No-Self and Dependent Origination

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No-Self and Dependent Origination

• Phil 308i

2
The Story of Nagasena and King Milinda

• - Generally dated around the second century C.E.
• - Nagasenas Position (p.222)
• - The name Nagasena does not refer to a Self
  (atman) it is just a temporary, convenient
  designation for the aggregates.
• - Milindas response (p.222-223)
• - If it is true that there is no atman, then who
  is it that I am talking to? I am obviously
  talking to you, so your position must be false.

3
The Doctrine of No-Self

• Nagasenas response (p. 223-225)
• You came in a chariot today, but you are unable
  to identify it. You must be lying.
• The denial of atman, or unchanging essences, is
  not nihilism - something exists.

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Buddhaghosas Comment on No-Self

• No-self (anatman)
• The doctrine of no-self is neither
  annihiliationism nor eternalism. These are the
  two heresies. (p.225-6)
• Annihilationism - nothing exists. This is to
  outrun the truth. (p.225)
• Eternalism - everything exists eternally. This
  is to fall short of the truth. (p.225)

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Sensation and the Self

• The text seeks to refute three views about the
  self (p.226-228)
• 1. Sensation is the self.
• 2. The Self is something without sensation.
• 3. The Self is something that has sensation.

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Sensation and the Self

• Refutations
• 1. Sensation is the Self.
• This position is impossible, as sensations are
  transitory.
• 2. The Self is not sensation.
• This position is also impossible, as there is no
  cognition of a self without sensation. There is
  no thought, I am.
• The Self is something that has sensation.
• - If all sensations were to stop, there would
  be nothing else left. This would leave you with
  position 2.

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Sensation and the Self

• Refutations
• 1. Sensation is the Self.
• This position is impossible, as sensations are
  transitory.
• 2. The Self is not sensation.
• This position is also impossible, as there is no
  cognition of a self without sensation. There is
  no thought, I am.
• The Self is something that has sensation.
• - If all sensations were to stop, there would
  be nothing else left. This would leave you with
  position 2.

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Problems (Nagasena and King Milinda, cont.)

• Milinda If there is no self, what is it that is
  reborn? (p.228)
• Nasena the previous self causes the next
  self to be born, as a candle may be used to
  light another candle. (p. 228)

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Problems (Nagasena and King Milinda, cont.)

• Milinda If there is no self, how is karma
  accumulated? (p.228)
• Nagasena The evil deeds of the previous self
  cause karma to be formed in the next self.
  (p.229-230)
• There is some continuity between things fire is
  derived from a previous fire.

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Dependent Origination

• The Dependent Origination as the Middle Way
  (p.233)
• Dependent Origination is not a belief in being
  (things exist eternally, in themselves) or
  nonbeing (nothing exists at all).
• All things depend on other things for their
  temporary existence, so they do not exist in
  themselves. When the causes that support a thing
  are withdrawn, the thing ceases to exist.

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Dependent Origination, Cont.

• Twelve part cycle of Dependent Origination (233)
• Things actually do come into existence to say
  that something is dependent is not to say that it
  does not exist.
• The fundamental cause of dependent origination
  and the continued cycle of existence is bad karma
  created by ignorance and desire. Desire leads to
  attachment, the accumulation of karma, and
  rebirth.