Selflessness in Buddhism.

[Lotus of the abyss]

I always had a question about, that if there's no self in Buddhism, then who realizes its absence? Like who learns about Buddhism? Who does anything?

 

I just don't understand how something that is not there, then who is learning about its absence?

 

 

[Cobie]

It means the 5 aggregates are not-the self, so there is a self.

 

 

Edited 3 hours ago by Cobie

[Lotus of the abyss]

But I thought buddhism didn't have a self at all. Isn't the idea of there is no self a central idea in buddhism?

[Cobie]

 

44 minutes ago, Lotus of the abyss said:

… self … no self …

 

Nobody knows anything, because it is unknowable.  Remember, “take responsibility”; believe whatever you deep inside actually believe.  

 

Edited 1 hour ago by Cobie

[Krenx]

The Buddha did not say there is no self. The Buddha taught non self. If there was actually no self, none of us would be suffering. But we do suffer. It is more the process of attending to phenomena more honestly. We cling into a sense of self, and hold on to qualities of me, mine, myself not just conventionally speaking, but also internally. 

 

With ignorance, there is a self. 

 

With wisdom, the self gradually has to  dissolve. The Self does not hold water, it is not dependable, unstable. 

 

The "self" in Buddhism is defined as something that is "permeant", ever lasting, does not change. 

 

But as we go through phenomena, we realize things in the world are unfit to be regarded as "self", due to the impermenant and changing qualities.  

 

And so we attend to the nature of phenomena, and navigate skillfully to release ourselves from suffering. And that involves seeing anatta, non self.