Hi all

I like to share a chapter from a new book

The Way to Inner Peace by Kingsley Rajapakse

Me and Mineþ
(Anatta)

Mere suffering exists, no sufferer is found,
The deed is, but no doer of the deed is there.
Nirvana is, but not the man that enters it.
The path is, but no traveler on it is see.

- Visuddhi - Magga XVI

The primary factor that differentiates Buddhism from other philosophies of life (including religions) is the fact of no-self or egolessness (anatta in Pali) discovered by Buddha and today upheld by science.

While the intention here is not an analysis of all the far-reaching implications of anatta, our present objectives would be satisfied if we look at anatta through the eyes of science and also discuss just one early hurdle encounterd by most, if not all, who embark on a serious inquiry into the subject.

The hurdle is the dilemma wherein we need to, on the one hand, insightfully understand and accept that the self does not exist, while, on the other hand, refer to self constantly in daily life, even after insightfully understanding the concept of no-self.

Let us begin our investigation by reviewing the basic fact of impermanence, particularly as it relates to the human being.

The human being is made up of matter (body) and mind. First, let us consider the body. The best way to do this is to look at the cell, which is the basic unit of life.

The human body is made up of billions of cells, most of which 87 so tiny they can be seen only with a powerful microscope.

Understanding what goes on inside the tiny cell is one fascinating way to understanding life. Let us do just that.

Within the cells, there is incessant bustling activity, which effectively makes each cell a stand-alone life. The cells absorb substances from outside. They burn fuels derived from food, generating energy, which in turn enables various body functions to be carried out. Then there is waste product elimination. The cells regenerate themselves through division. They synthesize complex substances. Hormones and enzymes, which control vital body functions, are made in the cells. It is the collective ( and harmonious) "living together" of the billions of these "litter lives" that give rise to what we refer to as the life of the individual. Thus the body is in constant flux.

Next, let us consider the mind, for which the plaform of action is the rapid electro-chemical activity taking place in the mult-billion-cell (neutron) network of the brain.

The changes taking place in the mind are infinitely faster than in the body. We all know how our thoughts change from one to another to another in never ending rapid succession. Since our emotions are primarily influenced by our thoughts (and to a relatively lesser degree by body conditions such as nutrition), our emotions are also always changing.

Further, our memory banks are being constantly updated by new experiences of each additional moment lived. Thus our minds too are in flux.

We can summarize the scientific discussion by saying both mind and body are (and therefore the whole being is) subject to incessant change.

Therefore both mind and body are made up of ever changing processes and not fixed entities, although the limitations of our senses create the illusion of permanency.

Therefore there is no abiding or permanent entity called the self or the ego

This same observation was made by Buddha 2500 years ago.

The difference is that we needed electron microscopes and other high tech support as well as combined efforts of thousands of scientists over many years to come to that conclusion.

Buddha, alone, and without the help of even one simple external adjunct, observed the same fact and further extended that to explain the Truth (of life) with his profound philosophy.

His extraordinary electron microscope was his fully enlightened, intuitive and deeply penetrating mind.

However, it is comforting to know that science today upholds the view of impermanence Buddha held.

Although both science and Dhamma tell us the we should not realistically think of the mind-body combination ( that is, the whole human being ) as a non-changing entity, yet in daily living we do.

We do this primarily by assigning labels such as "I", "Me", "Mine", "Ben", "you" and "Aileen". Having assigned these arbitrary mental anchors ( the labels),

we live as though the "I" is a non-changing entity ( that is, self ).

The only thing that does not change is the label "I" or any other that we created in our minds.

Thus we have created an illusion of a non-existing permanent entity (which we, as a species, have got used to calling the "self" or "I").

So, when Aileen welcomes her husband Ben after a week away on a business trip, they thing they are seing the same spouse of a week ago.

From the discussion on cells, we now know that in reality, it is a different Aileen and a different Ben, in both body and mind.

To be precise, we can even go further, and say thatBen who was entering the house is not the same as Ben who is now in the house.

Since the erroneous idea of a permanent abiding self has existed from time immemorial, not only has it become ingrained in the mechanics of human communication but also is essential for today's communication; and very likely will continue to be so, as long as the human species exists on this planet.

It is no different from saying the "sun rises" and the "sun sets" giving the impression the sun moves in relation to the earth.

We know that in reality the sun neither rises nor sets. It is the revolving (movement) of the earth on its own axis that gives us the impression (illusion) it is the sun that moves.

Unfortunately, the new understanding (of reality) as to which moves and which doesn't still will not allow us to now change our ingrained ways of communication amongst fellow beings.

We will continue to say "the sun rises", although it is based on illusion.

