Sanskrit "Nirvana" Nirvana means to be free from those bonds that enslave us; �It is a state of profound peace and great wisdom. It is the ultimate happiness that comes when we are liberated from finding pain or pleasure in impermanent (transitory) objects. Nirvana should NOT be thought of as a place. Instead, it is a state of consciousness which is above all others. It is the opposite of ignorance, greed, hatred and the defilement's (commonly referred to as Kilesa).