Nirvana Day is Here!

Every year around this time, Buddhists all over the world pause to remember a very solemn, yet beautiful, day. Called Nirvana Day (Nehan-e in Japanese) by some and Parinirvana Day by others, this is the day on which we commemorate the death of Shakyamuni Buddha. Not only is there some difference among Buddhists as to the name of the celebration, but there is also some disagreement as to the actual date. Some schools say it is February 8th, while others celebrate on February 15th. These differences do not matter much as we are all celebrating the same great event and it is actually the calendar of work and weekend days that determines when a sangha will hold its own observation. My temple is having its celebration today on February 11th (2024), for example.

You are probably wondering, however, why we celebrate the death of the founder of Buddhism. After all, the world lost a great teacher and person on that fateful day well over 2000 years ago. Shouldn’t we spend the day in mourning or quiet solemnity? To understand the joyousness of the day, you have to first understand the Buddhist concept of death. When we die, we Buddhists believe that we transition on to our next state. It is not a cold, dark ending and different schools of Buddhism teach different doctrines when it comes to what that next stage of existence could be. As a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist, it is my belief that we are immediately reborn in the Pure Land of Amida Buddha. I will not get into what or where that is in this post, as it is a great topic for its own.

Now while we may not agree on what specifically happens to us at the very moment of our passing, we are in complete sync on what the goal of living and dying ultimately is. Simply put, it is our deepest wish to eventually break free of this cycle of birth and death that colors our human existence - to enter what we call Nirvana. As Shakyamuni had already reached enlightenment and become a Buddha in his mortal life, we believe he experienced that ultimate liberation upon his passing. He broke free of this samsaric world and entered Nirvana finally and fully! This was what he had been working so hard to accomplish for 80 years and what he had been teaching his disciples and others to do. And so while death is sad in the sense of our attachment to this life and the people and things in it, we celebrate his incredible accomplishment in breaking from those attachments once and for all!

So just how is Nirvana Day celebrated? Well, here again, it depends on the school of Buddhism involved and the practices of the local temple or sangha. In Jodo Shinshu, the common practice is to hold a special service in which we share our gratitude for the Buddha and his teachings. This usually involves listening to Dharma messages that focus on the Tathagata’s life and teachings. Often the story of his enlightened passing is told and we are reminded that it was Shakyamuni who revealed to the world the great compassion of Amida Buddha, as we read in the The Larger Sutra of the Buddha of Immeasurable Life, The Sutra of Contemplation of the Buddha of Immeasurable Life, and The Smaller Sutra on Amida Buddha. In these teachings we find both the foundation of our Jodo Shinshu school and the promise that each and every one of us will be beneficiaries of that limitless compassion. Truly, these are things worth celebrating!

After I leave this world, make the Dharma your place of refuge. Make of yourself a light…all things in this world are impermanent. Follow the Dharma diligently. - Last words of Shakyamuni Buddha

A very happy Nirvana Day to all!

Namo Amida Butsu.

- Sokusho