222: Non-self, No Soul in Daily Life

 In this talk, we explore the Buddhist teaching of Anattā (non-self) as it appears in everyday life. Through simple examples like eating, seeing, aging, and thinking, the speaker explains how mind and body function through cause and effect rather than a permanent “self” or soul. Listeners are encouraged to observe daily experiences mindfully to develop a direct, experiential understanding of non-self and deepen their meditation practice. 

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Sayar Myat 0:02

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa,Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa, Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa. Theravada Buddhism series, Dhamma talk number Forty-Five. Nonself, No Soul. Anatta in daily lives. We have discussed at length the nature of consciousness and its mental associates to understand non-self amongst other things in theory. Now let us see non-self Anatta in our daily lives before talking about Anatta. Let's review what Atta is individuality, personality is the wrong view of self in Pali Sakaya Diti Ego Id I Mine are the presentation of self atta. I bend, I stretch, I go, I climb, I win, I create that is Atta the ego in action. I am better, I'm smarter, I am correct, is atta the ego with jealousy and envy. I have existed since I was born. This sense of permanency at that belief in I was born with a soul is Adda upon every death I shifts to a new place of life is the concept of Adda. I did wholesome deeds to have a better existence and the next life. That's what Atta is. Now we are going to see what Anatta is. Whenever a is added to a word, it negate the previous meaning. Anatta is totally opposite to attack now anatta. This concept of atta is a wrong perception from the Buddhist point of view. These migrations of souls from one life to the other is in fact a continuous passing away of a mind and matter in every moment of the past, present, and future lives. We think this eye shift migrate from one life to the other, but in actuality, every moment a consciousness is arising and passing away. Throughout the life, and it has been doing so in the past, at present, and in future. It's a reality, it's a process, not simply a concept. Now let's see a nata in our daily life. I'll approach this with questions you can answer in your mind. Why does one want to eat? Why does one want to defecate? Why does one want to urinate? You have your answer wants to eat because one is hungry, because of hunger, hungry wants one to eat, because one is thirsty, because of thirst, one wants to drink. Because the colon is packed with waste. That's why ones want to defecate, and the bladder is full of urine. That's why one wants to urinate. Cause and effect, cause and effect, cause and effect. Now, do you make or do you create the consciousness with hunger or thirst or consciousness wanting to defecate or urinate? Are you making it? Are you creating it? The answer is no. You are not making it, you are not creating it. You are not involved. It is the natural body, bodily phenomenon that operates on its own accord. These processes make the desire to eat, desire to drink, desire to defecate and urinate. These conditions, these processes are the one that is making. Okay, next angle. This is something we do every day all the time. When you see something, do you know what the object is? When you hear something, do you know what sound it is? When you smell something, do you know what kind of smell it is? Of course you know, period. It may be a cat that you see, it may be a bell that you hear, or maybe a perfume that you smell when you see you know. When you hear, you know. When you smell, you know. When you taste or touch, you know. Knowing is there in all these activities? Do you have to make it or create it to see, smell, taste, touch or hear? Do you have to make the seeing consciousness, hearing consciousness, smelling consciousness, tasting consciousness, and touching consciousness to arise or to disappear? Are you directing it? Are you creating it? Are you making it? Think about it. Let's see. When a cat comes into the view of the eye, seeing arises. When a song comes in contact with the ear, hearing arises. When a rose comes in connection with the nose, smelling consciousness arises. Also a flavor comes in contact with the tongue, or when a hand touches a body, knowing arises. Prospective consciousness arises. Knowing, knowing, knowing, consciousness, conscious consciousness arises. When the external object and internal sensitivity come in contact or meet together. Together with conditions, external material object and the five internal sensitivities give rise to knowing. Knowing is consciousness. It arises and it disappears based on the changing conditions. That knowing, or you can call it a mind, or you can call it a consciousness, is subject to changing condition, and that is non-self and natta. There's no self in it, there's no soul in it. A set of conditions give rise to awareness or knowing or consciousness. Let's approach from another angle. When one becomes old, hair becomes gray, teeth fall off, joints eroded, skin wrinkles, and eyesight weaken, cause and effect. So what do most of us do? We dye our hair, fix the teeth, have cardaracts removed, or do cosmetic surgery. These are the things we do. People who have good medical insurance or people who have money. But the question is, do we really become younger or rejuvenate it? Think about it. Is wanting and trying not to look old, not to get sick or if possible, not to die or live longer. That's what Atta is. Wanting and trying not to get old, not sick or die. Not being able to escape from old age, sickness, and death are attaing to buckle the trend is atta, but not being able to control at all. From old age, sickness and death is an attack. Birth, old age, sickness and death are material and mental processes. It is uncontrollable. Nietzsche. It is not dependable. It has no essence. That's the reason this body and this mind. You, me and I is called Anatta, non-self. No soul. Rupa Dharma and Nama Dharma. But there's one more Dharma. Nibbana Dharma. Nibbana is also Dhamma. Nibbana Dhamma exists. And it has no beginning. And if there's no beginning, there's no end, period. If you don't start, there's no end. No need to end. It is a Dharma with no trace of materiality or mentality. There's no trace of materiality or mentality in this Nibbana Dharma. Consequently, you can say it is non-self andatta. Nibana is also nadda. Buddha clearly stated all Dharma isnad. And all the Dharma, there is no self, there is no soul. And this understanding of Anath comes from all activities, behavior, manners, and thoughts in our everyday life. So whenever opportunity arises, observe it and understand it that way. When you're bending, that's a process. When you're aiding, that's a process. When you're seeing, that's a process. They are all linked through the chains of cause and effect, cause and effect, cause and effect. Conditions, when conditions are met, a consciousness arises. When that condition breaks down or change, consciousness disappears kaput. Everyday life, at any time, all that you do is you have to put your attention towards it and understand that way. And if you do that repeatedly, diligently, every day, you will be able to experience not theoretical understanding, experiential understanding of Anatta will arise in you sooner than later. May all of you be able to practice mindfulness inside meditation and see and experience the concept of anatta as soon as possible. Thank you very much.