Nibbāna

The Buddha has always stated that Nibbāna (Nirvana) is the Cessation of Existence (bhava nirodho Nibbānan). Nirvana is not the destruction of an existing object but a paradigm shift from existential thinking to experiential thinking. The emancipator can toggle between these two paradigms occasionally, but most of the time he or she remains in the experiential mode (Nirodha samāpatti). Only occasionally, for a purpose like going on the alms round (pindapāta), or discussing the Dhamma (dhammīvā kathā) does he or she enters the existential mode. 

The well-known statement of the Buddha “Speak on the Dhamma or maintain the Ariya silence (dhammīvā kathā ariyo vā tunhibhāvo) refers to the same toggle. The Ariya silence (ariyo vā tunhibhāvo) is really the experiential mode (Nirodha samāpatti), and discussing the Dhamma is the existential mode. 

It is interesting to note that modern scientific research refers to a toggle switch in the brain called the Reticular Activating System (RAS), which can toggle between the cognitive and affective modes. It is probably the same RAS that the emancipator uses to toggle between the existential and experiential paradigms.