Buddhism,theSelf,andNirvana

I.ThreeMarksofExistence
A.Impermanence(Anicca):Nothinginourexperienceisenduring.
B.NoSelf(Anatta):Thereisnoenduringself.

C.Suffering(Dukkha):Lackofsatisfactioninlifeisanessentialfeatureofthe
humanexperience.

II.TheFourNobleTruths
A.Lifeissuffering(Dukkha).
B.Thecraving(tanha)foridentityandpermanenceisthesourceofdukkha.
C.Thecessationofcravingdissolvesdukkha.

D.Thecessationofcravingisassociatedwiththepractice(s)containedwithin
theeightfoldpath:rightview,rightpurpose,rightspeech,rightaction,right
livelihood,righteffort,rightmindfulness,andrightconcentration.

E.Theconnectionbetweentheeightfoldpathandcessationofcravingmaybe
understoodinatleastoneoftwoways.(1)Engaginginthepracticesbrings
aboutcessationofcraving.(2)Thepracticesareanexpressionandsustaining
ofthecessationofcraving.
F. It would appear that nonattachment as such is the source cessation of
craving. To the extent that the practices embody this attitude, we may say
eitherthatthepracticesproducecessationofcravingorthattheattitudeof
nonattachment,attheheartofeachpractice,producescessationofcraving.
G.ManyBuddhistswouldemphasizethatcravingisnotdissolvedbyanykindof
direct effort to eliminate it. Hence, we should not aim at eliminating
sufferingassomekindofgoal.Inthisway,theeightfoldpathcanbeseenasa
setofpracticesthatshiftthefocusawayfromendingsufferingtothatwhich
containsthepowertoend.Thecessationofsufferingcanbeseenastheby
productofaction,ratherthanasitsgoal.

III.SelfandNoSelf
A.Buddhismteachesanatta(noself).

B.Whenweexplorewhattheselfmightbe,wewillpositeitherthebody(rupa)
orthemind(nama)(feelings/sensations,perceptions,dipositions,orIness
consciousness).Noneoftheseispermanent.Therefore,thereisno
permanentself.

C.TheBuddhasreasoningisbasedonhisempiricaltheoryofknowledge,thatis,
theviewthatwecanonlyknowwhatweexperience.Weonlyexperience
namarupa.Butnamarupaischanging.Sowecannotknowanypermanent
self.

D.TheNoSelfteachingissubjecttotwovariations.First,technicallyspeaking,
theBuddhasempiricismwouldonlyjustifytheclaimthatwecannotaffirm
anenduringself,notthatwearejustifiedindenyingitsexistence.Second,
eventhedenialofanenduringselfmaybecompatiblewiththeaffirmationof
atrueself.ManyBuddhistsinsistoninterpretingnoselfasnoindividual
self,noenduringsubjectobjectduality.Thisiscompatiblewiththepure,
contentlessawarenessitselfasenduring.Thisview,oftenfoundin
MahayanaBuddhism,iscompatiblewith(indeedseemstobeverysimilarto)
theAdvaitaVedantininterpretationofAtman.

IV.NirvanaandSunyata

A. Nirvana (lit. to be blown out) is the cessation of suffering (lack of

satisfaction)andthereforethecessationoftheattachmentsthatgiveriseto
suffering.
B.Nirvanaisnotaheavenlyindividualexistenceafterdeath.
C.Itisrealizableherewhilealiveonearththroughlivingwithoutthecravingfor
identity and permanence. The Buddha spoke of Nirvana in this sense as
nirvana with remainder, for as karma remains one continues living in the
body as residual karma burns out. Nirvana after death is called nirvana
withoutremainder,forthereisnomoreremainingkarmaandthus nofuel
forsamsara.
D.Sunyata(emptiness)referstothenothingnessofexistence.Realitydoesnot
consistofobjectsorthings.Thingsarebasedonconceptsandcategoriesof
the human mind. They are mental constructs, not actually existing,
independent realitiesoutthereintheworld.Thisemptinessiscompatible
with consciousness or awareness, for according to Advaita Vedanta, pure
consciousnessisawareness,whichisthepotentialityfornameandform.
E.NirvanicandSunyaticexperiencesaresimilarto,ifnotaspeciesof,monistic
experience.Theyinvolvethedissolutionofafalseego,whichperceivesitself
as a limited, separate self. These are states of consciousness that involve a
dissociationfromthefiveaggregates(body,senses,perception,dispositions,
andindividualego).Unlikeadvaita,manyBuddhistsrefusetogivethisstate
any positive description, though the Buddha did on occasion speak of
Nirvana as blissful (ananda), presumably because the emptiness is
paradoxicallysatisfyingorfillingoncethebeliefinenduring,independently
existingthingisdissolved.