2.42. On Nirvana (T1670B2.42)

The king asked Nāgasena, “What is nirvana? Is it that all having gone past, there will be no more becoming?”

Nāgasena replied, “Nirvana is that in which there is no more becoming. Ignorant people come yearning for and craving for (the sense pleasures of) the inner and outer bodies.

Therefore they are not set free from old age, sickness and death.” Nāgasena continued, “Wise men, those who have learned the Dharma, do not cling to the internal and external pleasures of the body, and also have no craving. Having no craving, they have no sense desire. Having no sense desire, they have no pregnancy. Having no pregnancy, there is no birth and no old age. Having no birth and no old age, there is no sickness and no death. Having no sickness (and no death), they have no grief, no lamentation; having no grief and no lamentation, they have no inner pain, they thus obtain nirvana.”

“Excellent, Nāgasena.”

Nāgasena Bhikṣu Sūtra, translated by Venerable Guang Xing. Buddha’s Light Edition English Sutra Translation Series, 2008. This publication is part of translation program of the Woodenfish Project.

The full text, with detailed notes, textual and historical discussion, and comparison between Pali and Chinese texts, is available for download in two separate files, Translation and Notes.

The following copyright notice is contained in the original text: © 2008 Buddha’s Light Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Used with kind permission of Buddha’s Light Publishing.

This SuttaCentral edition was prepared by Bhikkhu Sujato.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Bhikkhu Sujato.