6.3. Anatta
Relationship between a self and the world
There's a lot of academic quibbling on how to translate the Pāḷi term anatta, Sanskrit anātman, but whether you consider it to be 'non-self', or 'not self', or 'not oneself', more important is the understand of the relationship it is referring to.
If x is anything in the entire physical or mental universe, and i as a self: - x ≠ i (x is not me) - i ≠ x (I am not x) - i ∌ x (I do not contain x) - x ∌ i (x does not contain me) - i ∉ x (I am not in x) - x ∉ i (x is not in me)
These ideas are frequently found in Pāḷi texts in relation to the five aggregates
na rūpaṃ attato samanupassati, na rūpavantaṃ vā attānaṃ, na attani vā rūpaṃ, na rūpasmiṃ vā attānaṃ.
He does not the body as oneself, or oneself as having a body, or the body within oneself, or oneself within the body.
-- SN41.3 dutiyaisidattasutta
And likewise for every other aggregate.
It is also expressed in terms of every element of sense experience.
idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cakkhuṃ na maññati, cakkhusmiṃ na maññati, cakkhuto na maññati, cakkhuṃ meti na maññati.
Here, monks, a monk does not imagine a self as the eye, does not imagine a self in the eye, does not imagine a self coming from the eye, does not imagine the eye is mine.
-- SN35.30 samugghātasāruppasuttaṃ
And likewise for every other component of sense experience.
Three kinds of self
This common Pāḷi expression reveals three different kinds of selves
netaṃ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā'ti This is not mine, this is not me / I am not this, this is not my self.
The first, netaṃ mama, is a self in relation in material things, which can possess and own and control things. The one that has.
The second, nesohamasmi, is a psychological self which we identify with as the subject of experience, from which will and intention flow, the one that acts.
The third, na meso attā, is a spiritual self or soul, an everlasting self, beyond the material realm. The one that is.
The Buddha denied the independent existence of any of these.
Benefits of cultivating perception of anatta
"cha, bhikkhave, ānisaṃse sampassamānena alameva bhikkhunā sabbadhammesu anodhiṃ karitvā anattasaññaṃ upaṭṭhāpetuṃ. katame cha? sabbaloke ca atammayo bhavissāmi, ahaṅkārā ca me uparujjhissanti, mamaṅkārā ca me uparujjhissanti, asādhāraṇena ca ñāṇena samannāgato bhavissāmi, hetu ca me sudiṭṭho bhavissati, hetusamuppannā ca dhammā. ime kho, bhikkhave, cha ānisaṃse sampassamānena alameva bhikkhunā sabbadhammesu anodhiṃ karitvā anattasaññaṃ upaṭṭhāpetu"nti.
!!! translation
-- AN6.104atammayasuttaṃ
"seyyathāpi, āvuso, puriso sāratthiko sāragavesī sārapariyesanaṃ caramāno tiṇhaṃ kuṭhāriṃ ādāya vanaṃ paviseyya. so tattha passeyya mahantaṃ kadalikkhandhaṃ ujuṃ navaṃ akukkukajātaṃ . tamenaṃ mūle chindeyya, mūle chetvā agge chindeyya, agge chetvā pattavaṭṭiṃ vinibbhujeyya . so tattha pheggumpi nādhigaccheyya, kuto sāraṃ! evameva kho, āvuso, bhikkhu chasu phassāyatanesu nevattānaṃ na attaniyaṃ samanupassati. so evaṃ asamanupassanto na kiñci loke upādiyati. anupādiyaṃ na paritassati. aparitassaṃ paccattaññeva parinibbāyati. ‘khīṇā jāti, vusitaṃ brahmacariyaṃ, kataṃ karaṇīyaṃ, nāparaṃ itthattāyā’ti pajānātī"ti.
!!! translation
-- SN35.234 udāyīsuttaṃ
Giving up interest in self
sabbe dhammā anattā'ti,
yadā paññāya passati,
atha nibbindati dukkhe,
esa maggo visuddhiyā.All phenomena are not oneself, When one sees this with wisdom, Then one becomes dis-enchanted with suffering, This is the path to purification.
-- DHP20 Dhammpada, maggavagga, verse 279
"yo kho, rādha, anattā tatra te chando pahātabbo. ko ca, rādha, anattā? cakkhu kho, rādha, anattā. tatra te chando pahātabbo. rūpā… cakkhuviññāṇaṃ… cakkhusamphasso… yampidaṃ cakkhusamphassapaccayā…pe… mano anattā… dhammā… manoviññāṇaṃ… manosamphasso… yampidaṃ manosamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṃ sukhaṃ vā dukkhaṃ vā adukkhamasukhaṃ vā tampi anattā. tatra te chando pahātabbo. yo kho, rādha, anattā tatra te chando pahātabbo"ti. pañcamaṃ.
!!! translation
-- SN35.78 rādhaanattasuttaṃ
Meditation on Anatta
Transcript
!!! write Based on rādhaanattasuttaṃQ&A
Q: Do you have any questions or doubts at this point?