My response(s) follow, slightly edited.<\/p>\n
Hmmm\u2026 Is that like saying a creator God exists, it\u2019s just not as real as you think? Sounds fishy. Perhaps skillful, but fishy nonetheless. <\/p>\n
Sabbe dhamma anatta<\/span>, all phenomena are not-self. Even nibbana <\/span>is anatta<\/span>. And all of samsara <\/span>is associated with the 5 khandhas<\/span>, which are the basis for all other dhammas<\/span>. Where then, lies the self in Buddhism? (hint, next to unicorns and the creator God)<\/span>.<\/p>\n
On second thought, yes, the Buddha does make wide use of the term atta <\/span>as a reflexive pronoun: \u201cnowhere is found one who is dearer than [one]self<\/span>; in this way for others too the self <\/span>is dear. Thus one should not harm others who loves [him\/her]self<\/span>.\u201d (Nevajjhag\u0101 piyataramattan\u0101 kvaci; Eva\u1e43 piyo puthu att\u0101 paresa\u1e43, Tasm\u0101 na hi\u1e43se paramattak\u0101mo\u2019\u2019ti.) fom the Mallika sutta in SN I,3<\/a> (#8). But this should be read as making an ethical point rather than a metaphysical one: you [think] you have a self, and it is dear to you; this is also true of others, so develop metta\/lovingkindness for all (as you do yourself)<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n
In this way the Buddha uses the term in a practical or conventional manner. When speaking of the true nature of things, though, the above quoted sabbe dhamma anatta, along with anatta as one of the \u201cMarks of Existence\u201d should suggest clearly his teaching of no-self. This is as much of a categorical denial as I can think of<\/span>. He doesn\u2019t deny the existence of the self to the wanderer Vacchagotta<\/span> precisely because FOR HIM (this confused Brahmin) it would lead to a belief in annihilationism. So in that instance we have the Buddha\u2019s silence. (SN 44:10)<\/p>\n
As for the necessary fiction of self; yes it probably is needed at some level, but at the point of awakening we are said to finally(!) let go of the \u201casmi mana\u201d the conceit or mania of I AM. I suppose as long as we have the conceit of self, it\u2019s useful to act accordingly \ud83d\ude42<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
I\u2019m curious about the apparent streak of neo-Puggalavadins or Attavadins (those who teach that there is a person, or there is a self) in contemporary Buddhist<\/a> circles. I suppose it has to do with our cultural fascination with the self: liberating it<\/span>, actualizing it<\/span>, helping it<\/span>. If you\u2019re trying to gain self-liberation, self-actualization, or self-help you\u2019re probably off on a wild-goose chase. Much like trying to have a conversation with an omniscient, benevolent, creator God.<\/p>\n
Check out the Sabbasava sutta<\/a>. There the Buddha lists 16 unwise reflections:<\/p>\n
1. What am I?
2. How am I?
3. Am I?
4. Am I not?
5. Did I exist in the past?
6. Did I not exist in the past?
7. What was I in the past?
8. How was I in the past?
9. Having been what, did I become what in the past?
10. Shall I exist in future?
11. Shall I not exist in future?
12. What shall I be in future?
13. How shall I be in future?
14. Having been what, shall I become what in future?
15. Whence came this person?
16. Whither will he go?<\/p><\/blockquote>\nNow, as I mentioned in my first response above, any questioning into the self is thus pretty fishy. BUT, it could perhaps be <\/span>skillful<\/span> for some people.<\/span> Just as in the Tevijja Sutta<\/a>, where the Buddha tells young Brahmins that he\u2019ll teach them \u201cthe way to union with Brahma\u201d and in fact teaches them ethics and meditation toward awakening, we perhaps could tell people we\u2019ll help them \u201cdiscover their true self\u201d only to lead them, through ethics and meditation, to the understanding of no-self<\/span>. I\u2019ll leave you with one last snippit from the Pali sources (many thanks to Thanisarro Bhikkhu for compiling some Pali sources on Anatta<\/a>):<\/p>\n
\u201cMonks, where there is a self, would there be (the thought), \u2018belonging to
my self\u2019?\u201d
\u201cYes, lord.\u201d
\u201cOr, monks, where there is what belongs to self, would there be (the thought),
\u2018my self\u2019?\u201d
\u201cYes, lord.\u201d
\u201cMonks, where a self or what belongs to self are not pinned down as a truth
or reality, then the view-position\u2014\u2018This cosmos is the self. After death this I will
be constant, permanent, eternal, not subject to change. I will stay just like that for
an eternity\u2019\u2014Isn\u2019t it utterly & completely a fool\u2019s teaching?\u201d \u2014 MN 22<\/p><\/blockquote>\nTo say that this is a denial of only a certain kind of self<\/span> seems to me to miss the point. It\u2019s like, to reiterate the above, saying that the Buddha only denied a certain kind of creator God<\/span>, and thus perhaps there is one after all for Buddhists. Any <\/span>view of self, it seems, is going to spiral into wasted time and effort trying to understand, fix, help, whatever, <\/span>it<\/span> <\/span>(unless, again, guided by a wise teacher toward the understanding that there is no self<\/span>). Similarly, views of God can be played with (as in the Tevijja sutta) by the wise, in order to bring others to an understanding of ethics, meditation, and wisdom (aka the Buddha\u2019s 3-fold path).<\/p>\n
But in the hands of the unwise, people like me, speculation on the self or God is just likely to waste time.. how many gods can dance on the head of a pin? Oh, I\u2019m sorry, that was angels. I\u2019ll have to speculate on that in a future post.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
That\u2019s a quote (or very close) from a recent interview with psychologist Mark Epstein, featured over at the Tricycle blog. My response(s) follow, slightly edited. Hmmm\u2026 Is that like saying a creator God exists, it\u2019s just not as real as you think? Sounds fishy. Perhaps skillful, but fishy nonetheless. Sabbe dhamma anatta, all phenomena are […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":118,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-272","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
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