Buddhist Belief Blog

Over the past two or three weeks it seems like most of the studying I’m doing, many of the articles I’m reading and other happenings in my life relating to Buddhist Belief, have to do with the Buddhist concept of “No-Self”. Needless to say, this isn’t one of the aspects of Buddhism most people feel comfortable with or find easily understandable. I know I don’t, so I guess therein lies my clue to get busy and do some writing about it – and see if I can get some clarity about this “No-Self” concept for us. So often, when I take on the process of writing about something, the “something” becomes clearer. Maybe it will work with this as well. I hope so.

I would bet most of you have experienced a mirage. You don’t have to be in the desert to see one of these, we can also see them driving on a road during the summer months when the temperature is high. You look ahead of you and see the shimmering on the road surface. As you continue to drive, the shimmering, water-like image you see never materializes — it keeps staying far ahead of you. This holds true with other imaginations as well. It seems to be a human trait to make certain appearances into “things” other than what they truly are. Just the other day I looked out of my office window and saw a new white flower along the back fence which I had never seen before. When I went out later to investigate, it turned out to be nothing more than a small piece of white paper which had blown into the yard and was entangled in one of the flower beds.

One of the things we all do is say, “I have a self. I exist.” Yet, when we sit in our meditation – when we study the Buddhist teachings – we see how our own inner wisdom is trying to teach us there is “no self” in the way we perceive the self. Think about what Buddha had to say on this subject, “The self we imagine to be solid and continuous is really just a gathering of ever-changing ingredients.” It makes sense when we really think about it. We have some blood, some bones, some skin, some thoughts, some emotions, some memories, some perceptions, and we call this conglomeration of stuff — “Me”.

Okay, why not? What’s wrong with this conclusion? Why does Buddha want us to avoid this concept? (I wish I had an easy to understand answer, but the best I can do is talk about what I’ve learned.) When we take all these items, put them together and call it, “Me”, it’s sort of like looking up at the clouds and seeing them form into a certain shape and giving the shape a name based on what the shape appears to be. Yet, a few moments later, the shape is gone and changed into something else. This illusion we call “Me”, is just as transparent and ever-changing as the clouds.

I think one of the reasons why Buddhist teachings talk about “No-Self”, is because once we take this collection of blood, bones, thoughts, emotions, etc., and call it “me”, we form an attachment to “me”. When we form attachments to “me“, we open the door to a variety of potential problems for “me”, – fear, pride, and jealousy come to mind. This idea of “me” starts us thinking about the rest of the world as “they”. If I’m real, so are they. So, if “they” take something away from “me”, then I’ll feel anger or pain – and suffering begins. As one of the teachers I’ve read (I don’t recall which one) said, “This suffering is the result of ignorance. Suffering is the reverberation of not knowing selflessness.” (Not an exact quote, but something like that.)

I can tell already how this topic is going to be one we write more about as the weeks go by. It’s too much for one blog post. Plus, I don’t know about you, but I’m still in the head-scratching stage.

Before we sign off on this post, I’d like to quote some thoughts about this from one of my favorite teachers, Anam Thubten. I’m quoting from his book, “No Self – No Problem”, which has been in my recommended reading list below. This quote is from the beginning of his book.

In one of his first teachings after he achieved enlightenment, Buddha taught how life is suffering and painful for this basic reason — we are self-obsessed. If we didn’t feel anger, jealousy, greed or fear, then we would be at peace. It is this perception of our “Self” which bring about all these negative emotions.

Here’s a short poem to use in your meditations this week ..

Know all things to be like this:
A mirage, a cloud castle,
A dream, an apparition,
Without essence, but with qualities that can be seen.

Know all things to be like this:
As a magician makes illusions
Of horses, oxen, carts and other things,
Nothing is as it appears.

Samadhi Raja Sutra

We’ll continue this thought process in the next week’s post.

Metta ….May I be well and happy. My I live in safety. May I be healthy and strong. May I live with ease. May all beings be well and happy. May all beings live in safety. May all beings be healthy and strong. May all beings live with ease.

Namaste — Be in Peace.

Ron Rink

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Just click the links that are sort of Grey in color to take you to where you can learn more about each book and how you can purchase a copy for your own library.

Stephanie Kaza — Hooked!: Buddhist Writings on Greed, Desire, and the Urge to Consume

Stephanie Kaza, an amazing writer and Buddhist teacher I knew from my 36 years living in Vermont, gathers key Buddhist thinkers to reflect upon aspects of consumerism, greed and economics. Certainly, many other authors have examined consumerism from the lens of their religious traditions, but this book’s Buddhist perspective is unusual, and its pairing of consumerist critiques with core Buddhist concepts is generally fruitful. Check this one out! Hooked!

Stephanie Kaza — Mindfully Green: A Personal and Spiritual Guide to Whole Earth Thinking

Another one from my Vermont friend — Stephanie Kaza, a biologist and professor of Environmental Studies at University of Vermont, combines Zen Buddhist practices and teachings with her 40 years as an environmentalist for this guide to enlightened environmentalism, proposing a belief in the interdependence of people and nature as the genuine way to “go green”: “When we come to see ourselves as part of the green web of life… we are naturally drawn to respond with compassion.” A good read for Buddhists or anyone from any religion. Mindfully Green

Anam Thubten — No Self – No Problem

No Self – No Problem
shows how to realize the ultimate meaning of life in each moment by dissolving all notions of ego-identity. It asks that spiritual seekers wake up to their true nature, which is already enlightened. Based on Buddhist wisdom traditions, this easy-to-read book discusses in simple, but profound and inspiring language, how we can live a life full of love, satisfaction, and happiness. No Self – No Problem

Sharon Salzberg — The Kindness Handbook

“It takes boldness, even audacity, to step out of our habitual patterns and experiment with a quality like kindness–to work with it and see just how it might shift and open up our lives. This book is an invitation to do just that. — From The Kindness Handbook