What Buddhists believe
Nirvana
Extinguishment: the ending of greed, hate and delusion, and release from rebirth. What it means in the texts, and how it differs from eternal life.
What the word means
Nibbana (Sanskrit nirvana) means extinguishing, as of a fire. Sariputta defines it as the ending of greed, hate and delusion. The Dhammapada calls it the ultimate happiness.
“Reverend Sāriputta, they speak of this thing called ‘extinguishment’. What is extinguishment?” “Reverend, the ending of greed, hate, and delusion is called extinguishment.”
Samyutta Nikaya 38.1:2.1-2.4, A Question About Extinguishment (tr. Bhikkhu Sujato) · context
Health is the ultimate blessing; contentment, the ultimate wealth; trust is the ultimate family; extinguishment, the ultimate happiness.
Dhammapada 204, 15. Happiness (tr. Bhikkhu Sujato) · context
The Christian difference
Eternal life in the Bible is not the absence of self but the presence of God: knowing him, seeing him, living with him. See reason 9.
3This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
John 17:3 (WEB) · context
3There will be no curse any more. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will serve him. 4They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5There will be no night, and they need no lamp light or sun light; for the Lord God will illuminate them. They will reign forever and ever.
Revelation 22:3-5 (WEB) · context
Sources
- Earliest source Samyutta Nikaya 38.1; Dhammapada 204. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0), SuttaCentral.