Religious Research

Religious Research

The “Non-Self” Phenomenon and Its Surrounding Problems in Buddhist Philosophy

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Amir Hashempour 1
Saied Geravand 2
1 MA, Religions and Denominations, Shahid Madani University of Azerbaijan, Tabriz, Iran
2 Associate Professor, Department of Religions and Denominations, Shahid Madani University of Azerbaijan, Tabriz, Iran
10.22034/jrr.2024.356321.2058
Abstract
One of the central doctrines of Buddhism is “anattā” or “non-self,” which serves as a key critique of the Hindu intellectual system. From this perspective, there is no independent self; instead, what we consider the self is made up of five aggregates. In fact, a person's nature is based on the idea that the “individual” is a constantly changing combination of these five skandhas. According to Buddha, the focus should not be on existence itself, but on the manifestations or phenomena that arise from existence. This concept of self is also referred to as the “process self,” meaning a self constructed from a series of ongoing, interdependent processes that are not fundamentally different from other constantly changing processes. Additionally, according to the middle path doctrine, “non-self” is seen as something between the extremes of being and non-being—neither an absolute being nor an absolute non-being. Therefore, it can be said that Buddha did not advocate for the complete negation of the self, but rather for a different kind of existence, that of the “non-self.” This article employs a descriptive-analytic method and draws on the teachings attributed to Buddha in the “three baskets” rather than later Buddhist literature to analyze and explain the concept of “non-self.”
Keywords
non-self
anattā
impermanence
emptiness/vacuity
saṃsāra
middle path
Subjects
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Religious Research
Volume 12, Issue 23 - Serial Number 23
September 2024
Pages 307-332