Resources -- Buddhism -- Goal(s)
Recommended Reading
- Fruits of the ascetic life, Sāmaññapala-sutta — Digha Nikāya 2
- Taking Up Arms, Attadaṇḍa-sutta — Sutta Nipāta 4.15
Excerpts from the Suttas
What came before, let wither away, and after, let there be nothing. If you don’t grasp at the middle, you will live at peace.
For the unstirred who understand, there’s no performance of deeds. Desisting from instigation, they see sanctuary everywhere. — Sutta Nipāta 4.15 (Snp 4.15)
Yaṁ pubbe taṁ visosehi, Pacchā te māhu kiñcanaṁ; Majjhe ce no gahessasi, Upasanto carissasi.
Anejassa vijānato, Natthi kāci nisaṅkhati; Variant: nisaṅkhati → nisaṅkhiti (bj); kācini saṅkhiti (pts-vp-pli1) Virato so viyārabbhā, Khemaṁ passati sabbadhi.
Just as in the middle of the ocean, it is still — no waves arise; so too for the unshakeable, a mendicant would create no swelling anywhere. (Note: ‘swelling’ in the sense of raising of a sense of self, pride, etc.)
Majjhe yathā samuddassa, Ūmi no jāyatī ṭhito hoti; Evaṁ ṭhito anejassa, Ussadaṁ bhikkhu na kareyya kuhiñci. — Snp 4.14
Rid of desire for both ends, having completely understood contact, free of greed, doing nothing for which they’d blame themselves, the wise don’t cling to the seen and the heard. — Snp 4.2
Ubhosu antesu vineyya chandaṁ, Phassaṁ pariññāya anānugiddho; Yadattagarahī tadakubbamāno, Na lippatī diṭṭhasutesu dhīro.
Having completely understood perception and having crossed the flood, the sage, not clinging to possessions, with dart plucked out, living diligently, does not long for this world or the next. — Snp 4.2
Saññaṁ pariññā vitareyya oghaṁ, Pariggahesu muni nopalitto; Abbūḷhasallo caramappamatto, Nāsīsatī lokamimaṁ parañcāti.
Pāli
nibbāna — extinguishing; going out; lit. blowing away [nī + √vā +ana]
dukkha — discomfort; suffering; unease; unpleasantness; something unsatisfactory; a bummer; stress
Practice — The goal
The goal
In the end, the goal of practice is the realization of nibbāna. This is the complete uprooting of greed (craving / lust), hatred (ill-will, aversion), and delusion. It is also the elimination of all dukkha, or all sense of dissatisfaction.
Through the generations there have been those who have realized this goal, ranging from those who have briefly realized nibbāna to those who ‘dwell’ in that realization as a matter of course. It is important to understand this is a realizable goal, and not to limit ourselves by thinking it’s unattainable for us.
The Buddha taught that if it were not attainable, he would not teach it; but because it is attainable, he did teach it.
‘Sub-goals’
It’s equally important to recognize and appreciate that along the way to the realization of nibbāna that there are many benefits to be gained by practice. The Buddha called his path ‘good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end’ (DN2, SN42.7, and many more).
We might think of ‘sub-goals’ or ‘sub-benefits’, including but not limited to cultivating any one or combination of the Buddha’s teachings:
the Brahma-vihārās (loving-kindness, compassion, joy, equanimity);
the reduction or removal of the hindrances (craving, aversion, sloth & torpor, restlessness, perplexity);
working with the four great efforts to decrease ‘bummer’s in our lives and increase well-being;
the factors of awakening (investigation of dhammas, energy, joy, calm, concentration, equanimity, mindfulness) to increase well-being.
Through practices such as these, by cultivating good ethics and moral conduct, by associating with wise companions, by using mindfulness in conjunction with effort and insight, by concentrating our minds and gaining ever-deepening insights, step by step we create causes and conditions of benefit to both ourselves and others.