We will continue to say "heartfelt" when we know the reality is "mindfelt" -- the heart is just a pump whereas it is the mind that feels.

Likewise, we will continue to use "I" and related labels as we have done before.

The most profound healing begins on the day a person insightfully understands this thing called "self" does not really exist (as a permanent, abiding entity).

At the most what we can rightly say is that a self exists only for an infinitesimal moment in time, which of course is the same as saying that we are constantly changing -- back to impermanence (anicca) the primary law of the universe.

Science helps to understand egolessness (anatta) thus: because, a certain grouping of cells work in harmony, there is a process, for example, that of breathing, but there is no I that is dong the breathing -- echoing the words of the profound Buddhist quotation we started the chapter with.

Breathing is a natural process with no doer, no ownership. Similarly there is the feelingof sadness or happiness, but there is no "I" that feels.

It is essential that one understands this fact without ambiguity, if he or she is to realize the primary benefits that Dhamma has to offer.

Once acquired, the understanding will be initially accompained by a feeling of wastage of an enormous amount of one's past time and effort to protect a self that did not, and does not, really exist.

That feeling will soon be replaced by a profound sense of relief as never before felt

-- a giant step on the path call the "Dhamma Way".

One's becomes avilable in abundance to be channeled to support noble causes.

Foremost amongst these is to work towards one's own deliverance. Following upon that are endless possibilities such as helping the needy through a sense of compassion and unconditional love for all, spreading the Dhamma and understand and protecting nature.

A person who has realized the truth of no self will continue to use the "self labels" to communicate with fellow beings who have not yet come upon that realization, because it is the only way they will understand wordly issues.

Even the sentence "There is no self in me" seem contractictory, but it is not;

it is of critical importance that we understand this cleary if we are to make much progress with Dhamma.

The only way we can communicate is with sentences like this -- we have no choice.

Evolution of language has brought us to a point of no return ; correcting the incongruity is not possible and we have to continue to live with the problem.

Even Buddha, who based his teaching on the fact of no self, faced the same problem to his last days and used the common terminology of self, as illustrated in this extract from the Maha Parinibbana Sutta:

"I have now grown old and full of years. My journey is drawing to a close. I I have now turned eighty years of age and am now reaching the sum of my days. Have I not often declared to YOU that it is the nature of things,.......

Once we have intellectually understood the concept of anatta, the mind still needs more work before the concept penetrates the deepest levels of one's psyche and uproots not only the core belief in the self, but also every other belief or behavior which was based on that core belief.

This is realized by including contemplation of anatta in one's Vipasssana meditation practice and also in one' daily living.

The following sequence is suggested, with deep contemplating on each listed item as one proceeds through the mediation (Vipasssana meditation is covered in Chapter 13 and 14)

1. There is no self. (anatta).
2. Therefore there is no "me" or "mine".
3. Self, me and mine are terms that only help to communicate.
4. The mind is not mine.
5. The body is not mine.
6. Other living beings, including my family, are not mine.
7. Things are not mine.
8. Therefore there is nothing that is mine.
9. Everything is flux ( changing ) with no owner.
10. They arise and cease constantly

Having approached anatta from the angle of science, let us now briefly review also one classical rebuttal of the belief in a self.

An abiding self, capable of regulating our existence, should be able to ensure that our body and mind do things that we like.

For example, if there is this self , and I have some abdominal pain, the self should be able to order and ensure that the pain ceases. Yet we know it cannot be done.

Likewise, if a person feels depressed, the self should be able to order its cessation and replace it instantly with a feeling of joy. Again it cannot be done.

Examples like these endlessly establish beyond andy doubt the non-existence of a self.

Let us conclude this chapter with an analogy.

It is 2 am and Brian is having a dream. He see his dearest brother drowing but cannot help him because Brian does not know how to swim. So in desperation he shouts for help. At that point his wife wakes him and says, "Brian, you had a nightmare. What did you see?"

Now awake, Brian realizes that it was all la dream -- an illusion. There was no brother that drowned. There was no dear brother to be rescued.

In real life (to be more precise, "wordly life" in contrast to "transcendental life"), when we think of a self ( ego ), it is like thinking of that dearest brother in Brian's dream. Instead, now it is the "dearest self". We worry and "sweat" through this worldly life thinking there is an all important self that needs to be protected all the time.

Often we think it is in trouble and frantically try to do things, day in and day out, to rescue it. If we can wake up from this long "dream" of ours (worldly living ), as Buddha showed us, we will realize that there is no self to be protected or rescued. Then we will have all llife's energy freed to be directed to useful and noble causes.

Sadhu sadhu sadhu