➥ niyyāna:

• for niyyāna:
  • salvation
  • deliverance [from suffering]
• for niyyānaṁ bhavati:
  • to march forth

Niyyānaṁ bhavati: to march forth

In its unexalted sense, niyyāna means ‘going out, departure,’ says PED, as here:

• The king will march forth; the king will not march forth;

raññaṁ niyyānaṁ bhavissati. Raññaṁ aniyyānaṁ bhavissati. (DN i 9)

Niyyāna: salvation

For brahmans niyyāna was the highest attainment, meaning union with Brahmā, i.e. ‘salvation’:

• This indeed is the direct path, the straight way, which leads to salvation, which leads the one who practises it to union with Brahmā.

ayameva ujumaggo ayamañjasāyano niyyāṇiko niyyāti takkarassa brahmasahavyatāya. (DN i 235)

Niyyāna: deliverance [from suffering]

For Buddhists niyyāna has three associations:

1) freedom from suffering (dukkhā pamuccati)

2) inward peace (upasama)

3) enlightenment (sambodha)

These associations support us calling niyyāna ‘deliverance [from suffering].’

1) This I tell you: This deliverance [from suffering] for the world [of beings] has been declared to you [by me] in accordance with truth. In this way [the world of beings] is released from suffering.

Etaṁ lokassa niyyānaṁ akkhātaṁ vo yathātathaṁ
Etaṁ vo ahamakkhāmi evaṁ dukkhā pamuccati. (Snp 172)

2) Where a teacher is not perfectly enlightened, the teaching is ill-proclaimed, ill-expounded, and does not lead to deliverance [from suffering], or to inward peace. It is expounded by one who is not perfectly enlightened.

satthā ca hoti asammāsambuddho dhammo ca durakkhāto duppavedito aniyyāniko anupasamasaṁvattaniko asammāsambuddhappavedito. (DN iii 120)

3) These teachings which are wholesome, noble, and which lead to deliverance [from suffering] and to enlightenment.

Ye te bhikkhave kusalā dhammā ariyā niyyānikā sambodhagāmino. (Snp 139)

Niyyānika and saṁsāra

PED says niyyānika means ‘leading out (of saṁsāra),’ but niyyānika cannot be rendered as such because it is never in the suttas directly linked to saṁsāra.

➥ niyyānaṁ: (main article see: niyyāna)

Illustration: niyyānaṁ, deliverance [from suffering]

What is that grasping because of which the world [of beings] suffers hardship? Being asked about deliverance [from suffering], tell me how [the world of beings] is released from suffering.

Katamaṁ taṁ upādānaṁ yattha loko vihaññati
Niyyānaṁ pucchito brūhi kathaṁ dukkhā pamuccati. (Snp 170)

➥ niyyānikā: (main article see: niyyāna)

Illustration: niyyānikā, lead to deliverance [from suffering]

But, Ānanda, in regard to those thoughts which are noble, and which lead to deliverance [from suffering], and lead the one who practises them to the complete destruction of suffering, that is to say unsensuous thought, benevolent thought, compassionate thought, he thinks: 'I will think thoughts like these.'

Ye ca kho ime ānanda vitakkā ariyā niyyānikā niyyanti takkarassa sammā dukkhakkhayāya. Seyyathīdaṁ nekkhamma vitakko avyāpādavitakko avihiṁsāvitakko iti evarūpe vitakke vitakkessāmī ti. (MN iii 113-4)

Illustration: niyyānikā, lead to deliverance [from suffering]

The seven factors of enlightenment when developed and cultivated are noble and lead to deliverance [from suffering], and lead the one who practises them to the complete destruction of suffering.

Ime kho bhikkhave satta bojjhaṅgā bhāvitā bahulīkatā ariyā niyyānikā niyyanti takkarassa sammā dukkhakkhayāyāti. (SN v 82)