[Buddha-l] question: nirvana in early Buddhism

[Barnaby Thieme]

Howdy folks.

Please excuse my afflictive ignorance on this topic. I would like to get a 
sense of what is meant by "nirvana" and/or "final cessation" in early 
Buddhism, as derrived from the Pali suttas. From the outside looking in, it 
appears to me that the early Buddhists (pre-CE) by and large believed in the 
doctrine of reincarnation and the inevitability of suffering, and regarded 
the proper end of practice to literally be a cessation from that endless 
process of being reborn into the endless round of rebirth. But I'm not sure 
if this is accurate, and I'm not clear on what "cessation" means, in the 
sense of a "never returner" or a Buddha after leaving this life.

I 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.

What does Buddhaghosha say about this? (I know he's much later, but 
still...). Do the Pali suttas say anything clear about this, or does this 
belong to the "questions not tending toward edification"?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Regards,
Barnaby Thieme

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It's my manner. It looks insubordinate, but it isn't, really. - T. E. 
Lawrence

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