I will discuss in this paper an understanding of Buddhist spirituality. Spirituality in its nature is often difficult to define as it has to do with a person’s particular understanding of their inner life. Buddhist Spirituality suffers similarly in definition, but has even more challenging aspects as it includes concepts and words that most westerns and all beginners have trouble understanding. In order to truly grasp Buddhist spirituality we need to start with some definitions that are contextually understood in order to take away ambiguity. I will spend some time defining many of the basic concepts and then ultimately arrive at a definition of Nibbana as a Non-abiding Vinnana.
There are four intertwined concepts that lay the ground work of the struggle that keeps us from arriving at a non-abiding Vinnana. The interaction between Tanha, Upadana, Anncia and Dukkha must be understood before we can go on to understand the deeper ideas of Khandhas, Atta, an-atta and finally understanding Nibbana as a non-abiding Vinnana.
When you simply translate the ideas of Buddhist spirituality you can arrive at a simple definition of Nibbana as the “cessation of Tanha, Upadana and Dukkha.” These concepts miss-understood would bring you to ambiguity. Tanha can be translated as “thirst” or “desire,” and while there is an aspect of thirst and desire to the concept of Tanha, it would be incorrect to infer that Buddhist spirituality forbade all thirst and desire. One can easily see that to eliminate all desire from one’s life would not be admirable. If Mary was working in a third world country developing systems to bring potable water to areas that did not have it, and then read about Buddhist spirituality, she might conclude that her desire was a hindrance to her Nibbana development and give up her quest. This would not be admirable, nor would it represent a reasonable interpretation of Buddhist spirituality. In order to understand and delineate acceptable desires from unacceptable ones we must understand the interaction between Tanha and Upana and Dukkha.
Tanha is a thirst or a desire, Upadana, a clinging; is a Tanha inflexibly fixed on a particular perceived object; Annica, and Dukkha; is a distress or wasted energy opposing or resisting an uncontrollable circumstance. These are the concepts that must be understood in a quest for Nibbana. It is important to understand the focus of each of these concepts in order to not draw improper conclusions with regard to Buddhist spirituality. All desires are not forbidden in Buddhism, distress is also not forbidden as there are emotional situations that cause stress such as grief, and the stress of grief is unavoidable. It would be an out of context conclusion to believe that Buddhism seeks a cessation of all feelings. If a person thought that all feelings were improper he might seek out a drug that left him in a pain free oblivion which would be less than admirable. The interaction between Tanha, Upadana and Dukkha must be seen in light of self-esteem or self-worth. We all seek meaning in life and therefore self-esteem and self-worth. Many times our happiness comes from our self-esteem and this can come from things that are temporary in nature.
In Buddhist spirituality, If one has a desire, Tanha that has become an inflexible clinging Upadana it will cause Dukkha. These all have to do with a person valuing something of impermanence to the point of defining who they are. Bob has been a missionary for 20 years and identifies himself through that vocation, he has become inflexibly attached to that vocation and his self-esteem and self-worth are attached to that vocation. Bob has come to define himself as a missionary and with the loss of that profession and his Upadana towards that profession, finds himself unable to “be.” It can best be said that Bob is no longer Bob he is “missionary.” For twenty years Bob was “missionary” now that Bob is no longer “missionary” he is undefined and is in a
