user12208: Is Nibbana final? Or if you attain Nibbana, can you be reborn again in Samsara if you wish?

user14023: It is my understanding that the Dalai Lama distinguishes enlightenment from Nirvana.  From such a distinction, the Theravada view is not inconsistent with the Mahayana view. Enlightened beings may or may not be Buddhas, but they are Bodhisattvas.

user13375: Mahayana perspective...
Samsara and Nirvana are not places. It is not like there is a Nirvana-without-remainder universe and a Samsara universe. Also, mere conventional existence does not end with Nirvana.
Using imprecise language I would say something like those beings who have realized Nirvana are reborn in Nirvana and not Samsara.

user6994: Mahayana perspective:
Although, when we use the word 'samsara' loosely, we refer to a place, strictly speaking, samsara refers to the contaminated aggregates (i.e. the aggregates one takes due to the power of karma and affliction). A so-called Hinayana arhat is free from that samsara.
While a so-called Hinayana arhat is not reborn due to the power of karma and afflictions, he is  subject to the 'inconceivable transformation birth' and the 'inconceivable transformation of death' due to the power of the imprints of ignorance. Being subject to the inconceivable transformation of birth means taking up a mental body due to the power of the imprints of ignorance.
In his commentary to 'Maitreya’s Sublime Continuum: The Essence of a One Gone Thus, with Commentary by Gyaltsap Darma Rinchen', Geshe Jamphel Gyaltsen says:

What is called the inconceivable transformation of death is the
  destruction of the mental body and it is compared to the last of the
  12 links, aging and death. It is compared to the presentation of the
  twelve links of dependent origination of a person circling in samsara.
  Destruction in general, in the context of an ordinary being of the
  desire realm and form realm, (formless realm being apart) refers to
  old age and death. In order to take rebirth after death we go through
  the intermediate state. If after one week in the bardo, the bardo
  being has not taken another rebirth he takes another birth in the
  bardo until he finds a new birth outside the bardo. This goes on up to
  seven weeks with small deaths and births every seven weeks.

His nirvana is not the final true cessation. In this sense, his nirvana is not final.
A fully enlightened Buddha is free from all types of rebirths. However, he can manifest or show the aspect of being born. We say that Shakyamuni Buddha was already enlightened at the time of his birth as Shakyamuni, but that he showed the aspect of being born... showed the aspect of undertaking austerities... showed the aspect of achieving enlightenment, etc.
The non-abiding nirvana of a Buddha is final in that it is the final true cessation free from the two obscurations. It benefits both others and oneself.

user43: Mahayana perspective:

"bodhi and nirvana are hitching posts for donkeys" -- Lin-ji

There is no "before" and "after nirvana". It is timeless and self-existing.
There is no "one" to attain Nirvana or to be reborn and there never has been.
There is no "attainment", it is attainment of no attainment.
Directly understanding the above is called "First Bhumi". This is when the clouds open and the endless sky of Dharmakaya that has always been there is seen for the first time. However, Samsara and Nirvana still remain quite separate in one's mind, and one keeps hard-switching between Dharmakaya and ordinary world. From this moment on, through 10 Bhumi's one grows in ability to bridge the relative and the absolute in practice until the two are no longer two separate perspectives but one fully-integrated and highly-functional unity.

user-1: Theravada Buddhist Perspective:

After Nibana, can one be reborn again in Samsara?

No, that is not possible. When reaching Nibbana one has destroyed all fetters. One has uprooted all defilements. There exists no longer Ignorance (Avijja) which binds beings to Samsara. One has freed oneself from the cycle of rebirth.

If you attain Nibanna, can you be reborn again in Samsara if you wish?

No, that is not possible. Volition/intention no longer has any potency. Actions no longer bear fruits. Actions become merely "functional" (kiriya) in nature.

Is Nibana final?

Nibbana is final when one has reached the forth stage of Enlightenment, i.e. Arahantship. At that stage the practitioner has destroyed all ten fetters. As a result of that, further rebirth is not possible.


