From: raj@globe1.att.com (Rajendra P Sharma)
Subject: The absence of True Self
Date: 30 Mar 92 17:09:17 GMT

				......
				
       The Perfect One then preached  to  the  five  monks  on  the
       absence  of the True Self in anything that the senses or the
       mind can grasp.

				......
				
       "O monks, the thing variously called thought  and  mind  and
       discriminative consciousness is the very same thing to which
       the ignorant common people  cling,  thinking,  "this  is  my
       self."  It  would be better, monks, if they were to approach
       the body, rather than the mind, as the  self.  The  body  is
       seen  enduring  for  many  years,  but  this thing variously
       called thought and mind  and  discriminative  consciousness,
       this  by  night and day dissolves as one thing and reappears
       as another."

       "As a monkey faring through jungle and forest  catches  hold
       of a bough, and having let go takes hold of another, even so
       does this  thing  variously  called  thought  and  mind  and
       discriminative   consciousness,   this   by  night  and  day
       dissolves as one thing and reappears as another."

       The body, monks, is not the self. For if it were,  it  would
       not  be  subject  to  disease, and it would be exactly as we
       might wish it to be. So  also  with  feelings,  perceptions,
       predisposing     mental   formations,   and   discriminative
       consciousness. For if, monks,  the  consciousness  were  the
       self,  it  would  not be subject to anguish, and it would be
       exactly as we might wish it to be."

       "Monks,  what  do  you  think?  Is  the  body  permanent  or
       perishable?"

       "Perishable, Lord," answered the monks.

       "And that which is perishable, does it cause pain or lasting
       happiness?"

       "It causes pain, Lord."

       "But is it correct to regard what is perishable and  painful
       as 'this is my ego, this is my soul, this is my true self?'"

       "Certainly not, Lord."

       "As with body, monks, so also  with  feelings,  perceptions,
       predisposing    mental    formations,   and   discriminative
       consciousness. Would it be correct to regard  any  of  these
       aggregates, perishable and painful, as 'this is my ego, this
       is my soul, this is my true self?'"

       "That is impossible, Lord."

       "Well, monks, that being the case, he who is able to see all
       things  as they really are will regard all bodies, feelings,
       perceptions,     predispositions,     and     discriminative
       consciousness,  be  they  past,  present, or future, be they
       internal or external, gross or subtle, far or near, as 'none
       of  these is my ego, none of these is my soul, none of these
       is my true self.'"

       "Considering this, O monks, the wise  Aryan  disciple  turns
       away  from body, feelings, perceptions, predispositions, and
       discriminative consciousness. Turning  away  from  them,  he
       becomes  free from craving; through being free from craving,
       he becomes emancipated; and in him who  is  emancipated  the
       knowledge arises: 'I am free; rebirth is exhausted; lived is
       the life religious; nothing more remains to be  done;  there
       is no more of life under finite conditions.'"

       Thus spoke Sakyamuni Buddha; and well pleased were the monks
       with his words..............................................
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       [From Robert Allen Mitchell's "The Buddha: His Life Retold,"
       Paragon  House,  New  York,  NY,  1989  (pages 58-59)]

       ---  A "Beautiful Book to read."
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