Nirvana Day (Nehan-ye)

In his book “Old Path, White Clouds”, Thich Nhat Hanh tells a story of the Buddha.  The Buddha says, “my teaching is not a dogma or a doctrine, but no doubt some people will take it as such.”  He goes on to say, “I must state clearly that my teaching is a method to experience reality, and is not reality itself—just as a finger pointing at the moon is not the moon itself.  A thinking person makes use of the finger to see the moon.  A person who only looks at the finger and mistakes it for the moon will never see the real moon.”

Sometimes it troubles our temple visitors and newer members to hear so much about the teachings, life and death of Shinran Shonin, our sect’s founder and teacher. 

“What about the Buddha?” they ask.  “How does all this square with the Buddha?”  And, indeed, while Shinran is unknown outside Shin Buddhism, the Buddha is universally known as a great sage.  His images are found everywhere, from dramatic stone carvings outdoors to paintings in caves, to the interiors of temples, and even to gardening supply stores. 

We revere and honor our teacher Shinran as the finger pointing to the moon, and we give him both the memorial of his death (Ho-Onko, January) and birth (Gotan-E, May).

But we honor the source of the teachings, the moon of the dharma (teachings), Shakyamuni Buddha, three times a year:  his entry into Nirvana (February, Nehan-ye), his birthday (April, Hanamatsuri), and his enlightenment (Bodhi Day, December).

Today our Sunday service commemorates the death of the Buddha Shakyamuni and his entrance into Nirvana.  Nirvana is not the place of enlightenment.  The Buddha achieved enlightenment at the age of 35 and continued to teach until he died 45 years later at the age of 80.

Nirvana means “to extinguish”, as in the way a candle flame is snuffed out.  Sometimes we talk about paranirvana, where, in the case of the Buddha, you have the extinguishing of life of one who achieved enlightenment in this lifetime. Tradition tells us that, knowing his death was imminent, the Buddha rested his sick, ancient body on one side, propping his head up with one hand, and gave a final teaching to the disciples surrounding him:

Make of yourself a light.  Rely upon yourself:  do not depend upon anyone else.  Make my teachings your light.  Rely upon them:  do not depend upon any other teaching.

He wanted his disciples to go forth as teachers themselves in order to free others from suffering as he had freed his disciples.  He finished his last teaching with these words:

During the last 45 years of my life, I have withheld nothing from my teachings.  There is no secret teaching, no hidden meaning, everything has been taught openly and clearly.  My dear disciples, this is the end.  In a moment, I shall be passing into Nirvana.  This is my instruction.

And with that, the light of Shakymuni Buddha was extinguished.