Chinese phrase for tattoo

[imron]

Not according to either of my dictionaries - 现代汉语词典 and the 现代汉语规范词典. Both list it as 涅槃.

[Hofmann]

Aiya. Wikipedia agrees with you. Nevermind then.

[imron]

You could always change it to agree with you

[HashiriKata]

I don't think 寻找涅槃 (Looking for Nirvana) sounds right in Chinese, so you should verify the acceptablity of the phrase with a few knowledgeable Chinese native speakers before having it on your skin. I think 寻找天堂 (Looking for Heaven/ Paradise) is more understandable/ acceptable, since 涅槃 and 天堂 seem to be two very different concepts.

[gato]

I think 寻找天堂 (Looking for Heaven/ Paradise) is more understandable/ acceptable, since 涅槃 and 天堂 seem to be two very different concepts.

(1) The OP already has a tatoo with "涅槃".

(2) Is there a concept of "Heaven/ Paradise" in Buddhism?

[HashiriKata]

The OP already has a tatoo with "涅槃".

Then, the word 寻找 doesn't go with it. You can enter 涅槃 but you can't look for it (Someone familiar with Buddhism may be able to explain why to you better than I can).

Is there a concept of "Heaven/ Paradise" in Buddhism?

天堂/地狱 are also Buddhist concepts that exist in Chinese long before Christianity is known in China.

[chrix]

吾乃汝之涅槃

Pulleyblank disagrees about 乃, at least in Classical times it is not a copula. Actually you don't need a copula at all, just add a 也 at the end.

Also after pronouns, 之 is usually dropped, but I'm sure you could insert it for emphasis. But maybe if we use 而 which usually is used as a possessive. Pulleyblank even has a fitting example here:

余而祖也 I am your grandfather. (Zuozhuan)

so perhaps

吾而涅槃也

but of course the ambiguity of 而 is not very nice.

so perhaps 吾爾涅槃也 would be nicer.

But since Classical Chinese has a bewildering array of personal pronouns anyways, I would think the best thing would be to look up Buddhist scriptures and see what pronouns they use. That would be the best thing to do. (Also Buddhist scriptures are strictly speaking not Classical Classical Chinese, so some of the grammatical rules might have changed).

[Hofmann]

Thanks. I'm aware that 之 and 乃 aren't necessary. 也 isn't either.

I think the OP left anyway. It I had 涅槃 on me, I'd just leave it.

[chrix]

Hi, I'm not so sure if the 也 isn't necessary. If it's supposed to be a sentence and not just a title or something, the way I understand Pulleyblank is that it is. Scripsit Pulleyblank, p.18:

"The final particle 也 is occasionally omitted even in the classical period.

22. 萬乘之國,弒其君者,必千乘之家. The one who murders the ruler of a country of ten thousand chariots will certainly be (the head of) a family of thousand chariots. (Mencius)

Such sentences are comparatively rare and the circumstances under which they occur have not been worked out. It is possible the presence of a sentence adverb 必 plays a role here"

So I'd defintely go for 也 to be on the safe side...

But Buddhist texts are postclassical anyways, I mean all these bisyllabic words you start getting from around the Han.. h o r r i b l e...

[lingjas]

涅磐 is actually quite a nice phrase with stories behind it. So if you do not want the buddist explaination this is the literal meaning.

It means to be reborned. This word is often linked with pheonix. It is believed that when a pheonix died fire will consume its body, and from its ashes a beautiful young pheonix will rise. This process of rebirth is called 涅磐.

[Fishbone818]

this maybe a day late and a dallor short.. how about 世外桃源 for Nirvana?!?!!?

[creamyhorror]

how about 世外桃源 for Nirvana?!?!!?

Starting to sound like a travel ad here How about 市外桃源, to go even further

[leeyah]

how about 世外桃源 for Nirvana?!?!!?

How about 市外桃源, to go even further

Great solutions, if OP feels like it, but I think 桃源 is more like Utopia...

[isela]

寻找涅槃 sounds totally good to me!

It is believed that when a pheonix died fire will consume its body, and from its ashes a beautiful young pheonix will rise. This process of rebirth is called 涅磐.

To my knowledge this is perfectly right! 涅槃 is a marvelous 轮回/转世 (reincarnation) as described above, and there's nothing wrong with looking for it.

[creamyhorror]

求入涅槃 might work, if you're "seeking Nirvana's gates".

Great solutions, if OP feels like it, but I think 桃源 is more like Utopia...

Heh, I was just joking. I agree [世外]桃源 isn't what he's looking for, since it's "paradise" rather than "Nirvana". Does 桃源 refer to the heavenly peach gardens I've seen in some shows?

[leeyah]

Does 桃源 refer to the heavenly peach gardens I've seen in some shows?

Could be Actually 桃源 refers to the ancient Chinese version of Utopia i.e. Paradise on Earth, 桃花源记 by 陶渊明，translated as

(one of my favourite stories from 古代汉语 class )

& re: Nirvana Tattoo, how about: 涅槃寂静 the perfect tranquility of Nirvana or 圆寂 in Chinese, meaning: 内心归于平静,离一切妄想=完全平静 ?

[fengyixiao]

as a native,"涅槃" means life up to a high class.

凤凰涅盘 —— 指凤凰在火中重生并得到永生，涅盘就是佛语中的死而复生。

“涅槃” don't mean death,but reborn and up to a high class.