The true anatman (no Self) philosophy maintains the ideal of universal oneness. “No Self” speaks to our position in the cosmos and our ego. “…the intellect and… the ego are the primary causes of all pollution. It is not by the elimination of intellect, but by understanding its proper function, that we eradicate the source of pollution (Graef 45).” Our egos inherently cause us to label and claim things in the context of their usefulness to us – my dog, my land, my possessions and personality identify me. The ego is the essence that a majority of individuals cling to as their identity or "Self." Once one realizes anatman, they may finally abandon their ego and, not merely comprehend, but completely feel with all of their being the inseparable connection between themselves and the cosmos. We, as humans, are not above or below any other aspect of creation – we are one with the cosmos. In the words of the Buddha Gotama:
…with spiritual awakening comes the realization that we are not just a tiny speck in the universe, two hands, two legs, a face, and a mind, but that we embrace all existence. Awakening brings the realization that we are no less than the universe itself.
We are as inseparable from the universe as the universe inseparable from us. This unitive cosmological view alters the way one views the world, creating an indivisible bond between humanity and all of creation. Anatman gives us a conscious responsibility for the wellbeing of the universe as it is inseparable from our own wellbeing.
Graef, Sunyana. "The foundations of ecology in Zen Buddhism." Religious Education 85 (1990). Academic Search Premier.
23 April 2009
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ReplyDeletePART 1
This is not a critique of Anatman philosophy, but rather my reading of the several concepts it utilizes in order to explain itself within language. The Anatam philosophy calls for a certain kind of thinking, or rather - I have already over-stepped 'myself' here - a certain kind of experience which is outside the realm of experience since it is 'no-self.'
In other words (how else can I explain myself here) Anatman is a meditative level which one needs to experience in order to speak about. One needs to achieve an experience which must exceed the limits of language, but then in order to 'communicate' it to the other (person, group, community)-one must return to language to explain that which by definition cannot be explained in language. My reading simply shows the contradictions that appear when one tries to explain such an experience linguistically. This is not to contradict Anatman but to show what language does. I have not experienced Anatman, so how can I speak about it? Without denials.
I am sure one can achieve it with years of practice, but how can I show its appearance in language. My theory is that the experience of no-self appears in language however, it erases itself within language ( we're already in trouble with that sentence). Buddhism insists on living in the present, but what deconstruction insists on is that once we enter language the experience or event of presence or the present is impossible, therefore, Buddhism needs to obviate language. My reading investigates several concepts:
Universal Oneness
Ego
Concept of Property
connection/separation
bond – between x
In other words what I'll try to deconstruct here is the concept of a/the 'body' itself.
I'll finish this thought later.
-DAVID W