After a discussion on the theory of atman and Brahman, we shall turn to consider Buddhist aeguments against the self - theory as follows :
The conception of permanent ego or atman and transcendental ego are not acceptable to the Buddhist. The Buddha flatly denies that there exists in man an ego entity, which is permanent, blissful and autonomous. His arguments against the self are analytical because they are based on the analysis of the personality of the five aggregates or Khanda 5.
The Buddha's arguments for the denial of the self based on the analysis of these five aggregates. In Anattalakkhana Sutta, the Buddha begins his argument with an attack on what may be called the autonomous self. The autonomy of the self is propounded by Uppanisadic thinkers, who say that the self is the inner controller of mind and body. The Buddha denies such a controller of the five aggregates. Since there is no mastery over them, one can very well say that they have no owner or controller.
The Buddha then criticizes the view that there exists in man a permanent and blissful entity. He says that, the person, when analyzed, is found to five aggregates and nothing else. He assert that these five aggregates are impermanent, subject to suffering and non - self. When the Buddha says that the five aggregates are not - self, which transcends these aggregates. According to the Buddha, the transcendental self does not exists. It can not be found either outside or inside the five aggregates.
It is interesting that the different ideas toward the problem of self between the Buddha and Uppanisadic thinkers are also a main controversial metaphysical concept between the two Western idealistic philosophers like Hume and Descarte.
Assuming the existence of the self, Uppanisad tries to locate it within the personality. Failing to identify it with any of the constituents of personality, Failing to identify it with any of the constituents of personality, he continues to assume that there must exist within the personality and is not satisfied with the results of the purely empirical investigation. This idea is compatible with the Cartsian's theory of " I am or I. "
The Buddha, on the contrary, assumes neither the existence nor non - existence of the self, and when the empirical investigation fails to reveal it, he concludes that no such self exists because there is no evidence for its existence. In rejecting the Cartesaian's view of the self, Hume maintains that the self does not exist because it can not be truly discovered. He says that on reflecting upon himself, he discovers only the stream of changing perceptions, no self is found. Hume then asserts that it is the composition of these perceptions, which forms the self. The Buddha says that.
" That five aggregates, monks, are impermanence ; whatever is impermanence, that is subject to suffering ; whatever is subject to suffering, that is not - self ; whatever is not - self, that is not mine, that I am not, that is not my self "
However, before we discuss we the theory of Anatta, according to the Anattalakhana Sutta, it is better to understand what is really the five Aggregate as follows.
By THE BUDDHA'S Core Teachings
No comments:
Post a Comment