No. 25—1882.] 



nirvana. 



179 



thus brought together the views of Indian and Ceylonese Bud- 

 dhists, and attempted to throw a side-light upon it from Sanskrit 

 literature. 



XVII. Perfect Nirvana stated. — It is a negation of all 

 that man, thinks, feels, and wills. So far it is nihilism. It is a 

 negation of all suffering which results from thought, feeling and 

 volition. So far it is nihilism. But suffering according to a 

 Buddhist, a Jaina, or a Vedantist is a positive entity. Happi- 

 ness he does not recognize as positive. Suffering (Dukkha) is 

 positive and results from localized existence. Both localized 

 existence and suffering are destroyed together. When this is 

 accomplished, unlocalized universalization is emancipation, co- 

 extensive with happiness itself. Suffering is the inevitable 

 result of all localization : happiness — of all universalization. 

 Hence Nirvana is both negative and positive. It is not nihilism. 

 Nirvana is beyond all localization. This is what all the Bud- 

 dhists state. Reasoning on the basis of introspection alone, and 

 observing the facts as they develope in the inner man, they 

 stated that there are different degrees of localization. Infinity 

 itself, as conceived by man, is localized. Eternity as conceived 

 by man is localized. Hence persistent efforts were made by 

 Buddhists so to soar in contemplation as to rise higher than all 

 conception itself, as to leave behind all thought, feeling, and 

 volition. In the Kamavachara all is gross, material, involved 

 in a multiplicity of all that is " frail and feverish ;" above it is 

 the Rupavachara, the region of Gods and Divinities. Form is 

 localized, and what is grosser and more material than form is 

 dropped. Beyond the Rupavachara is the Arupavachara in 

 which form itself is dropped, i.e., left behind. Infinity, eternity, 

 is contemplated. But being the subject of contemplation, it is 

 localized. In the four paths all this is left behind, and all 

 tendency to localization is checked, i.e., destroyed. Existence — 

 substance — that which is the nameless, the formless, the 

 eternal, the infinite, the permament. the unconditioned has a 

 tendency to be localized. This tendency to be localized is what 

 is called activity or Karma. It is strengthened as if is indulged. 

 The tendency localizes the universal and Panchaskandhas result. 



