<p>A picture is a composition of things.</p>
<p>Now a &quot;composition&quot; of things is what I'd call a <em>sankhara</em> -- and all <em>sankharas</em> are observed to be impermanent -- which more or less the opposite of nibbana.</p>
<p>So for a &quot;picture of nibbana&quot; you'd have to take away the composition ... and maybe those &quot;things&quot; as well, unless you're trying to depict the &quot;nibbana is samsara&quot; kind of point of view.</p>
<p>In the Zen tradition a way to portray it might be the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ens%C5%8D" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Ensō</a>.</p>
<p>You also get people saying that describing enlightenment is like &quot;pointing at the moon&quot; (where &quot;the moon&quot; represents enlightenment), the problem being that the audience is only aware of &quot;the finger&quot; (doing the pointing), not the moon.</p>
<p>Another famous metaphor about nibbana's not being constructed is <a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.11.budd.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Dhp 154</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>O house-builder, you are seen! You will not build this house again. For your rafters are broken and your ridgepole shattered. My mind has reached the Unconditioned; I have attained the destruction of craving.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Another quote seems to be relevant too -- a &quot;picture&quot; is light which lands on something and provides a place for consciousness (e.g. site-consciousness) to dwell. Conversely <a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.064.than.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">SN 12.64</a> uses this metaphor:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Just as if there were a roofed house or a roofed hall having windows
on the north, the south, or the east. When the sun rises, and a ray
has entered by way of the window, where does it land?&quot;</p>
<p>&quot;On the western wall, lord.&quot;</p>
<p>&quot;And if there is no western wall, where does it land?&quot;</p>
<p>&quot;On the ground, lord.&quot;</p>
<p>&quot;And if there is no ground, where does it land?&quot;</p>
<p>&quot;On the water, lord.&quot;</p>
<p>&quot;And if there is no water, where does it land?&quot;</p>
<p>&quot;It does not land, lord.&quot;</p>
<p>&quot;In the same way, where there is no passion for the nutriment of
physical food... contact... intellectual intention... consciousness,
where there is no delight, no craving, then consciousness does not
land there or increase. Where consciousness does not land or increase,
there is no alighting of name-&amp;-form. Where there is no alighting of
name-&amp;-form, there is no growth of fabrications. Where there is no
growth of fabrications, there is no production of renewed becoming in
the future. Where there is no production of renewed becoming in the
future, there is no future birth, aging, &amp; death. That, I tell you,
has no sorrow, affliction, or despair.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-04T13:43:21.083Z
2020-09-04T13:43:21.083Z
ChrisW
<p>Nibbana is not a place. For a living Arahant, the Nibbana is a mental state until Parinibbana. This a question unanswered as it can not be defined using conditioned reality.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-04T11:56:04.657Z
2020-09-04T11:56:04.657Z
SarathW
<p>There is a very interesting Zen story here from the Mumonkan about this (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shit_stick" rel="nofollow noreferrer">shit stick</a>)</p>
<p>In other words, nibbana looks exactly like everyday in all its aspects. But the craving, aversion and delusion are gone. And you can't take a video of the absence of wishes.</p>
<p>The importance of the shit stick story is that it challenges us to accept the unrepulsive in the repulsive. It provides balance.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://suttacentral.net/sn46.54/en/sujato#sn46.54:12.3" rel="nofollow noreferrer">SN46.54:12.3</a>: If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do.</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://suttacentral.net/sn46.54/en/sujato#sn46.54:12.4" rel="nofollow noreferrer">SN46.54:12.4</a>: If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the unrepulsive in the repulsive,’ that’s what they do.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-05T01:46:06.807Z
any particular meaning that u are using stick and not others to describe Nibbana as related to daily aspect?
Wayne97
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-05T12:48:31.290Z
Yes. It is a critical factor. I've added comment above with sutta quotes. Thank you.
OyaMist
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-06T11:14:05.460Z
Great.. to be balanced . Thanks @OyaMist
Wayne97
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-07T08:42:09.593Z
Be Water by Bruce Lee - definitely I will not follow his footage and overtrain myself as I am a Shaolin Martial Arts practitioner too. Be Balance --》I have some common interest too like u in gardening. Let me play some ferderlizer(shit) in Gardening to give me a pause n holiday on seeking on higher wisdom in Religion Study. Let me know if I have interpreted your message correctly
Wayne97
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-07T12:04:09.130Z
May you find peace and equanimity.
OyaMist
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-07T12:12:40.107Z
Thank You @OyaMist
Wayne97
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-04T13:01:17.557Z
2020-09-05T12:48:01.807Z
2020-09-05T12:48:01.807Z
OyaMist
<p>There is a way by which Nirvana can be represented. Imagine water falling on colocasia leaves. Water does not cling to the leaves. That is how Nibbana looks like.
Here is a video for your help :
<a href="https://youtu.be/fKHjG47-3oA" rel="nofollow noreferrer">colocasia leaves</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-05T09:14:19.113Z
nice white noise effect video. Base on what for this answer? I still have a horrible question  for ya in the chat roon my friend
Wayne97
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-05T09:17:50.467Z
Based on knowledge. Not clinging to the five aggregates is Nirvana...
SacrificialEquation
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-05T04:15:08.470Z
2020-09-05T04:15:08.470Z
SacrificialEquation
<p>Exactly like the image of liberation or a movie on peace, good householder. Already seen?</p>
<p><em>[Note that this isn't given for stacks, exchange, other world-binding trades, but for release from it]</em></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-01T13:48:29.783Z
2020-09-01T13:48:29.783Z
Samana Johann
<p>Anyone has pictures or videos link illustrate as subject refers</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-04T10:57:02.720Z
@Wayne97 Nirvana looks like Tathagata.
SacrificialEquation
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-04T14:57:34.327Z
@sacrificialEquation I m sorry that english is not my first language,  tell me what are the grammar issue..
Wayne97
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-04T15:27:12.020Z
U r referring to this question or ? How horrible ? Intention of this ques is I m able to answer in case someone ask me verbally
Wayne97
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-04T15:28:28.053Z
Just click a vote down n put your reason here but be specific my friend else I dont know how to improve next time
Wayne97
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-05T01:46:25.460Z
Let us [continue this discussion in chat](https://chat.stackexchange.com/rooms/112674/discussion-between-wayne97-and-sacrificialequation).
Wayne97
<doubt>
How is Nirvana illustrated
# How is Nirvana illustrated

