When a person achieves Nirvana, after they die, do they simply cease to exist?

Question

also, will the Dali Lama in Tibetian Buddhism reincarnate after death, or is that the last step before achieving Nirvana?

Answer 1

I'm not a Buddhist, but most (if not all) Buddhists believe Nirvana is the end of the cycle of rebirth. It isn't heaven, it is a ceasing of existing.

The Dalai Lama comes back. I don't know enough about that branch of Buddhism (Lamanism) to give an answer on that.

Answer 2

First, the Dalai Lama. His Holiness is on record as "undecided" about his reincarnation because of the invasion and Chinafication of Tibet. The two highest lamas in Tibet have historically been the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama. The Dalai Lama is responsible for identifying the Panchen Lama when he or she takes rebirth, and the Panchen Lama is responsible for identifying the Dalai Lama when he or she is reborn. The Chinese have perverted this tradition to suit their political aims by abducting the young Panchen Lama (who has not been seen since) and installing their own puppet Panchen Lama. So, to prevent the Chinese puppet from picking the next Dalai Lama, His Holiness has said that he may not take rebirth for a long period of time and that, if and when he does, it may not be in Tibet.

Regarding Nirvana, what "dies" is the cycle of suffering caused by grasping and attachment. One can achieve Nirvana without a physical death of the body, becoming a living Buddha like Shakyamuni or many others. This is believed to be rare, mainly, I think, because so few of us have developed our awareness to the point that we would recognize a living Buddha if we saw one. Our bodies live in relative (conventional) terms, but in ultimate terms what we perceive as "our body" is just an ever-changing form of elements, causes and conditions which temporarily hosts our true self, the subtle consciousness which does continue from birth to birth.

Answer 3

Nirvana is the final place of reincarnation - you're there mean you still exist. About, the Dali Lama. there are many chances: if he achieved most of the requirement of enlightenment - he will go to Nirvana/ some of it - to heaven to continue his training - it is not possible but if he only attained few of it - human world again.

Answer 4

Nirvāṇa (Devanagari निर्वाण; Pali: Nibbāna निब्बान ; Chinese: 涅槃; Pinyin: nièpán; Japanese: nehan (涅槃, nehan?) ;Korean: 열반, yeol-bhan; Thai: Nibpan นิพพาน), is a Sanskrit word that literally means extinction (as in a candle flame) and/or extinguishing (i.e. of the passions). Nirvana (Nibbana) is one of the Four Noble Truth.
It signifies the end of craving (tanha) and therefore the end of suffering (dukkha). Nibbana then, is sometimes referred to as being 'like a flame that has gone out'.
it is also seen as the highest bliss, as the supreme security from bondage, the ultimate liberation from the world of suffering and the round of rebirths.
His Holiness Dalai Lama is a very compassion holy beings, as his follower believe, he have reach the state of nirvana, and he will reincarnate after this life time after he die, and he will come back to be with us, give us all the guidance and instruction we need, and to lead us to the path of great enlightenment.

Answer 5

First the concept of going to this paradise observing over companion and childrens is a comedian tale, what are you going to do while somebody you adore is hurting or being harm and you will't help them sounds like hell to me (not that there is one)Lazarus develop into ineffective for 4 days he did not point out something some heaven and if he develop into in heaven how cruel could it have been to deliver him lower back, so how long do you're able to desire to stay ineffective? i assume that relies upon on you. There are jobs in heaven it is prepared for angels not human beings we adore earthly stuff like swimming, trekking etc. We have been created for this planet this is why Psalms a hundred and fifteen:116 says what it says, God isn't a Indian Giver he pronounced he choose the earth crammed with suited guy and woman and that's what he gets

Answer 6

Usually when they reach nirvana, that's when they get to finally go to heaven and stop reincarnating.

Answer 7

This can be a very difficult question to answer. Read this sutta. The Buddha explains to a wanderer why he does not hold any speculative views. Using the simile of an extinguished fire he illustrates the destiny of the liberated being.

MN 72
Aggi-Vacchagotta Sutta
To Vacchagotta on Fire:

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying in Savatthi, at Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. Then the wanderer Vacchagotta went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there he asked the Blessed One: "How is it, Master Gotama, does Master Gotama hold the view: 'The cosmos is eternal: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless'?"

"...no..."

"Then does Master Gotama hold the view: 'The cosmos is not eternal: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless'?"

"...no..."

"Then does Master Gotama hold the view: 'The cosmos is finite: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless'?"

"...no..."

"Then does Master Gotama hold the view: 'The cosmos is infinite: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless'?"

"...no..."

"Then does Master Gotama hold the view: 'The soul & the body are the same: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless'?"

"...no..."

"Then does Master Gotama hold the view: 'The soul is one thing and the body another: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless'?"

"...no..."

"Then does Master Gotama hold the view: 'After death a Tathagata exists: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless'?"

"...no..."

"Then does Master Gotama hold the view: 'After death a Tathagata does not exist: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless'?"

"...no..."

"Then does Master Gotama hold the view: 'After death a Tathagata both exists & does not exist: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless'?"

"...no..."

"Then does Master Gotama hold the view: 'After death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless'?"

"...no..."

