Soonil Hwang studies the doctrinal development of nirvana in the Pali
Nikaaya
and subsequent tradition and compares it with the Chinese
aagama
and its traditional interpretation. He clarifies early doctrinal developments of
Nirvana
and traces the word and related terms back to their original metaphorical contexts, elucidating diverse interpretations and doctrinal and philosophical developments in the
abhidharma
exegeses and treatises of Southern and Northern Buddhist schools. The book finally examines which school, if any, kept the original meaning and reference of
.