Skip to content

Ep. 264 – Exploring Nibbana

July 30, 2026 · 38 min

Show notes

Joseph Goldstein reveals how Nibbana differs from blissful meditation states and why true liberation lies beyond every conditioned experience.

Today's episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/insighthour and get on your way to being your best self.

This week on Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein discusses:

  • How Nibbana has made its way into Western culture
  • Expectation and striving versus having a healthy goal
  • Having an aspiration and direction for our practice 
  • Using equanimity to differentiate beautiful experiences from true glimpses of Nibbana
  • The Abhidhamma and understanding the factors of mind which color our consciousness
  • The experience of Nibbana as the experience of zero, the stilling of all formations
  • How Nibbana uproots the defilements in stages 

Check out this episode’s companion essay, Reflections on Nibbana, by Joseph Goldstein

“Even exalted states of mind or great powers of mind do not imply purification of mind. That is the particular power of Nibbana.” –Joseph Goldstein

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

All episodes of Insight Hour with Joseph Goldstein

Settings

Display

Language

Decides which stations you see first on the home page.

History

Recently played stations and episodes and your latest searches are only stored in this browser.

Notifications

A short notice when a podcast you follow has a new episode. Turn off single podcasts with the bell on their page.

Account

Save favorites – in the app and on the website.

Keyboard shortcuts

/
Open search
Space
Play or pause
← →
In the player: back 15 s, forward 30 s (episodes) · in a row: next tile
↑ ↓
In a row: target within the tile
Home / End
In a row: first or last tile
Esc
Close window or menu
?
This overview
Now playing

Go to station page

Play next

    Add episodes with “Play next” – they play after the current episode.