tiltbillings wrote:So, nibbana is a natural thing existing someplace, somehow, and it can condition other things, but itself has no condition – which means there is nothing by which we can locate it and how can something that has no attributes relative to the conditioned condition that which requires attributes for being conditioned? That is a lot like of the idea of an absolute, unchanging god interacting with the relative and changing.
Hi Tilttiltbillings wrote:Well, that may be one way to interpret that passage, but if it is so, then the Buddha is, in fact, advocating an existing, unchanging entity, thing, which is a definition for atta/atman.
It is not "one way to interpret that passage".
I've just quoted the Buddha replacing Nibbana-synonyms with 'Nibbana' .
You, however, seem to be suggesting that the Buddha taught Nibbana is Atta.
___But since there is a not-born, a not-brought-to-being, a not-made, a not-conditioned, therefore an escape is discerned from what is born, brought-to-being, made, conditioned. - Ud 8.3
tiltbillings wrote:If there where at this time no awakened individuals, where is nibbana?
tiltbillings wrote:but I wonder if for the person who becomes an arahant if there is not a transformation
For your consideration:tiltbillings wrote:So, after the arahant dies, where does the nibbana go?
Just as in the great ocean neither a decrease nor an increase will appear though all the streams of the world flow into it and rain falls into it from the sky; even so, even if many monks attain final Nibbana in the Nibbana element that is without residue left, there is no decrease or increase in the Nibbana element that is without residue left. This is the fifth wonderful and marvellous quality in this Dhamma and Discipline…. - A 8.19
Indeed.tiltbillings wrote:Am I talking from direct experience? Interesting question...