Nirvana

Concept, Imagery, Narrative

By: Steven Collins

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Paperback | 25 March 2010

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204 Pages

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22.86 x 15.24 x 1.09

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The idea of nirvana (Pali nibb na) is alluring but elusive for non-specialists and specialists alike. Offering his own interpretation of key texts, Steven Collins explains the idea in a new, accessible way - as a concept, as an image (metaphor), and as an element in the process of narrating both linear and cyclical time. Exploring nirvana from literary and philosophical perspectives, he argues that it has a specific role: to provide 'the sense of an ending' in both the systematic and the narrative thought of the Pali imaginaire. Translations from a number of texts, including some dealing with past and future Buddhas, enable the reader to access source material directly. This book will be essential reading for students of Buddhism, but will also have much to teach anyone concerned with Asia and its religions, or indeed anyone with an interest in the ideas of eternal life or timelessness."

Industry Reviews

'... an academically thorough and, I would dare to say, passionate exploration into a concept that invites description and evocation but is beyond both.' Buddhist Studies Review
'... for those whose main interest is in appreciating or teaching Collins's creative ways of engaging with the enigmatic yet fundamental Buddhist motif of nirvana, this new presentation of his work is really just perfect.' The Journal of Religion
'The book remains an indispensable addition to courses on Buddhism.' Natalie Gummer, Religious Studies Review

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Non-Fiction Religion & Beliefs Buddhism History Regional & National History Asian History Religion Philosophy Non-Western Philosophy

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Published: 25th March 2010

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Introduction	p. 1
What is this book, and who is it for?	p. 1
The discourse of felicity: imagining happiness	p. 3
The Pali imaginaire	p. 4
Eu-topia and ou-topia	p. 7
Notes on the words 'Theravada' and 'religion'	p. 8
Systematic and narrative thought: eternity and closure in structure and story	p. 12
Closure in systematic thought	p. 16
Closure in narrative thought	p. 19
Nirvana as a concept	p. 29
Action, conditioning, time, and timelessness	p. 29
Nirvana in life and after death	p. 39
Nirvana exists	p. 47
Can one desire nirvana?	p. 55
Silence and the production of meaning	p. 58
Nirvana as an image	p. 61
The words (pari)nirvana and (pari)nibbana; other referring terms and definite descriptions	p. 63
Two aporias: consciousness and happiness	p. 69
Imagery and expressibility	p. 78
Appendix: happiness in meditation	p. 94
Nirvana, time, and narrative	p. 100
The myth of 'the Myth of the Eternal Return'	p. 100
Individual versus collective time: can history end? Was Gotama unique?	p. 105
The sense of an ending	p. 110
Ending(s) in narrated time (erzählte Zeit)₁: non-repetitive time	p. 112
Ending(s) in narrated time (erzählte Zeit)₂: repetitive time	p. 114
Ending as an event in the time of narration (Erzählzeit)	p. 122
Past and future Buddhas	p. 126
Vamsa as a genre	p. 136
Voice and temporal perspective in the Chronicle of Buddhas: repetitive and non-repetitive time interwoven	p. 139
The Story of the Elder Maleyya and The History of the Future: unprecedented well-being	p. 148
Selections from the Buddhavamsa	p. 153
The Anagatavamsa	p. 172
Conclusion: modes of thought, modes of tradition	p. 185
Notes	p. 189
Index	p. 194
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Nirvana

Concept, Imagery, Narrative

At a Glance

Paperback

Industry Reviews

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

You Can Find This Book In

Other Editions and Formats

Hardcover

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