Nirvana is one of the basic principles that Gautama Buddha propagated. Buddha describes nirvana as "the unconditioned" that has reached the point of perfect lucidity and clarity through highest spiritual attainment. One can reach this stage in life by following the Eight fold Path. He further describes this stage as "deathlessness." Living like this can free one from the cycles of Karma and Samsara. According to Gautama Buddha nirvana is a Dhamma that is "unborn, unoriginated, uncreated and unformed."

The word Nirvana literally means `to cease blowing.` In Buddhism it means a stage in life when the flame of the passions or different kleshas cease to exist. It is then that a man can live a virtuous life and attain nirvana. It frees individuals from all kinds of suffering and from the rebirth cycle. The Buddhists refers to it as Enlightenment. The Pali word Nirvana means non-attachment. According to the Buddhist philosophy nirvana will enable individuals to free themselves from the worldly attachments and in the process help them to rise over moha and maya. Buddha explained, "The whole world is in flames. By what fire is it kindled? By the fire of lust, hatred and ignorance, by the fire of birth, old age, death, pain, lamentation, sorrow, grief and despair it is kindled."

Buddhist philosophy states that nirvana is neither a state of annihilation nor nothingness. It is subha(auspicious), dhuva(eternal) and sukha(happy). Nirvana deviates from the concept of heaven. The state of Nirvana passes through nirodha. Nirodha in Buddhism means breaking away from the false notions of the world and soul, as Buddhism does not believe in the concept of a permanent soul. Buddhism does not profess that nirvana is to be achieved in an afterlife. This is where it sets itself apart form most of the religious philosophies.

When nirvana is realised in this life it is known as sopadisesa nibbana-dhatu. When an arahant attains nirvana after the dissolution of his body then he attains anupadisesa nibbana-dhatu. Nirvana is in many ways similar to the concept of Salvation.