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-09-01)

Anyone has pictures or videos link illustrate as subject refers

**Tags:** doubt

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: @username_0 Nirvana looks like Tathagata.  
> **username_0**: @sacrificialEquation I m sorry that english is not my first language,  tell me what are the grammar issue..  
> **username_0**: U r referring to this question or ? How horrible ? Intention of this ques is I m able to answer in case someone ask me verbally  
> **username_0**: Just click a vote down n put your reason here but be specific my friend else I dont know how to improve next time  
> **username_0**: Let us [continue this discussion in chat](https://chat.stackexchange.com/rooms/112674/discussion-between-wayne97-and-sacrificialequation).  

---

## 5 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2020-09-04. Score: 2

A picture is a composition of things.

Now a "composition" of things is what I'd call a *sankhara* -- and all *sankharas* are observed to be impermanent -- which more or less the opposite of nibbana.

So for a "picture of nibbana" you'd have to take away the composition ... and maybe those "things" as well, unless you're trying to depict the "nibbana is samsara" kind of point of view.

In the Zen tradition a way to portray it might be the [Ensō](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ens%C5%8D).

You also get people saying that describing enlightenment is like "pointing at the moon" (where "the moon" represents enlightenment), the problem being that the audience is only aware of "the finger" (doing the pointing), not the moon.

Another famous metaphor about nibbana's not being constructed is [Dhp 154](https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.11.budd.html):

> O house-builder, you are seen! You will not build this house again. For your rafters are broken and your ridgepole shattered. My mind has reached the Unconditioned; I have attained the destruction of craving.

Another quote seems to be relevant too -- a "picture" is light which lands on something and provides a place for consciousness (e.g. site-consciousness) to dwell. Conversely [SN 12.64](https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.064.than.html) uses this metaphor:

> Just as if there were a roofed house or a roofed hall having windows
> on the north, the south, or the east. When the sun rises, and a ray
> has entered by way of the window, where does it land?"
>
> "On the western wall, lord."
>
> "And if there is no western wall, where does it land?"
>
> "On the ground, lord."
>
> "And if there is no ground, where does it land?"
>
> "On the water, lord."
>
> "And if there is no water, where does it land?"
>
> "It does not land, lord."
>
> "In the same way, where there is no passion for the nutriment of
> physical food... contact... intellectual intention... consciousness,
> where there is no delight, no craving, then consciousness does not
> land there or increase. Where consciousness does not land or increase,
> there is no alighting of name-&-form. Where there is no alighting of
> name-&-form, there is no growth of fabrications. Where there is no
> growth of fabrications, there is no production of renewed becoming in
> the future. Where there is no production of renewed becoming in the
> future, there is no future birth, aging, & death. That, I tell you,
> has no sorrow, affliction, or despair.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2020-09-04. Score: 1

Nibbana is not a place. For a living Arahant, the Nibbana is a mental state until Parinibbana. This a question unanswered as it can not be defined using conditioned reality.


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2020-09-04. Score: 1

There is a very interesting Zen story here from the Mumonkan about this ([shit stick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shit_stick))

In other words, nibbana looks exactly like everyday in all its aspects. But the craving, aversion and delusion are gone. And you can't take a video of the absence of wishes.

The importance of the shit stick story is that it challenges us to accept the unrepulsive in the repulsive. It provides balance.

> [SN46.54:12.3](https://suttacentral.net/sn46.54/en/sujato#sn46.54:12.3): If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do.

> [SN46.54:12.4](https://suttacentral.net/sn46.54/en/sujato#sn46.54:12.4): If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the unrepulsive in the repulsive,’ that’s what they do.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: any particular meaning that u are using stick and not others to describe Nibbana as related to daily aspect?  
> **username_4**: Yes. It is a critical factor. I've added comment above with sutta quotes. Thank you.  
> **username_0**: Great.. to be balanced . Thanks @username_4  
> **username_0**: Be Water by Bruce Lee - definitely I will not follow his footage and overtrain myself as I am a Shaolin Martial Arts practitioner too. Be Balance --》I have some common interest too like u in gardening. Let me play some ferderlizer(shit) in Gardening to give me a pause n holiday on seeking on higher wisdom in Religion Study. Let me know if I have interpreted your message correctly  
> **username_4**: May you find peace and equanimity.  
> **username_0**: Thank You @username_4  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-09-05. Score: 0

There is a way by which Nirvana can be represented. Imagine water falling on colocasia leaves. Water does not cling to the leaves. That is how Nibbana looks like.
Here is a video for your help :
[colocasia leaves](https://youtu.be/fKHjG47-3oA)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: nice white noise effect video. Base on what for this answer? I still have a horrible question  for ya in the chat roon my friend  
> **username_1**: Based on knowledge. Not clinging to the five aggregates is Nirvana...  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2020-09-01. Score: 0

Exactly like the image of liberation or a movie on peace, good householder. Already seen?

*[Note that this isn't given for stacks, exchange, other world-binding trades, but for release from it]*


---

