Nirvanas

Nirvanas is the plural form of nirvāṇa, a key concept in Indian religions, most prominently in Buddhism and Hinduism. It refers to the final extinguishment of craving and suffering and the release from the cycle of birth and death. In English, nirvāṇa is usually treated as an uncountable, or mass, noun, and the plural form nirvanas is infrequent and typically appears only in non-technical writing or when the term is used as a countable noun in metaphorical or illustrative contexts.

Etymology and meaning: The word derives from Sanskrit nirvāṇa, meaning “blowing out” or “extinction.” In Buddhist usage, nirvāṇa denotes the complete cessation of defilements and the end of samsara; it is not understood as a place but as a state of liberation from suffering.

Usage: Because nirvāṇa is usually treated as uncountable, most scholarly writing avoids the plural. When nirvanas is used, it often signals discussion of multiple persons achieving nirvāṇa, different interpretations across traditions, or hypothetical or metaphorical instances. In many contexts, translators and writers prefer the singular form.

Cultural notes: The term may be encountered in contemporary discourse as a countable noun in informal writing or in metaphorical expressions. In popular culture, Nirvana is the name of a well-known rock band, a separate proper noun unrelated to the linguistic plural form nirvanas. If nirvanas is used as a title or name in fiction or media, capitalization would indicate a proper noun usage.