nirˈvänə, niəˈ-, nə(r)ˈ-, -anə noun
( -s )
Etymology: Sanskrit nirvāṇa, literally, blowing out, from nir-, nis- out + vāti it blows — more at wind
1. usually capitalized
a. Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism : the state of freedom from karma, extinction of desire, passion, illusion, and the empirical self, and attainment of rest, truth, and unchanging being : salvation — contrasted with samsara
b. also nib·ba·na niˈbänə
[ nibbana from Pali nibbāna, from Sanskrit nirvāṇa ]
Buddhism : the state of enlightenment in which karma is transcended, desire, hatred, delusion, and the empirical self are extinguished, and rest, harmony, and unchanging being are attained
c. Jainism : the state of omniscient passive peace attained by a soul liberated from matter, the effects of karma, and the course of samsara
2. often capitalized
a. : a place or state of rest, harmony, or pleasure : oblivion , paradise
his old roommate of the clipping shack was in an alcoholic nirvana — Herman Wouk
b. : a goal hoped for but apparently unattainable : dream
that nirvana of the … weatherman: a foolproof system of forecasting — Newsweek