Expert: Alex Wilding - 12/12/2009

Question
can u tell me the buddhist understanding of the unconditioned (nirvana) as it related to sat (being) cit (consciousness) ananda (bliss). these are the 3 attributes hinduism (as well Chirstian Vedanta) gives to the unconditioned. but do buddhists agree that these 3 things are unconditioned or do they believe they are conditioned and merely aggregates? thank u.

Answer
As you correctly point out, these terms belong to Hindu thinking, not Buddhist. (By the way, what do you mean by "Chirstian Vedanta"? I assume you mean to write "Christian Vedanta", but I have no idea what that would be.)
The Buddhist analysis is a little bit subtle. I think it would deny that these three terms would be appropriate, but *not* because their opposites (which I suppose would be "non-being", "unconsciousness" and either "suffering" or "non-bliss") apply. Rather, the Buddhist view would be that the *ultimate* nature of everything is empty of such attributes as being or non-being altogether.
Most Buddhists would probably want to say that Nirvana is unconditioned in some way, but "nirvana" does not actually mean unconditioned. It means extinction, and is usually understood, in these contexts, to refer to the extinction of suffering and its causes (in grasping, stupidity and aversion).
I hope that helps a bit.