12208: <p>Is Nibbana final? Or if you attain Nibbana, can you be reborn again in Samsara if you wish?</p>
 14023: <p>It is my understanding that the Dalai Lama distinguishes enlightenment from Nirvana.  From such a distinction, the Theravada view is not inconsistent with the Mahayana view. Enlightened beings may or may not be Buddhas, but they are Bodhisattvas.</p>
 13375: <p>Mahayana perspective...</p>

<p>Samsara and Nirvana are not places. It is not like there is a Nirvana-without-remainder universe and a Samsara universe. Also, mere conventional existence does not end with Nirvana.</p>

<p>Using imprecise language I would say something like those beings who have realized Nirvana are reborn in Nirvana and not Samsara.</p>
 6994: <p>Mahayana perspective:</p>

<p>Although, when we use the word 'samsara' loosely, we refer to a place, strictly speaking, samsara refers to the contaminated aggregates (i.e. the aggregates one takes due to the power of karma and affliction). A so-called Hinayana arhat is free from that samsara.</p>

<p>While a so-called Hinayana arhat is not reborn due to the power of karma and afflictions, he is  subject to the 'inconceivable transformation birth' and the 'inconceivable transformation of death' due to the power of the imprints of ignorance. Being subject to the inconceivable transformation of birth means taking up a mental body due to the power of the imprints of ignorance.</p>

<p>In his commentary to 'Maitreya’s Sublime Continuum: The Essence of a One Gone Thus, with Commentary by Gyaltsap Darma Rinchen', Geshe Jamphel Gyaltsen says:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>What is called the inconceivable transformation of death is the
  destruction of the mental body and it is compared to the last of the
  12 links, aging and death. It is compared to the presentation of the
  twelve links of dependent origination of a person circling in samsara.
  Destruction in general, in the context of an ordinary being of the
  desire realm and form realm, (formless realm being apart) refers to
  old age and death. In order to take rebirth after death we go through
  the intermediate state. If after one week in the bardo, the bardo
  being has not taken another rebirth he takes another birth in the
  bardo until he finds a new birth outside the bardo. This goes on up to
  seven weeks with small deaths and births every seven weeks.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>His nirvana is not the final true cessation. In this sense, his nirvana is not final.</p>

<p>A fully enlightened Buddha is free from all types of rebirths. However, he can manifest or show the aspect of being born. We say that Shakyamuni Buddha was already enlightened at the time of his birth as Shakyamuni, but that he showed the aspect of being born... showed the aspect of undertaking austerities... showed the aspect of achieving enlightenment, etc.</p>

<p>The non-abiding nirvana of a Buddha is final in that it is the final true cessation free from the two obscurations. It benefits both others and oneself.</p>
 43: <p>Mahayana perspective:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>"bodhi and nirvana are hitching posts for donkeys" -- Lin-ji</p>
</blockquote>

<p>There is no "before" and "after nirvana". It is timeless and self-existing.</p>

<p>There is no "one" to attain Nirvana or to be reborn and there never has been.</p>

<p>There is no "attainment", it is attainment of no attainment.</p>

<p>Directly understanding the above is called "First Bhumi". This is when the clouds open and the endless sky of Dharmakaya <em>that has always been there</em> is seen for the first time. However, Samsara and Nirvana still remain quite separate in one's mind, and one keeps hard-switching between Dharmakaya and ordinary world. From this moment on, through 10 Bhumi's one grows in ability to bridge the relative and the absolute in practice until the two are no longer two separate perspectives but one fully-integrated and highly-functional unity.</p>
 -1: <p>Theravada Buddhist Perspective:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>After Nibana, can one be reborn again in Samsara?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>No, that is not possible. When reaching Nibbana one has destroyed all <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>fetters</em></a>. One has uprooted all defilements. There exists no longer Ignorance (Avijja) which binds beings to Samsara. One has freed oneself from the cycle of rebirth.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>If you attain Nibanna, can you be reborn again in Samsara if you wish?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>No, that is not possible. Volition/intention no longer has any potency. Actions no longer bear fruits. Actions become merely <a href="http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/g_m/kiriya.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>"functional" (kiriya)</em></a> in nature.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Is Nibana final?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Nibbana is final when one has reached the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>forth stage of Enlightenment</em></a>, i.e. Arahantship. At that stage the practitioner has destroyed all ten fetters. As a result of that, further rebirth is not possible.</p>

<p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/lGeKr.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/lGeKr.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>
