THE NON EXISTENCE OF A SELF

3 subheadings when learning about wisdom

  1. Realising the non existence of a self
    1. How to do this in meditation
      1. Generate merit- train in lower and medium scope
        1. understand the object ( the self)-
          • Who is to be refuted
        2. Thorough investigation
          • What are the full set of possibilities
        3. The self and aggregates are not the same
        4. The self and the aggregates are not different
    2. Refute self
      • “When you do not touch on the imputed thing,
      • You will not grasp it’s absence”-Engaging in the deeds of the Bodhisattvas
      • Seeing object m understand it and actually doesn’t exist
        • It is distinct in itself, because it is not the outcome of other conditions
        • It is self sufficient as an entity, because it is independent of anything else . It is not the outcome of anything else
      • Need to recognize it through vivid , personal mental experience through analytical process
      • If you do not find the proper object to refute, you will be in danger of falling into Nihilistic view– Nothingness- POT analogy. Component of POT’s -POT does not exist.
      • When we realise that this sense “I” isnt just something that we label the aggregates but it is established by body, mind,the aggregates themselves-form , feeling, perception, compositional factors, consciousness
      • 3 ways grasping at “I“
        • Those who have the view emptiness in their mindstreams- “I” is conceptional
        • Ordinary people who couldn’t care less about if the self is established by its own nature or not ( meaning that it exists inherently or not)-conventionally “I”
        • Those who with to establish that the “I” exist inherently- 8 worldly concern, self cherishing
    3. Refute all existence of all phenomena
      • self is not same nor different from the aggregates
    4. How to do this when not in meditation

2. Realising the non existence of phenomena

  1. Condition phenomena- anything that comes about from causes and conditions.- compounded parts
    • physical things do not inherently exist
      • The pot and the pillar are separate
      • The pot and pillar are one
      • Both one and separate are conceptual labels only
    • consciousness does not inherently exist
      • Primary minds perceive the basic identity of an object
      • Mental factors perceive the features of the object
      • This doesn’t just cover physical things but also mental concepts, thoughts, ideas
        • Apart from mere conceptual imputation made upon the basis of the object ( components), consciousness is not establish( inherent existent) on its own part
        • It’s either a) the same b) separate from its past and future moments in time
        • if morning consciousness, evening consciousness,2 consciousness in a day then is multiple consciousness.
        • Consciousness is empty-a conventional cognition, it does not exst on the ultimate level
          • The object
          • Consciousness
          • The occupation of the consciousness on the object
    • nonassociated compositional factors does not inherently exits
      • compounded phenomena that is neither matter nor consciousness
        • Time as an object
  2. Unconditioned phenomena- uncompounded parts
    • 2 types of cessation
      • Analytic cessation-meditation
      • Nonanalytic – when something does not happen or thing is not produced simply because the cause and conditions are not present
    • Space
      • no air, nothing, no matter
    • Emptiness
      • emptiness itself does not exist
      • It is divided into many components on the basis of imputation
      • Covers the whole range of particular bases of particular types of emptiness
      • Through analysis you can come to know whether these components can be established as either the same or separate in relation to the particular type of emptiness you are analysing
      • or whether the object in question is establish
  3. The way to develop special insight
    1. Single pointed concentration and analysis( wisdom)
    2. Repeat process
    3. Go through 8 mental state and develop meditative suppleness
    4. Analytic meditation effortless accompanies the state of fixation
    5. When you achieve this level, you gain the true Special Insight of emptiness.

“For things to exist inherently means that things are not dependent upon other factors for their existence.

But because things do depend upon other factors for there can be no inherently existence objects”

-Chandrakirti

“First, reverse your meritless state,

Next refute the self,

Finally the one view refutes all,

He who knows this is skilled”

-Aryadeva’s Four Hundred Verses