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UPSC CSE Prelims 2013

Core Buddhist Doctrines

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

Which one of the following describes best the concept of Nirvana in Buddhism?

Solution & Analysis

Answer: A

Concept 'Nirvana' literally translates to 'blowing out' or 'extinguishing', referring to the end of the psychological causes of suffering.

Explanation Buddha taught that the root of all suffering (Dukkha) is Tanha (craving/desire). Therefore, the end of suffering is reached by the cooling or extinguishing of these fires.

Logical Breakup
Logic 1: Option A is the most technically accurate description. Nirvana is not death, but the 'blowing out' of the fires of greed, hatred, and delusion.
Logic 2: Option B is misleading; Buddhism teaches 'Anatta' (non-self), so there is no permanent 'self' to annihilate. Option C (bliss) is a result of Nirvana, but not its primary definition.

Active Recall

Question

Is Nirvana equivalent to heaven?

Answer

No, Nirvana is not a physical place but a state of mind achieved through the total cessation of craving and the end of the cycle of rebirth.

Core Insight

Nirvana is often misunderstood as a negative state (annihilation), but in Buddhist thought, it is the ultimate positive freedom from conditioned existence.

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