The Way to Nirvana

by L. de la Vallée Poussin

[1917]

Contents Start Reading Page Index Text [Zipped]

This is an academic monograph on Nirvana by a French scholar. Poussin contrasts the Hindu and Buddhist views on the cycle of rebirth, and makes a case for original Buddhist concepts of reincarnation as being subtly different than the Hindu, where the soul remains essentially intact across incarnations. He compares the Buddhist view of rebirth to a forest fire (the soul) jumping a river (death), creating an entirely new fire on the other side of the river. He demonstrates the intersection of this topic with Buddhist cosmology, logic, philosophy and ethics. Poussin concludes by reviewing Buddhist techniques for approaching Nirvana.

Title Page
Préface
Contents
Chapter I. Indian Disciplines of Salvation
Chapter II. The Buddhist Soul
Chapter III. Buddhist Definition of Karman
Chapter IV. The Doctrine of Karman and Transmigration, Cosmogony, Theogony
Chapter V. Nirvāṇa
Chapter VI. The Path To Nirvāṇa
Index