nirvana

Nirvana is a central concept in Buddhism describing the ultimate goal of the Buddhist path: the cessation of dukkha and the end of the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (samsara). It is often described as the extinguishing of the three poisons—greed, hatred, and ignorance—and the accompanying mental afflictions. Nirvana is not conceived as a place but as a state of freedom in which craving and clinging have ceased. In Theravada traditions, Nirvana can be realized in this life by following the Noble Eightfold Path and is distinguished from parinirvana, the final postmortem state after death for someone who has achieved Nirvana. In Mahayana thought, Nirvana and Buddhahood are treated as related states, with Bodhisattvas delaying final Nirvana to aid all beings.

Nirvana is also the name of an American rock band formed in 1987 in Aberdeen, Washington. The group, led by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic, with drummer Dave Grohl joining in 1990, helped popularize the grunge movement. Their 1991 album Nevermind, featuring the single Smells Like Teen Spirit, brought broad commercial success and critical attention, establishing Nirvana as a major force in 1990s alternative rock. Substantial releases include In Utero (1993). The band dissolved after Cobain's death in 1994. Nirvana has remained influential in rock music and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. The name has also been used for other cultural references, but the two most prominent uses are the Buddhist concept and the band.