DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - Conditioned Existence is devoid of any unchanging, inherent self-nature?

**ChexEcodece** · 06-29-2011, 12:43 AM

Does this basically just mean that everything in [conditioned] existence, including ourselves, are constantly in the process of change and therefore nothing remains fixed from one moment to the next? Is this what the term 'non-self' means?

I've always struggled to understand the meaning of this word. Is it that we don't have a 'fixed', permanent self or identity?

Yes and yes.

"Non-self" means no (permanent) self can be found because all conditioned things, including any "self" thoughts & identity, are constantly in the process of change.

"Non-self" also means, because conditioned things are constantly in the process of change, we can never claim them to be "ours" because the process of change will inevitably take those things away from us; dispossess us.

We can ask the questions: "Do I have a permanent identity?" "Is my identity today the same as my identity when I was five years old?"

But permanent peace can be found, namely, Nirvana (the end of greed, hatred and delusion).

Kind regards

Element

06-29-2011, 12:43 AM	#6
ChexEcodece Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 471 Senior Member	Does this basically just mean that everything in [conditioned] existence, including ourselves, are constantly in the process of change and therefore nothing remains fixed from one moment to the next? Is this what the term 'non-self' means? I've always struggled to understand the meaning of this word. Is it that we don't have a 'fixed', permanent self or identity? Yes and yes. "Non-self" means no (permanent) self can be found because all conditioned things, including any "self" thoughts & identity, are constantly in the process of change. "Non-self" also means, because conditioned things are constantly in the process of change, we can never claim them to be "ours" because the process of change will inevitably take those things away from us; dispossess us. We can ask the questions: "Do I have a permanent identity?" "Is my identity today the same as my identity when I was five years old?" But permanent peace can be found, namely, Nirvana (the end of greed, hatred and delusion). Kind regards Element
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