Post by Lady Anastasia on Feb 28, 2007 10:59:39 GMT -5
Who am I?
One of the most challenging teachings of Buddhism is that relating to the idea of 'not-self' or anatta. Whereas both Christianity and Islam have the notion of an individual soul, and whereas Hinduism has the idea of atman, Buddhism offers a different perspective altogether. Buddhism argues that there is no such thing as a permanent self or soul, a very difficult notion to grasp, even on a conceptual level, let alone realizing it experientially. But if there is no such thing as a permanent self or soul, then the obvious question is - who is this person that eats, drinks, breathes, thinks, forms relationships and has a career? Who am I?
The Five Khandhas
Although Buddhism denies the existence of a permanent self, it does explain that each of us is made up of five personality factors known as khandhas, namely, feeling, corporeality, consciousness, perception and mental formations (including volition or will). None of these either collective or individually can be said to constitute a permanent self, an undying essence. Each is subject to the laws of change and disintegration that govern all phenomena. I am not exactly the same person as I was yesterday - my body has aged: it may be my perspective on life has change, however, minutely; I'm feeling happy today whereas yesterday I was feeling miserable. To cling to any of these khandhas is to try to hang on to things that are impermanent, that will eventually pass away. This immediately brings us back to the four noble truths. Suffering is caused by craving. Consequently, if we try to cling to these ever-changing factors is to heap up on ourselves a whole lot of suffering.
Rebirth?
But if there is no permanent self, what happens to me, as a person, when I die? Buddhism, of course, has the idea of rebirth, which needs to be distinguished from the word 'reincarnation', a term used more often to describe the passage of a soul from the body of this life to a new one in the next. In Buddhism, the consciousness that arises at conception is not the same as the consciousness of the individual at death but nor it is totally different. It's best to see the movement from this life to the next as a continuum rather than the passage of one self-contained essence into a new body. There is no transference of a permanent self as there is no permanent self. It's not that Buddhism denies the obvious fact that we, as individuals, exist.
We exist, yes, but not in the way we think we do!
buddhism.about.com/library/weekly/aa070702a.htm
One of the most challenging teachings of Buddhism is that relating to the idea of 'not-self' or anatta. Whereas both Christianity and Islam have the notion of an individual soul, and whereas Hinduism has the idea of atman, Buddhism offers a different perspective altogether. Buddhism argues that there is no such thing as a permanent self or soul, a very difficult notion to grasp, even on a conceptual level, let alone realizing it experientially. But if there is no such thing as a permanent self or soul, then the obvious question is - who is this person that eats, drinks, breathes, thinks, forms relationships and has a career? Who am I?
The Five Khandhas
Although Buddhism denies the existence of a permanent self, it does explain that each of us is made up of five personality factors known as khandhas, namely, feeling, corporeality, consciousness, perception and mental formations (including volition or will). None of these either collective or individually can be said to constitute a permanent self, an undying essence. Each is subject to the laws of change and disintegration that govern all phenomena. I am not exactly the same person as I was yesterday - my body has aged: it may be my perspective on life has change, however, minutely; I'm feeling happy today whereas yesterday I was feeling miserable. To cling to any of these khandhas is to try to hang on to things that are impermanent, that will eventually pass away. This immediately brings us back to the four noble truths. Suffering is caused by craving. Consequently, if we try to cling to these ever-changing factors is to heap up on ourselves a whole lot of suffering.
Rebirth?
But if there is no permanent self, what happens to me, as a person, when I die? Buddhism, of course, has the idea of rebirth, which needs to be distinguished from the word 'reincarnation', a term used more often to describe the passage of a soul from the body of this life to a new one in the next. In Buddhism, the consciousness that arises at conception is not the same as the consciousness of the individual at death but nor it is totally different. It's best to see the movement from this life to the next as a continuum rather than the passage of one self-contained essence into a new body. There is no transference of a permanent self as there is no permanent self. It's not that Buddhism denies the obvious fact that we, as individuals, exist.
We exist, yes, but not in the way we think we do!
buddhism.about.com/library/weekly/aa070702a.htm