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**johnuioyer** · 12-13-2011, 11:42 PM

1. Non-Self

To answer this question, I will use a cartoon as an example for explanation, .e.g. Ben10. When we see Ben in television, we would see or feel that the boy runs and fights. If fact, it is not the same boy runs and fights, it is just so many pictures show continuously very fast. Our eyes are not sufficiently fast to capture each particular picture at a time, so we feel that the boy is really running and fighting.

Another explanation is a fire on a candle. We would see or feel that the fire on a candle exists and is the same fire until it ends. However, if we use a special or high technology video camera to record it and replay slowly, we will see the truth that in fact such fire appears and disappears all the times. Our eyes are just too slow to capture this.

This concept is applied to ‘Self’. We may feel that we have same sole all the times because our mind is too slow or not sufficiently fast to see the truth that the soul births and ends all the times. I do not request you to believe this as you are the only one who can prove this to yourself. (I cannot prove your sole to you.) If you practice in a right way, you will be able to see this truth by yourself.

2. Craving

You want to stop carving. If you can stop carving, it means that you can control your mind and control carving, so you have self. This is contrary to the Buddha’s teaching.

Three things which make us crave things are ‘greed’, ‘hate’ (or angry), and ‘delusion’. We call them as carving (or ‘Tanha’). We are driven by one or more of these three things whole day and whole life.

Without the Buddha’s teaching, people will do one of these two things, i.e. follow carving or fight to control or stop carving. Buddha’s way is the middle of those two sided ways. A Buddhist is aware of those carvings by having ‘Sati’ (awareness or skillful attentiveness) and does not follow them and also does not fight to control them.

We call the Four Noble ‘Truth’, right?. So, a Buddhist needs to practice in order to know the ‘Truth’. We do not practice to control those carving or stop carving. If you can control or stop carving, it would support you to believe in more self. This will be contrary to the Buddha’s teaching. On the other way round, if you see the truth that you cannot control or stop carving, you will believe more in no-self. How could your mind be yours given that you could not control it? If you can control your mind why don’t you order it to think only happiness for the whole life. (Do not think anything unhappy.)

Again, we practice to know the truth. What truth? The ‘Four Noble Truth’. The four noble truth starts from ‘suffering’ (Dukkha). What is suffering? It is our body and mind. In order to understand this you should understand Characteristics Common to All Conditioned Things (‘Samannalakkhana’).

Your may read my comments nos. 16 and 21 in the below thread for more information.
http://www.buddhismwithoutboundaries...rvation./page2

3. The Buddha said friends are something like the whole of holy life because if you do not have the Buddha or any follower of the Buddha as your friend, you will never have chance to learn Buddha’s teaching. If you have only bad friends, they will drag you to do bad things and will have a bad future or consequence. If you have the Buddha or any follower of the Buddha as your friend, you will have chance to learn Buddha’s teaching, and have chance to get out of this wheel of rebirth.

Your romantic relationship will make you suffered because everything has its beginning has an end. Your lover may betray you later, may die, or may be injured or hurt etc. which can make you suffered. If there is a meeting, there will be a departure. You will suffer at the time of departure. At the time of keeping relationship, you will also worry about your lover. At the early stage which you court your lover, you will also want/need to him/her to love you. So, you have chance to be suffered all along.

However, if you do not intended to be a monk, you can have your lover and have household life. It is possible for many household life persons to achieve the 'Stream-winner' provided that you need to practice (on the right way).

12-13-2011, 11:42 PM	#17
johnuioyer Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 702 Senior Member	1. Non-Self To answer this question, I will use a cartoon as an example for explanation, .e.g. Ben10. When we see Ben in television, we would see or feel that the boy runs and fights. If fact, it is not the same boy runs and fights, it is just so many pictures show continuously very fast. Our eyes are not sufficiently fast to capture each particular picture at a time, so we feel that the boy is really running and fighting. Another explanation is a fire on a candle. We would see or feel that the fire on a candle exists and is the same fire until it ends. However, if we use a special or high technology video camera to record it and replay slowly, we will see the truth that in fact such fire appears and disappears all the times. Our eyes are just too slow to capture this. This concept is applied to ‘Self’. We may feel that we have same sole all the times because our mind is too slow or not sufficiently fast to see the truth that the soul births and ends all the times. I do not request you to believe this as you are the only one who can prove this to yourself. (I cannot prove your sole to you.) If you practice in a right way, you will be able to see this truth by yourself. 2. Craving You want to stop carving. If you can stop carving, it means that you can control your mind and control carving, so you have self. This is contrary to the Buddha’s teaching. Three things which make us crave things are ‘greed’, ‘hate’ (or angry), and ‘delusion’. We call them as carving (or ‘Tanha’). We are driven by one or more of these three things whole day and whole life. Without the Buddha’s teaching, people will do one of these two things, i.e. follow carving or fight to control or stop carving. Buddha’s way is the middle of those two sided ways. A Buddhist is aware of those carvings by having ‘Sati’ (awareness or skillful attentiveness) and does not follow them and also does not fight to control them. We call the Four Noble ‘Truth’, right?. So, a Buddhist needs to practice in order to know the ‘Truth’. We do not practice to control those carving or stop carving. If you can control or stop carving, it would support you to believe in more self. This will be contrary to the Buddha’s teaching. On the other way round, if you see the truth that you cannot control or stop carving, you will believe more in no-self. How could your mind be yours given that you could not control it? If you can control your mind why don’t you order it to think only happiness for the whole life. (Do not think anything unhappy.) Again, we practice to know the truth. What truth? The ‘Four Noble Truth’. The four noble truth starts from ‘suffering’ (Dukkha). What is suffering? It is our body and mind. In order to understand this you should understand Characteristics Common to All Conditioned Things (‘Samannalakkhana’). Your may read my comments nos. 16 and 21 in the below thread for more information. http://www.buddhismwithoutboundaries...rvation./page2 3. The Buddha said friends are something like the whole of holy life because if you do not have the Buddha or any follower of the Buddha as your friend, you will never have chance to learn Buddha’s teaching. If you have only bad friends, they will drag you to do bad things and will have a bad future or consequence. If you have the Buddha or any follower of the Buddha as your friend, you will have chance to learn Buddha’s teaching, and have chance to get out of this wheel of rebirth. Your romantic relationship will make you suffered because everything has its beginning has an end. Your lover may betray you later, may die, or may be injured or hurt etc. which can make you suffered. If there is a meeting, there will be a departure. You will suffer at the time of departure. At the time of keeping relationship, you will also worry about your lover. At the early stage which you court your lover, you will also want/need to him/her to love you. So, you have chance to be suffered all along. However, if you do not intended to be a monk, you can have your lover and have household life. It is possible for many household life persons to achieve the 'Stream-winner' provided that you need to practice (on the right way).
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