. We want to achieve or attain something that we don’t have now. So Nibbāna is looked at as something that, if you work hard, keep the sīla, meditate diligently, become a monastic, devote your life to practice, then your reward might be that eventually you attain Nibbāna – even though we’re not sure what it is.
Ajahn Chah would use the words ‘the reality of non-grasping’ as the definition for Nibbāna: realizing the reality of non-grasping. That helps to put it in a context because the emphasis is on awakening to how we grasp and hold on even to words like ‘Nibbāna’ or ‘Buddhism’ or ‘practice’ or ‘sīla’ or ”
Excerpt From: Ajahn Pasanno & Ajahn Amaro. “The Island.”
- GenresBuddhism
First published January 1, 2009
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June 15, 2023
Most of this book (but missing several chapters) is available as a podcast which was read by Ajahn Amaro at a Winter retreat at Amaravati Monastery - I listened to the podcast, rather than read the physical book, so I have missed a few chapters.
One of the good things about the reading is that Amaro includes many asides, elaborations, illustrative personal stories and jokes, as well as answering questions from the people on retreat. Ajahn Amaro is in my opinion a very good teacher, partly because he is so widely read and studied, and he can explain where many ideas and traditions in Buddhism came from, how they have changed over time, and how the different Buddhist traditions compare and contrast (Ajahn Amaro is a monk in the Thai Forestry Tradition. His teacher was Ajahn Chah)
Easily one of my favourite books on Buddhism.
One of the good things about the reading is that Amaro includes many asides, elaborations, illustrative personal stories and jokes, as well as answering questions from the people on retreat. Ajahn Amaro is in my opinion a very good teacher, partly because he is so widely read and studied, and he can explain where many ideas and traditions in Buddhism came from, how they have changed over time, and how the different Buddhist traditions compare and contrast (Ajahn Amaro is a monk in the Thai Forestry Tradition. His teacher was Ajahn Chah)
Easily one of my favourite books on Buddhism.
Displaying 1 of 1 review