nirvana

nir·va·na

noun, often capitalized \nir-ˈvä-nə, (ˌ)nər-\

Definition of NIRVANA

1

: the final beatitude that transcends suffering, karma, and samsara and is sought especially in Buddhism through the extinction of desire and individual consciousness

2

a : a place or state of oblivion to care, pain, or external reality; also : bliss, heaven b : a goal hoped for but apparently unattainable : dream

— nir·van·ic \-ˈvä-nik, -ˈva-\ adjective

Examples of NIRVANA

1. <the spa experience was a week of pure nirvana>
2. <the popular fantasy that life as a beachcomber in the South Pacific would be never-ending nirvana>

Origin of NIRVANA

Sanskrit nirvāṇa, literally, act of extinguishing, from nis- out + vāti it blows — more at wind

First Known Use: 1801

Related to NIRVANA

Synonyms: forgetfulness, oblivion, obliviousness

Antonyms: anti-utopia, dystopia, hell

Related Words: ignorance, incognizance, innocence, insensibility, nescience, unawareness, unconsciousness, unfamiliarity; amnesia, blindness; absentmindedness, absorption, abstraction, inattention, inattentiveness, preoccupation

Near Antonyms: memory, recall, recollection, remembrance; alertness, awareness, cognizance, consciousness

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Other Religion (Eastern and Other) Terms

Zen, antinomian, avatar, gnosticism, illuminati, ineffable, karma, koan, mantra

Rhymes with NIRVANA

Bechuana, Botswana, Fergana, gymkhana, iguana, jacana, lantana, liana, Madonna, mañana, nagana, piranha, Purana, ruana, Tijuana, Toscana, zenana