Questions tagged [self]
The self tag has no usage guidance.
139
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How to deal with mediocrity
I am mediocre at my job and I am fine with it. But lately, I am having this fear of losing my job because of my mediocrity and there are far more intelligent and skilled people than me. How do I deal ...
- 320
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How do the Vijñāna (Vinyana) get created?
There are countless beings in the 31 realms of existence, and they all seem to have a Vijñāna, or a perception of "self".
When one becomes a stream winner (e.g. sotapanna), the view of this ...
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If the Tathagata exists after death, is there anyone to witness it?
This is different from asking, "does the Tathagata exist after death? or not? or both? or neither?"
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Is belief in eternalism completely useless?
Is belief in karma due to eternalism completely useless?
I do not know why those without self view believe in karma, but belief in karma is said to be useful, so does it matter if your metaphysics ...
user19950
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What factors contribute to the act of walking?
What forces interact upon each other for a person to walk? Is it just the interplay of the senses and conditioning or is there free will/free action at play where you are actually the one choosing to ...
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What gives the subjective sensation of 'me', 'Awareness' tied to this specific body-mind complex?
What is it that experiences life from this particular body & mind that I have?
i.e. why am I experiencing the world from my body instead of yours?
I feel like an answer could be: because there isn'...
- 558
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294
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What does Buddhism say about the "self"?
Looking at the Noble Eightfold Path led me to the non-self:
that no unchanging, permanent self or essence can be found in any phenomenon.
But while I agree that in the grand scheme of things there ...
- 551
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Is the conventional self "conventional" in the same way as dharmas are?
Is the conventional self "conventional" in the same way as dharmas are?
So if the conventionality of dharmas means that they arise and disappear each moment, or that they don't exist from ...
user21635
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Which of the seven fold reasons does this fall under?
Which of the seven fold reasons does this fall under?
The conventional self is not different to all its parts (is composed only of parts) but not the same as any part (does not depend on any part)
...
user20628
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856
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Non-Self vs. depersonalization disorder
After quite some time of daily meditation, I feel less like having a real separate, permanent self (specific details see below, but it's a general question), which, in my opinion, could be regarded as ...
- 141
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What is a person (puggala)?
What is a person (puggala) in Buddhism?
What is the difference between a person (puggala) and other terms like self (atta) and sentient being (satta)?
Is a person (puggala) reborn into future lives?
...
- 36.9k
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Is the self like a rainbow and is it just as real? [closed]
No one can deny that a rainbow is as real as the term can be defined in any meaningful way.
You can point to it so that others can see it and you can even photograph it.
If a rainbow was a mind ...
- 176
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Does Buddhism have a view on the "gut feeling?"
Does Buddhism have a view or agree with the gut feeling? Is this considered the same as intuition?
- 395
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245
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How does an enlightened mind distinguish itself from all other phenomena?
How does an enlightened mind distinguish itself from all other phenomena?
There is one such person amidst a crowd of other people. Somebody shouts their name, and they say, "yes, that is I. I am ...
user17652
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How can I accept losing control of my mind and will?
After some reflection, I've noticed many of my mental hangups / dispositions (sankhara) were formed due to a deep seated fear of losing control over my mind / volition.
Examples that come to mind ...
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How does craving cause self-identity or self-habit?
From craving, there arises clinging, then from clinging, there arises existence or becoming, and then from becoming, we get the birth of the self-identity or self-habit.
But how does craving really ...
- 36.9k
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Do Buddhists claim that if there was a self it could not be annihilated?
Do Buddhists claim that if there was a self it could not be annihilated? I dimly remember reading this, but no argument or anything like that.
user19950
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A view of the self
I have often wondered about one particular riddle regarding the stages of the path. If Sakkāyadiṭṭhi, a view of the self, is one of the first fetters conquered at stream- entry, why is it that Māna, ...
- 545
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Anatta a tool or reality?
I understand that realizing anatta reduces the suffering. You realize there is no "I" to suffer, to have anxiety, to be insulted etc. That is indisputable. However, is this reality or is it ...
- 395
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There is a conventional self, so is anything conventionally permanent?
There is a conventional self, so is anything conventionally permanent? Answer from any reputable tradition.
user2512
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How to nullify the expectations?
Buddhist teachers say things like
Do not expect anything from anyone,
and also:
Do everything with good heart and expect nothing in return and you
will never be disappointed.
Such a wonderful ...
- 115
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452
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Why does 'thoughts' and 'memories' not part of aggregates?
In MN:44 it is said,
Visākha, the Buddha said that these five grasping aggregates are
identity. That is: form, feeling, perception, choices, and
consciousness. The Buddha said that these five ...
- 2,221
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A question about DN 23 and existence of soul
Here is a part of DN 23:
“Even though Master Kassapa says this, still I think that there’s no afterlife.”
“Can you prove it?”
“I can.”
“How, exactly, chieftain?”
“Suppose they were to arrest a bandit,...
- 305
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Understanding non-self, life and rebirth
Blessings to all,
I have had a difficult time trying to understand what it means by "non-self". I am certainly no expert in Buddhism but I was wondering if this life we have is just some subset of ...
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Why did Buddha put so much emphasis on no-self?
Why should we care if we have no-self or have a self. Ultimately it is of no help. I know any buddhist teacher will say that feelings or body are not-self, so you shouldn't get attached to it, but ...
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Does Yogacara and its Alayavijnana fail compared to a Permanent Self?
So I've been Reading a bit of the Buddhist's boogeyman Shankara and I admit I am maybe biased in writing this(I am open to any refutation of my view,but I have not seen any adequate logical refutation ...
