8.5. Nibbidā
The purpose of all the preceding meditations is this: to lose interest in what has always interested us, to become disenchanted with what has always enchanted us, and to break the fascination with what has always fascinated us. Once you see how the magician does the trick, can you still be fooled by the magic?
The Pāḷi word for this is nibbidā. The Māgaṇḍiya Sutta (MN 75) gives a simile that describes this feeling of nibbidā perfectly. Here's a paraphrase:
Imagine a man who has been blind from birth. Hearing people talking about "beautiful white clothes," he would go out and try to find some. A trickster, seeing his condition, decides to cheat him. "My good man, here are the beautiful white clothes you're looking for," handing him a rough, oil-stained, and dirt-smeared garment. The blind man eagerly buys the garment, puts it on, and proudly walks around in his new "beautiful white clothes," none the wiser.
One day, he meets a skilled physician who cures his blindness. The moment he sees the actual condition of his "beautiful white clothes," would anyone have to convince him to abandon his interest in the so-called "beautiful white clothes"? Of course not. Seeing the filthy rags for what they truly are is enough for him to lose all interest instantly.
This is an excellent description of the state of nibbidā—a complete loss of interest that comes from seeing things exactly as they are.
All worthy practices lead to this single state. No matter where you are coming from, this is the gateway to the royal road leading to nibbāna.
"evaṃ passaṃ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako cakkhusmiṃ nibbindati, rūpesu… cakkhuviññāṇe… cakkhusamphasse… vedanāya… taṇhāya nibbindati. nibbindaṃ virajjati, virāgā vimuccati. vimuttasmiṃ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṃ hoti. ‘khīṇā jāti, vusitaṃ brahmacariyaṃ, kataṃ karaṇīyaṃ, nāparaṃ itthattāyā’ti pajānātī"ti.
MN148 chachakkasuttaṃ
Seeing thus, a learned disciple loses interest in the eye, forms, eye consciousness, the experience of seeing, vedanā and craving. Losing interest, he becomes detached, from detachment he is freed. When freed, there is the understanding, "Freed!" He knows, "Birth is finished, the holy life has been lived, what should be done has been done, there is nothing further than this state."
Nibbidā is not something that can be intentionally generated. It is, however, a reliable result of correct practice. Correct practice leads to seeing things as they truly are. When we see things as they truly are, the most natural response is to immediately drop what previously captivated us.
sabbe dhammā anattā'ti,
yadā paññāya passati,
atha nibbindati dukkhe,
esa maggo visuddhiyā.
DHP20 Dhammpada, maggavagga, verse 279
All phenomena are not oneself,
When one sees this with wisdom,
Then one becomes dis-enchanted with suffering,
This is the path to purification.
Q&A
Q: Do you have any questions or doubts at this point?