Where does “般涅槃” come from?

般涅槃 (Middle Chinese) comes from Sanskrit परिनिर्वाण, from Sanskrit निर्वाण, from Sanskrit निस्, from Sanskrit नि, from Proto-Indo-Iranian ní, from Proto-Indo-European ni — down.

Ancestry of “般涅槃”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Sanskritपरिनिर्वाणcompletely extinguished or finished
2Sanskritनिर्वाणblowing out, extinction, cessation, setting,...
3Sanskritनिस्out, forth, away &c
4Sanskritनिdown; back; in, into
5Proto-Indo-Iraniandown, downwards; in, into
6Proto-Indo-Europeannidown
Every word from Proto-Indo-European niEvery word from Proto-Indo-Iranian Every word from Sanskrit नि