Buddhism & Christianity: Self, No Self
As Christians, we presume we have a self, that we are our selves. We presume at the core of who we are, there is an I that is real and identifiable and is separate from the I you are. We might use different terms like soul or self. Or even spirit to name this core identity. Many think the self we are will outlast our bodies, our selves related to God who is eternal. The Buddha taught something completely different. One of his most central teachings, and one of the most unique teachings in all religiosities, is known as the doctrine of no-self. No-self is the common English translation of the Sanskrit term anatman . An translates as no or non. Atman translates as self or soul. Anatman has thus been translated as no-self, non-self, or no-soul, or even no-ego. The Buddha basically taught that the notion of an eternal, permanent, unconditioned “I” does not exist. I want to highlight those adjective qualifying “I.” Eternal, permanent, unconditioned. I might also add the ad...