Etaṃ santaṃ, etaṃ paṇītaṃ, yadidaṃ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhakkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānaṃ.
This is peace, this is exquisite — the resolution of all fabrications; the relinquishment of all acquisitions; the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding.'...
The 4 formless jhānas (meditations) are includes in this quote. They depend on the mind, but its not the base/sphere of nirvana:
There is, bhikkhus, that base where there is no earth, no water, no fire, no air;
1. no base consisting of the infinity of space [ākāsānañcāyatanaṃ],
2. no base...
But its interesting to not that even in pali canon there are entire discourses on emptiness:
MN 121 Cūḷasuññatā Sutta
MN 122 Mahāsuññatā Sutta
MN 122 Mahāsuññatā Sutta & Commentary
SN 35.85 Suñña Sutta
SN 22.95 Pheṇapiṇḍūpama Sutta
From dhammapada, pali canon
92.Those who do not accumulate and are wise regarding food, whose object is the Void (suññatā), the Unconditioned Freedom (animitta) — their track cannot be traced, like that of birds in the air.
93.He whose cankers are destroyed and who is not attached to food, whose...
Deathless(amata-dhamma; a synonym for Nibbana)
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/index-subject.html
…the City of Nibbana that is stainless, dustless, pure, fair, birthless, ageless, deathless, blissful, cooled, and without fear (Nagasena speaking)...
If buddha says its not a mental state, as quoted above (duh), then its not a mental state (duh). Its very clear, but you have problem with the obvious.
Its eternal (duh), nothing happens (duh), I have said it many times (duh). The unborn buddha-nature is the eternal. I will not repeat it...
There is, bhikkhus, that base where there is no earth, no water, no fire, no air; no base consisting of the infinity of space, no base consisting of the infinity of consciousness, no base consisting of nothingness, no base consisting of neither-perception-nor-non-perception; neither this world...
Because it has no support, it doesnt depent on causality, hence its unborn and deathless.
Buddha also didnt call it the chilling place, but we can do so today ;)
Because its called unborn
"There is, bhikkhus, a not-born, a not-brought-to-being, a not-made, a not-conditioned. "
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.8.03.irel.html
Because its called deathless
Verse 114: Better than a hundred years in the life of a person who does not perceive...
Also remember:
"it has no support"
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.8.01.irel.html
So it cant depend on anyting else, like the mind or whatever mental state you want.
I understand what you are saying. But we still have the problem that:
Buddha said clearly, ITS NOT A MENTAL STATE, whether there are objects or not.
"There is, bhikkhus, that base where there is no earth, no water, no fire, no air; no base consisting of the infinity of space, no base...
Ok, I see:
Āyatana…
1. stretch, extent, reach, compass, region; sphere, locus, place, spot; position, occasion
2. exertion, doing, working, practice, performance
3.sphere of perception or sense in general, object of thought, sense -- organ & object; relation, order.
So, as we can see, the word...
So according to you, Nirvana ends with death then, when the mind dies? Since you write: "base refers to states of mind".
And yet Buddha said clearly, ITS NOT A MENTAL STATE.
"There is, bhikkhus, that base where there is no... no base consisting of the infinity of consciousness"...
From Nirvana sutra:
"[The perfected Bodhisattva] is endowed with perfect Knowing [jnana]...He sees the two attributes ... the Self and the non-Self... .".
http://www.nirvanasutra.net/selectedextracts1j.htm
From Nirvana sutra:
"When I have taught non-Self, fools uphold the teaching that there is...
Ud 8.3
PTS:Ud 80
Nibbāna Sutta: Parinibbana (3)
There is, bhikkhus, a not-born, a not-brought-to-being, a not-made, a not-conditioned. If, bhikkhus, there were no not-born, not-brought-to-being, not-made, not-conditioned, no escape would be discerned from what is born, brought-to-being, made...
It cant be a state of mind, its denied by Buddha himself (pali canon):
"There is, bhikkhus, that base where there is no earth, no water, no fire, no air; no base consisting of the infinity of space, no base consisting of the infinity of consciousness, no base consisting of nothingness, no base...