The Origin of Nirvāṇa without Remainder (anupadhiśeṣa-nirvāṇa)

Regardless of which state the mind consciousness is in, the manas is always active, always deliberating and pondering. When the mind consciousness cannot make up its mind, one can choose to zone out and stare blankly, and perhaps at some point a good idea will pop up. The mental activities of the manas are extremely difficult to still; do not assume that when the mind consciousness is still, the manas is still too. The mental activities of the manas are probably something none of us can observe—they are too deep. The temporary stillness of the manas does not necessarily enable one to enter nirvāṇa without remainder; we must hold a correct understanding of nirvāṇa without remainder. Only when the manas has completely eliminated its attachment to the self's five-aggregate body, has completely eliminated its craving for the threefold world, and no longer holds any hope for the world, can one enter nirvāṇa without remainder at the end of life. Entering nirvāṇa without remainder requires a process: one must realize the first, second, third, and fourth fruits, possess meditative concentration (samādhi) of the first dhyāna or above, and have eliminated all afflictions. Then the mental activities of the manas become fewer and fewer, and entering concentration becomes very easy and very fast. At the end of life, when the four great elements of the physical body disintegrate, the five universal mental factors of the manas diminish; the manas no longer engages in mental engagement (manaskāra) toward the threefold world, no longer receives and experiences it, no longer grasps at signs, no longer discriminates, no longer makes choices, and no longer wishes to undertake any action. Then the tathāgatagarbha no longer gives rise to any dharma, and the five-aggregate body ceases, with no antarā-bhava (intermediate body) arising—this is the state of nirvāṇa without remainder.