At the Buddha's time there were many philosophies an religion around Atta and Sakkāya. Some off them took the form that the aggregates are Atta and with some saying particular aggregate is Atta.
In order to remove identity views in my opinion the following training would be beneficial:
- Eliminate the perception of self
- External form as a possession in relation to one self. My car, my wife, etc.
- With you expect some thing to be mine and something unwanted happens you become miserable
- Being in control
- Things going out of control becomes a pain
- Faculties and physical form being part of self
- Weakening eye sight would be a pain
- Conciousness of form being in relation to one self. This is what I say. I heard so.
- Sensation arising from contact effecting oneself as the subject. He hut me. It is too hot. He said good thing about me and made me happy.
- Perception being in relationship to self. My view.
- Realise there is no:
- Core or eternal part
What you have to realise is when you build a perception of one self and there is a gap in the perception of one self and reality misery follows. Generally perception of one self is superior or inferior and even at times if realistic as things change gaps will appear. Also you cannot always close the gaps and trying would be very tedious. Any expectation of one self will not always be met hence again resulting in misery. When you realise a certain perception is unrealistic you should abandon it and replace it with a realistic view. When you have fully dissolved the notion of a self and ego you are free from misery arising by grasping onto this wrong perception. Use of non self is also not very accurate as this it self is view but abandoning the identification or perceptions of self as with any perception cannot be very accurate and many lead to perceptions as there will always gaps. This is a paradigm shift in thinking. When you stop reacting hence do not create any unpleasant sensations regarding any gap or you do not identify gaps with a grasping or expecting it to be otherwise you know you do not have identity view any more. Initially this will be a temporary suspension until you get stream entry there you have seen something beyond the sense sphere.
Like wise meditation with a view to realise there is solid core and true nature of all mental and physical also helps realise and overcome the view on identities. As you progress in meditation you see that certain aspects of the aggregates are not permanent. Initially this will be physical form and the last will be perceptions (part of mental fabrications). Then you will see something beyond perception and sensation then your view is complete that there is noting which is eternal. This I have elaborated more in my answer to: How do I integrate Vipassana practice into daily life?
Also see:
