FAQ nibbida, 'revulsion', 'disenchantment'

 

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/Buddhism/comments/mlw9nb/what_exactly_is_the_revulsion_in_buddhist_suttas/

What exactly is the "revulsion" in Buddhist suttas?

Question

Hi!

I would like to know how you guys understand this concept of revulsion, usually regarding worldly things. I like the interpretation of Buddha's teachings by Ajahn Brahm who usually focuses on being kind to everything, including the afflictive thoughts and states. That's why the word "revulsion", which is used in suttas, sounds to me a bit harsh (maybe I just can't feel the subtle details in the meaning since I am not a native English speaker). I understand that after all, every feeling , not matter if pleasant or not, is just an agitation of the mind. I've felt this dispassion sometimes when I saw how the mind just oscillates all the time from pleasant to unpleasant even when thinking about the exactly same thing. Sometimes, however, I wonder if I am not falling into the hindrance of ill will, like trying to get rid of the disturbances in the mind. Like telling myself "C'mon, it's empty, it's just suffering. Let it go." I wonder if anyone felt something similar. Maybe to sum it up, I'd ask: How to tell the difference between ill will and the "revulsion" that Buddha talks about?

Thanks and have a peaceful day! :-)

Here is an example from suttas:

For one devoted to practicing meditation on the mark of unattractiveness, revulsion toward the mark of the beautiful becomes established: this is its outcome. For one who dwells watching(in meditation/anupassi) impermanence(aniccha/anitya) in the six senses for contact, revulsion toward contact becomes established: this is its outcome. For one who dwells watching(in meditation/anupassi) arising and vanishing in the five aggregates subject to clinging, revulsion toward clinging becomes established: this is its outcome

Source here

frankk response:

As people have mentioned, the actual pali word the Buddha used is 'nibbida'.

Thanissaro translated it as 'disenchantment',

B. Bodhi in his earlier translations also had 'disenchantment',

but later changed it to 'revulsion'.

The case for 'disenchantment', is that you don't want the aspect of 'aversion' that tends to come with people's general perception of 'revulsion.'

The problem with 'disenchantment', is that, it's not strong enough of a word for most people. For example, you could be disenchanted with delicious food, until the next day when you're really hungry again. Or disenchanted with dating women, until after a few months when you get really horny again. But 'revulsion' indicates a stronger commitment to abandon the various enticing sensual pleasures in the world that keep us enslaved to craving and suffering, and being reborn again and again.

So to properly understand 'nibbida', it's accompanied by a strong drive to be detached from these enticing pleasures, but without anger, aversion, frustration, and other negative emotions.