- 297
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129
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What is the cause of imaginary dialogues in mind?
Most of the time, I have conversations in mind. Most of them, there is person , interviewing me. Other person: "Why don't you like that ?" Me: "I don't like it because ..."
This doesn't happen in ...
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Can trying to control the mind also lead to attachment?
When we become attached to our body, we do workouts, wear make-up and do lots of other things to gain good looks.
When we become attached to our money, we work to get more and more money.
Similarly, ...
- 705
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How come enlightened people don't have any laziness?
I just heard that enlightened people have zero laziness. How is it possible? What is "laziness" ? What is the connection between laziness and ego/desire?
Edit: Also that monk said: "Laziness is ...
- 705
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104
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Nature of rebirth
I want to understand the nature of rebirth. If one says that the next rebirth would depend on the degree of identification, does that mean that if I am not identified with body I will be reborn ...
- 495
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Who is experiencing the non self?
There is no self that is permanent. All this results from 5 aggregates, then who is experiencing the non self?
- 305
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Is this just a logic or experience about mind(reality)?
While doing self enquiry kind of meditation(also doing vipassana) there is feel of understanding/experience/logic that make myself convinced(but not strongly) that "me" is not the thoughts or the body ...
- 205
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Unconscious Grasping to a Self
In daily life, I guess my self-grasping is not very salient; people tell me I'm considerate, open. However, I've written stories in the past, and in my fiction I project these fantasies that are ...
user7302
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What does "self" mean? [duplicate]
I have had the impression that "self" has at least sometimes been thought of as "something" other than the 5 aggregates.
What does "self" mean?
What is "sense of self"?
- 552
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Buddhists advise against "me and mine" does that include times?
Buddhists advise against "me and mine" does that include times? Do Buddhists really talk about "my" future past and present?
If so, what are the nature of those times? Specifically: will "my" ...
user2512
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148
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Personal continuity in the absence of a persistent, unchanging self
How is personal continuity (including continuity at rebirth) explained in Buddhism in the absence of a persistent, unchanging self? Do all Buddhists agree on a single explanation? I am reading the ...
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Are all forms of Dukkha related to a sense of self?
A few days ago I started reading books about Paticcasamuppada because I realized how little and shallow was my understanding on this capital matter.
Despite getting the gist of it, I still have ...
- 2,104
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Are there any comparative studies done between Ashtavakra Gita and Buddhim?
I have been in search of a higher truth as far as I remember, like a stargazer looking for the brighter one and dropping the dimmer. I started from Christianity or generally from the Abrahamic ...
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Are there any attempts to prove the eternal blissful etc. self?
The mahaparinirvana sutra seems to claim that there is an eternal blissful and pure self
'Self' appears in the positive very many times in that sutra, e.g. here (Chapter 33) ,,,
Knowledge ["jnana"]...
user2512
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Is it possible to have awareness without a self-sense?
Is it possible to have awareness without a self-sense? Does an awareness presuppose a self being aware no matter how refined or subtle that sense of self might be? Or to reframe the question slightly ...
- 21k
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Is the Buddhist path one of 'selfless offering' or 'inner kindness'?
Just expanding on this answer is the Buddhist path one of 'selfless offering of oneself and efforts' or of 'inner kindness' i.e. kindness to oneself. Or is it both or neither. I've come across both ...
- 21k
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The idea of “self” in Buddhism
How does Buddhism define “self?” I read in some book that Buddha would avoid such questions, but I wonder why.
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What do Venerable Cha Mo's similes on the Flower's Scent and the Perfumed Rag mean with regard to satkāyadṛṣṭi?
In the Khemakabhikṣusūtra, 差摩比丘經, Sermon of the Monk Chà Mó, T99.29c06 Saṁyuktāgama sūtra #103 (readable in Pāli at 22.89 of the Saṁyuttamikāya)Venerable Chà Mó, who is Khemakabhikkhu in Pāli, gives a ...
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Did the Buddha according to the suttas mean anything else by the word "self" beyond simply the aspect of control/power?
It looks like according to [the Anatta-lakkhana Sutta][1] one aspect that is considered "self" by the Buddha is power or control. Why did he use the word "self" instead of just "complete control/power"...
- 552
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Buddhism after death
From what I understand the aggregates aren't self but now when a person dies and the material aggregates of his body dissolve then what remains who gets reincarnated ?.If there is no soul then what ...
- 495
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Did the Buddha ever define what he meant by "self"?
Added: I am asking this because I am not sure if anything I observe would be considered "self" according to the Buddha. I don't have this problem with craving or suffering because I can observe/...
- 552
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Why wouldn't one say "I am the watcher"?
Now separating self from perceptions for me is understandable. That Ego is just an illusion there is no self. But a question arises... Who is the watcher?
Can't I say that I am the watcher or is ...
- 495
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If the self is scientifically measured, what is the Buddhist view on this?
The concept of self is important in social psychology: self-concept, self-esteem, self-control, self-awareness, etc. As a science, these concepts are measured under scientific methods, and there are ...
- 645
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Is this a beginning of anatta? Where to go from here?
After years of abandoning Buddhism and becoming an agnostic, I somehow finally experienced/felt the Four Noble Truths yesterday, or at least the truth of the first three. Then the same thing happened ...
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Buddha's self-declaration without identity view and without conceit
In this question, the OP asked:
In the context of the four stages of enlightenment would it be right
to say that, without identity-view, there's no such thing as an
"enlightened person": ...
- 36.9k