"How is it, Master Gotama, when Master Gotama is asked if he holds the view 'the cosmos is eternal...'... 'after death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless,' he says '...no...' in each case. Seeing what drawback, then, is Master Gotama thus entirely dissociated from each of these ten positions?"

"Vaccha, the position that 'the cosmos is eternal' is a thicket of views, a wilderness of views, a contortion of views, a writhing of views, a fetter of views. It is accompanied by suffering, distress, despair, & fever, and it does not lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation; to calm, direct knowledge, full Awakening, Unbinding.

"The position that 'the cosmos is not eternal'...

"...'the cosmos is finite'...

"...'the cosmos is infinite'...

"...'the soul & the body are the same'...

"...'the soul is one thing and the body another'...

"...'after death a Tathagata exists'...

"...'after death a Tathagata does not exist'...

"...'after death a Tathagata both exists & does not exist'...

"...'after death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist'... does not lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation; to calm, direct knowledge, full Awakening, Unbinding."

"Does Master Gotama have any position at all?"

"A 'position,' Vaccha, is something that a Tathagata has done away with. What a Tathagata sees is this: 'Such is form, such its origin, such its disappearance; such is feeling, such its origin, such its disappearance; such is perception... such are mental fabrications... such is consciousness, such its origin, such its disappearance.' Because of this, I say, a Tathagata — with the ending, fading out, cessation, renunciation, & relinquishment of all construings, all excogitations, all I-making & mine-making & obsession with conceit — is, through lack of clinging/sustenance, released."

"But, Master Gotama, the monk whose mind is thus released: Where does he reappear?"

"'Reappear,' Vaccha, doesn't apply."

"In that case, Master Gotama, he does not reappear."

"'Does not reappear,' Vaccha, doesn't apply."

"...both does & does not reappear."

"...doesn't apply."

"...neither does nor does not reappear."

"...doesn't apply."

"How is it, Master Gotama, when Master Gotama is asked if the monk reappears... does not reappear... both does & does not reappear... neither does nor does not reappear, he says, '...doesn't apply' in each case. At this point, Master Gotama, I am befuddled; at this point, confused. The modicum of clarity coming to me from your earlier conversation is now obscured."

"Of course you're befuddled, Vaccha. Of course you're confused. Deep, Vaccha, is this phenomenon, hard to see, hard to realize, tranquil, refined, beyond the scope of conjecture, subtle, to-be-experienced by the wise. For those with other views, other practices, other satisfactions, other aims, other teachers, it is difficult to know. That being the case, I will now put some questions to you. Answer as you see fit. What do you think, Vaccha: If a fire were burning in front of you, would you know that, 'This fire is burning in front of me'?"

"...yes..."

"And suppose someone were to ask you, Vaccha, 'This fire burning in front of you, dependent on what is it burning?' Thus asked, how would you reply?"

"...I would reply, 'This fire burning in front of me is burning dependent on grass & timber as its sustenance.'"

"If the fire burning in front of you were to go out, would you know that, 'This fire burning in front of me has gone out'?"

"...yes..."

"And suppose someone were to ask you, 'This fire that has gone out in front of you, in which direction from here has it gone? East? West? North? Or south?' Thus asked, how would you reply?"

"That doesn't apply, Master Gotama. Any fire burning dependent on a sustenance of grass and timber, being unnourished — from having consumed that sustenance and not being offered any other — is classified simply as 'out' (unbound)."

"Even so, Vaccha, any physical form by which one describing the Tathagata would describe him: That the Tathagata has abandoned, its root destroyed, like an uprooted palm tree, deprived of the conditions of existence, not destined for future arising. Freed from the classification of form, Vaccha, the Tathagata is deep, boundless, hard to fathom, like the sea. 'Reappears' doesn't apply. 'Does not reappear' doesn't apply. 'Both does & does not reappear' doesn't apply. 'Neither reappears nor does not reappear' doesn't apply.

"Any feeling... Any perception... Any mental fabrication...

"Any consciousness by which one describing the Tathagata would describe him: That the Tathagata has abandoned, its root destroyed, like an uprooted palm tree, deprived of the conditions of existence, not destined for future arising. Freed from the classification of consciousness, Vaccha, the Tathagata is deep, boundless, hard to fathom, like the sea. 'Reappears' doesn't apply. 'Does not reappear' doesn't apply. 'Both does & does not reappear' doesn't apply. 'Neither reappears nor does not reappear' doesn't apply."

When this was said, the wanderer Vacchagotta said to the Blessed One: "Master Gotama, it is as if there were a great sala tree not far from a village or town: From inconstancy, its branches and leaves would wear away, its bark would wear away, its sapwood would wear away, so that on a later occasion — divested of branches, leaves, bark, & sapwood — it would stand as pure heartwood. In the same way, Master Gotama's words are divested of branches, leaves, bark, & sapwood and stand as pure heartwood.

"Magnificent, Master Gotama! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or were to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way has Master Gotama has — through many lines of reasoning — made the Dhamma clear. I go to Master Gotama for refuge, to the Dhamma, and to the Sangha of monks. May Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone to him for refuge, from this day forward, for life."



HH the Dalai Lama will be reborn if he has not realized Nirvana. There have been some very esteemed teachers who said that still had some work to do, such as Ajahn Lee.