Author: Mehrullah Azizi
An Analysis of the History and Beliefs of Buddhism (part 26)
Thoughts and Beliefs of Buddhism
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Denial of the Hereafter (Continued)
Part Three: Nirvana
a. Explanation of the Belief
As mentioned in previous sections, the main goal of Buddha was to find a way to free humans from the suffering and hardships of worldly life. According to Buddhists, Buddha eventually discovered this solution in the final stage of his life and called it “Nirvana.” After this discovery, he strongly encouraged his followers to strive continuously to attain this state.
Meaning of the Word “Nirvana”:
“Nirvana” is a Sanskrit term, also known in the Pali language as “Nibbana.” It is composed of two parts: “Nir,” meaning “end” or “cessation.” “Vana,” meaning desire or craving. Thus, Nirvana refers to the complete extinguishing of desires and worldly cravings—reaching a state where no inner urges or inclinations remain.
General Concept of Nirvana:
In Buddhism, Nirvana is a state that a person reaches after long effort and struggle against the breath. One must fight desires, abandon selfishness and ego, and discipline oneself until no desire remains—neither for good nor for bad.
Once this state is achieved, the person is freed from reincarnation, meaning they no longer return to the cycle of birth and death. According to this belief, Nirvana represents complete liberation from suffering and misery caused by repeated existence. It is described as a state of total extinction and stillness—where there is
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no birth
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no death
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no pain
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no pleasure
Some scholars explain that Nirvana is the cessation of the cycle that binds suffering souls. It involves the disappearance of desires and emotions. Although Buddhists do not always clearly state that Nirvana means the end of existence, this is considered a natural conclusion of their philosophy, since existence itself is viewed as suffering.
From a negative perspective, “Nirvana” means the following:
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absence of desire
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absence of feeling
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absence of life
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even in the absence of death
From a positive perspective, it means liberation from the cycle of rebirth.
Nirvana is considered the highest goal for every Buddhist. They see it as a kind of “paradise,” achieved through self-discipline and detachment from worldly life. However, this “paradise” is not life in the usual sense; rather, it is described as complete stillness and emptiness.
It is also believed that if a person does not attain Nirvana in this life, they will eventually reach it through continued effort in future existences.
b. Response and Critique
The belief in Nirvana, as the ultimate goal of human existence, is rejected from both rational and Islamic perspectives.
First:
This belief contradicts human nature (fitrah), as humans are created with natural inclinations toward existence, awareness, pleasure, and perfection. Nirvana, however, calls for the elimination of all such inclinations and leads to a state devoid of both pleasure and pain.
In contrast, Islam teaches that those who do good in this world will be rewarded with eternal Paradise full of blessings, while wrongdoing leads to punishment.
Second:
In Buddhist texts, Nirvana is described as neither life nor death, neither full existence nor complete non-existence. Logically, this is unclear and contradictory, since anything must either exist or not exist. Claiming something is neither is philosophically problematic.
Third:
In this belief system, the ultimate goal is to end the cycle of suffering, not to establish justice. However, reason demands that there must be a clear distinction between the righteous and the wicked. If all ends in extinction, then where is ultimate justice?
From the Islamic perspective, worldly suffering is not meaningless—it is a test. Hardships serve as a means of growth, expiation of sins, and earning rewards. Buddhism views life itself as suffering and seeks to end desire, while Islam teaches reforming life, not eliminating human will.
Islam affirms that a righteous life leads to eternal Paradise—a life full of awareness, joy, and divine pleasure, not silence or extinction.
“خالدین فیها أبدا” Translation: They will abide therein forever. [1] This indicates eternal, conscious life—not emptiness or cessation.
“أفحسبتم أنما خلقناكم عبثًا وأنكم إلينا لا تُرجعون” Translation: Did you think that We created you in vain and that you would not be returned to Us? [2]
Based on the above discussion, Buddhism effectively denies the concept of the hereafter. Its three central beliefs—karma, reincarnation, and Nirvana—do not support the idea of resurrection, judgment, or eternal accountability. [3]
These beliefs appear to be philosophical constructs lacking firm rational and revealed foundations. Some of them trace back to ancient Egyptian or Brahmanic ideas, while others stem from speculative interpretations attributed to Buddha himself. [4]
To be continued…
Previous Part
Sources:
- Buddhist Terminology, p. 246, quoted from Abdullah Nomsuk, Buddhism, p. 250.
- Ahmad al-Shalabi, Religions of India, p. 155; Muhammad al-Hamad, Essays on Religions and Sects, p. 56.
- Hamid ‘Abd al-Qadir, The Buddhist Religion: Its Philosophy and Ethical Principles, p. 11.
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The Concept of the Hereafter in Buddhism.
