It is tempting to call nirodha samapatti, the cessation of perception and feeling, a form of Nibbana: the mind shuts down and all formations come to rest. In one sense that is right; in another it is not. Here is what the suttas mean by Nibbana, which senses the cessation attainment fits, and why it may still be the closest thing to a taste of final Nibbana in this life.

Theravada orthodoxy says only non-returners and arahants can reach nirodha samapatti, the cessation of perception and feeling — and many believe reaching it carries you to awakening. I disagree with both claims. Here is what the suttas do and don't say about who can attain it and what follows, alongside what I found in my own practice.

Nibbana is often treated as mystical and unfathomable. I don't share that view — rare and difficult to attain, yes, but more concrete and down-to-earth than it's sometimes made out to be. Here's what I mean by it and four common misconceptions worth clearing up.