More a Quench

Nirvana said to be the goal of every Buddhists is such a confusing term. The dictionary says it is a transcendent state in which there is neither suffering, desire, nor sense of self, and a person is released from the effects of karma and the cycle of death and rebirth. Once long ago, I read that nirvana could be translated into just one word nothingness and another literature says it means extinguished or blowing out; just like a flame is being blown out. Yet another says it literally means blowing out or quenching. Then, it wouldn't come as a surprise that some people think of nirvana as only achievable when one is dead. Buddha himself reportedly achieved nirvana when he was 35 years old and went on to live another 45 years. Maybe, nirvana is more of a quench rather than anything else.