Is Nirvana Guaranteed?

Aug 17, 2025

Ajahn Brahm explores the intriguing idea of whether nirvana is guaranteed, emphasizing spirituality as a process of letting go rather than attaining. He shares insights on releasing possessions and ego to achieve true freedom and happiness. The discussion includes the importance of humility, humor in accepting our flaws, and the shift from an individualistic mindset to a compassionate, community-oriented approach. Ultimately, he frames nirvana as inner peace that grows from the practice of letting go and embracing compassion.

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ANECDOTE

'Highly Eliminated' Not 'Highly Illuminated'

Ajahn Brahm recounts Ananda Mangala who said "I'm not enlightened but I'm highly eliminated."
The phrase points to enlightenment as disappearance of ego rather than addition of self.

ADVICE

Shrink Ego To Be Less Offended

When criticized, question who is being insulted and laugh at your mistakes instead of reacting.
Shrink ego to reduce vulnerability to hurt and enjoy life’s humor.

ANECDOTE

Abbott In Disguise After Mixing Concrete

Ajahn Brahm tells of mixing concrete, then pretending to be the abbot to an impressed visitor.
The story exposes how roles and pride can be arbitrary and encourages humility.

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Ajahn Brahm addresses the question of whether nibbana is guaranteed (and the attitude required to get there).

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This dhamma talk was originally recorded using a low quality MP3 to save on file size on 2nd March 2007. It has now been remastered and published by the Everyday Dhamma Network, and will be of interest to his many fans.

These talks by Ajahn Brahm have been recorded and made available for free distribution by the Buddhist Society of Western Australia under the Creative Commons licence. You can support the Buddhist Society of Western Australia by pledging your support via their Ko-fi page.

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Summary
I recently gave a talk about Buddhism in Melbourne where I asked the question, "Is nirvana guaranteed?" This question challenges the common idea that spiritual life is about attaining something. In reality, spirituality is about letting go and being free from our possessions and attachments. I was reminded of this recently when I visited a monk in Indonesia who gave all his money to help refugees. This serves as an example of what possessions are truly for. We should learn to not be possessed by our possessions and to let People often have false expectations and sense of ownership in life, but on a spiritual path, one must learn to let go of these things. The most important thing to let go of is the ego, as it causes a lot of suffering and conflict. When one is highly illuminated, they don't care what others think of them and can laugh at their own mistakes. This shows that they are not possessive of their ego and can bring humor and happiness to life. Buddhism does not have a hierarchy Though at times, it is helpful to have a unified voice or principle, Buddhism emphasizes on lowering pride and ego, and not measuring oneself with others. Letting go does not mean getting rid of all possessions or self-worth, but rather not identifying oneself with titles or material wealth. Success and happiness in life do not solely depend on external security, but also inner peace and contentment. Letting go does not mean complete laziness, but rather working without attachment to the results or for the joy The term "eliminate oneself" in Buddhism refers to letting go of the ego, not eliminating passions. It means eliminating the sense of "me" or "I" and embracing a sense of "us". This leads to compassion and motivation to work towards the betterment of society. IQ is not a measure of success, and emotional intelligence, the ability to form relationships, is more important. The question of whether Nirvana is guaranteed is not a simple question, but one that can lead us to explore deeper into the nature of life. Nirvana is the ultimate happiness and is the result of following the path of Dharma, which is understanding the laws of life and working towards compassion and the community. This path leads to success, happiness, and the ultimate happiness of Nirvana.