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Nirvana

निर्वाण
neer-VAH-nah

Nirvana (निर्वाण) is a Sanskrit-origin word used in Indian English, meaning liberation from suffering and the cycle of rebirth in Buddhist and Hindu thought. In crosswords it is the 7-letter answer NIRVANA (7).

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Meaning & usage

Nirvana literally means "blowing out" or "extinguishing" — as of a flame. In Buddhism it is the highest goal: the extinction of craving, aversion and ignorance, ending the cycle of suffering and rebirth (samsara). Hindu and Jain traditions use the word for analogous states of liberation. In casual English it has been hollowed out to mean "bliss" or "perfect happiness", which misses the cessation at the heart of the term.

In a sentence

The Buddha taught that nirvana is the end of craving, not its perfection.

Common spelling variants

  • Nibbana

Nirvana is the English spelling used in MG Mini puzzles.

Nirvana as a crossword answer

Nirvana is a 7-letter answer. A typical clue:

“Liberation from suffering and the cycle of rebirth in Buddhist and Hindu thought” (7)

Category: Concept Origin: Sanskrit Script: Hindi

Related words

  • Dharma — Moral and natural law — duty, righteousness, and the right way to live.
  • Avatar — Bodily descent or incarnation of a deity in Hindu thought.
  • Ahimsa — Non-violence or non-injury, an ethical principle in Hindu, Jain and Buddhist traditions.
  • Bhakti — Loving devotion to a personal god — a major strand of Hindu religious practice.
  • Karma — Action and its moral consequence — a foundational concept in Indian religions.
  • Yoga — Indian system of physical, mental and spiritual disciplines aimed at union of self with the divine.

Related crosswords

Puzzles with a theme close to Nirvana.

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