In his reply to Johhny_Lim, Siebe said:” Do you really belief extinction is a noble goal?”
This is a common fear that many people have, including prominent “secular Buddhists” like Stephen Batchelor and Ven. Analayo. And that is why one should not even contemplate on attaining the Arahanthood. The danger is that when one has these “mundane ideas” about Nibbana and keep generating sankhara about their “pet theories” those are actually akusala thoguths, since they are generated with micca ditthi.
One should always start at the base level, and this is why I recommend those with doubts about laws of kamma, Nibbana, rebirth, etc to start at the first sections of the “Living Dhamma” section.
In case you don’t read those posts, the base level is where one sees the “peace of mind” by staying away from dasa akusala (including micca ditthi). Then one’s mind gets “purified enough” to comprehend the anicca nature and begins to understand the possible unimaginable suffering in the apayas, and thus become a Sotapanna Anugami. As one makes an effort, one will get to the Sotapanna stage.
Even at the stage, one should not think about Nibbana being “extinction” and worry about that. The next step is to be released from the kama loka. That itself is a difficult one, since we are so enamored by the perceived sense pleasures. One really needs to see the suffering hidden in those sense pleasures AND also see the benefits of niramisa sukha that arises when one starts to slowly give up sense pleasures. Those who have developed even anariya jhanas should have a good idea why that niramisa sukha (or jhanic pleasures) are much better than sense pleasures.
It is only at the Anagami stage that one should seriously think about the Arahanthood, or “extinction”. Only when one gets to this stage that one can beginning to see the benefits of completely getting out of this world of 31 realms.
By the way Siebe, you seem not to read the links that I recommend. When someone has strong ditthis (views), one only SEES what one wants to see, and do not even want to sincerely try to read and understand what others suggest. There is nothing I can do about that.
I do not want anyone to take my word; I only would like one to read what I suggest and see whether it makes sense, for their sake. I will write these replies (when I have time) as long as I believe that they will at least help some people. I know there are a lot of people with this “fear of extinction”. They really should not focus on Nibbana, because it is a waste of time. It is wiser to follow the Path gradually, step-by-step.
It is like, when one starts a thousand-mile journey on foot, one should not think about the enormity of that task, and get discouraged. The task is accomplished by taking one step at a time.
Siebe also said: “I also cannot understand that Lal sees it as nobel goal to extinguish like a flame.”.
These are the words of the Buddha, not mine. Didn’t he say that “My Dhamma is not like any other that the world has seen (pubbe ananussutaesu dhammesu..?”.
One cannot take comfort in one’s theory by incorrectly translating Buddha’s words; that is just micca ditthi, and actually blocking one’s own Path.
But how can one figure out whether I am translating the suttas correctly? That can be done by looking for any inconsistencies within those several hundred posts at the website. I have illustrated this for other people’s wrong translations. I discuss this in the newest post: “Anidassana Viññāṇa – What It Really Means“.
If it is any consolation, the Buddha also stated that there is an actual “ayatana” called Nibbana. It is just that it cannot be expressed in terms of words we have in this world; see, “Nibbāna “Exists”, but Not in This World“.
That “tad ayatana” or the “perfect place” is reached only by completely removing the dasa samyojana that bind us to this world of 31 realms: Three are removed at the Sotapanna stage, two removed at the Anagami stage, and the last five removed at the Arahant stage. That is why it is a step-by-step process.