Day 70: Understanding Nirodha Saññā through the Girimānanda Sutta (AN 10.60) – Study Notes from BMV Monday Sutta Study with Bhante Dr. G. Chandima

  

Why Nirodha Saññā?

The term Nirodha refers to cessation, particularly the ending of all cravings. However, Nirodha can also denote a more subtle form of cessation, such as ending the cause in the doctrine of dependent origination (SN 12.2).

What to Cease?

Craving must be ceased.

How to Cease?

The cessation of craving is achieved by following the Noble Eightfold Path.

How Does the Buddha Introduce Nibbāna with Nirodha Saññā?

The Buddha explains: 

"This is peaceful, this is sublime: the stilling of all formations, the relinquishment of all acquisitions, the destruction of craving, lustlessness, Nibbāna." This is known as the perception of nirodha. (AN 10.60)

1. Peaceful (santaṁ)
2. Sublime (paṇītaṁ)
3. The Stilling of All Mental, Verbal and Physical Formations (sabba saṅkhāra samatho)
4. The Relinquishment of All Acquisitions (sabba upadhi paṭinissaggo)
5. The Destruction of Craving (taṇhākkhayo)
6. Lustlessness (virāgo)
7. Nibbāna

Please refer to the perception of virāga for further information on this topic.

What is Meant by 'Cessation'?

(SN 22.21 - Ānanda Sutta)

In the Ānanda Sutta, Venerable Ānanda asks the Buddha to clarify what exactly is meant by "cessation." The Buddha explains that cessation refers to the ending of the aggregates.

“Venerable Sir, it is said ‘cessation, cessation.’ Through the cessation of what things is cessation spoken of?”

The Buddha responds:

“Form, Ānanda, is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen, subject to destruction, vanishing, fading away, and cessation. Through its cessation, cessation is spoken of.”

Similarly, the Buddha describes the cessation of feelings (vedanā), perception (saññā), volitional formations (saṅkhārā), and consciousness (viññāṇa), stating that all of these are changing, conditioned, dependently arisen, subject to decay, fading away, and cessation. The cessation of these is what is referred to when we speak of cessation.

“Feeling is changing… Perception is changing… Volitional formations are changing… Consciousness is changing, conditioned, dependently arisen, subject to destruction, vanishing, fading away, and cessation. Through its cessation, cessation is spoken of.”

Thus, cessation in the Buddha’s teaching refers to the ending of the five aggregates—form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness—all of which are subject to change and cessation.