Q29. Can the lower animals experience Nibbāna?

~ By Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu ~

In one of his discourses, the Buddha uses the words parinibbāyati and parinibbuto in reference to animals that have been trained until their aggression and fierceness have been tamed. For dogs, elephants, horses, or any animals that are trained until tame and no longer unruly, we can use the word parinibbuto, the same word used regarding arahants (those who have eliminated the defilements completely).

These two words are applicable to those who have put out the fires completely, people who are completely cooled down. In the Pāli language as spoken at the time of the Buddha, the word parinibbāna could be used in this way, also. When applied to human beings, it meant achieving the end of defilements, that is, arahantship (spiritual perfection). When applied to lower animals, it meant ending aggressiveness. Applied to coals, nibbuto refers to cooling down after being removed from an oven. In speaking of boiled or steamed rice which had been served in a bowl and cooled enough to be eaten, the word used was parinibbāna. This was an ordinary word, used in a general way for everyday things of human life, to indicate things becoming cool, non-threatening, or harmless.

Rather than remaining worse off than the beasts to which words like these also can be applied, we ought to take good advantage of Nibbāna. Don’t put it off until death comes, which is the height of stupidity, wasting the Buddha’s invaluable gift. Let’s study afresh the terms nibbāna and parinibbāna with its derivative parinibbuto. Then there will arise the courage and ardor for the job of penetrating to and touching that which is called Nibbāna. Let’s not shrink back like those people who, on hearing ‘Nibbāna,’ become drowsy, apprehensive, or just bored.

I ask all of you young, inquiring people to interest yourselves in the word ‘Nibbāna.’ The getting rid of harmful influences, even the passing of one’s youth, may be called a kind of Nibbāna. Just as with animals which have been trained until their dangerous aggressiveness has been eliminated,

these are parinibbuto, that is, thorough, complete coolness. So let’s be completely cool people who have nothing that can set us on fire and burn us. Let’s not thoughtlessly produce heat, but rather win the prize that is Nibbāna. We begin with the kind known as sandiṭṭhika-nibbāna or diṭṭhadhamma- nibbāna, and then by degrees work up to the fullest level of Nibbāna.

(From “Buddha-Dhamma for Inquiring Minds”)

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Buddha-Dhamma for Students (title of original translation) was composed of two talks given by Ajahn Buddhadāsa in January 1966 to students at Thammasat University, Bangkok. It was translated from the Thai by Rod Bucknell, and revised in 2018 by Santikaro Upasaka. To read/download as free ebook (pdf).

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For all English retreat talks, visit Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu.

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Photo: Buddhadāsa Indapañño Archives E-33