Buddha preached about Anatta .

 

Beijing Anattalakkhaṇa-Sutta
and Economics Samyuktagamasutra 

Selflessness is a major concept of Buddhism and also is one of the most elusive concepts. Buddha never advocated nor participated in debates on issues of metaphysics, but right after the first sermon as the core for the entire Dharma is the Four Noble Truths, he did not hesitate at all to raised the concept of selflessness.

Indeed, at that time outside the first five disciples just been listening to a sermon on the Four Noble Truths, then no one knows the Dharma of the Buddha is. In the religious context of the time most of them believe in a kind soul eternal and unchanging ( jiva, atman ... ) exist within each individual soul and a great thing or the Supreme Self ( Paramatman, Brahma ...) outside the human identity and belonging somewhere in the universe.

For the Buddha, all phenomena are constantly formed, with no exceptions at all, so they do not contain any entity fixed or unchanging. Buddha just accept me as an illusion created by the mind, the ego is only valuable in terms of the convention. He preached that capture an ego or the ego is just a way of assimilating the structure (the five aggregates) temporarily create an instance, as a "me" stable to cling to it. The attachment is the cause that brings suffering and tied us in samsara.

Buddha preached about selflessness in so many different scriptures. But in general, the two main instruction: The first way is demolishing the mistaken idea that "that's what I am", "I am he", "she is the intersection of the I" ... , the second is to reject the idea that a population or the overall structure of many of the atta structure. For the first way Buddha preached selflessness link with the concept of the first year of creating individual profiles people called five aggregates; as preached by the second method, the Buddha linked with the concept of selflessness twelve knot called the duodenum connected conditions.

In general, when you want to learn a concept, it should put it in the context of the whole of the Dharma, which is helping us to see more accurately the position and role of such concepts contact Other concepts of how doctrine. Furthermore a panoramic view that will help us get the whole shop concepts in Dharma a more coherent way, and when get accustomed to his customary way, the understanding will become more direct, not required each time to resort to reasoning and analysis. Indeed a fragmentary understanding can bring confusion, shallow or constrained.

Here are two short texts record the Buddha's teachings represent two ways out of this lecture.

 

I. Economic Anattalakkhaṇa-Sutta 
(Discourse on)

(The Vietnamese translation below is based on the French version translated by Mohan Wijayaratna from Pali ( Sermons du Bouddha , Cerf, 1988, tr.123-126). Original in Samyutta / Candidate? Nikaya -  Samyutta-Nikaya , ed . PTS, 1888-1902, III, 66-67; Vinayapitaka, ed. PTS, from 1879 to 1883, I, 13-14). This text is considered the second scripture in the Four Noble Truths, the Buddha preached for the first disciples year he Parivrajikas.

"I heard like this.

Bhagavan who once lived in Deer Park (Mrgadava), the Korea Forest Park (Isipatana), near Balaam complaints (Benares) [...]. Bhagavan who spoke and told the five monks as follows:

" This, monks, appearance (body) not atta (according to the definition usually  self or  atman can be understood as  'soul ' ) . If it's true form atta, this Monks, where they form suffer illness (the self is defined as something immutable and eternal, but the body must suffer illness, so the body is not ego) , and for the body, people can tell that: "For me, my body [ can only ] like this that can not be like other " (if it is true that the ego body, it can not Other changes to become better) . Meanwhile, because the body is not atta [ so ] body suffered illnesses (impermanence) and it would be impossible can tell that " For me, my body [can only] like this that can not be like other " .

"This, monks, is not sensual atta. If true sensual is the Self, the monks, the sensual Where have suffered illness (ie giving rise sensual pain , enjoy or neutral) , and [ how ] to sensual people will be able to tell that: "For me, the sense of my feelings [ can only ] like this that can not be so different as to be ". Meanwhile, because sensual not atta [ so ] sensual suffered illness and people will not be able to may sure: "For me, it's sensual I [ only be ] like this that can not be like other ".

"This, monks, the perception is not the Self. If the perception, the monks, it is true that the perception atta did not suffer illness (mistake) , and [as So] for the perception people will be able to tell that :  "For me, it is my understanding [only] like this that can not be like other" .  Meanwhile, because of the perception atta mode is not [so] the perception suffered illness and for the perception is that you will not be able to may sure :  "For me, it is my understanding [only ] like this that can not be like other " .

"This, monks, the daily routine is not the Self .  If the routine, the monks, that is atta where the routine suffered everything illness (ie the stick cock-eyed expression of ignorance and wrong) , and [so] for routine people will be able to tell that: "For me, my routine [can only] such that How else can not be " .  Meanwhile, because routine is not atta [so] routine suffered illness, and for routine, people will not be What some may say that : "For me, my routine [can only] like this that can not be like other " .

"This, monks, knowledge (consciousness) not atta .  If true knowledge is the Self, the monks, the knowledge did not suffer the disease (the false expression) , and [so] for the knowledge they will be able to tell that: "For me, to my knowledge [only] like this that can not be like other " .  Meanwhile, because tri Self knowledge is not something [to be] knowledge to bear on diseases and knowledge they will not be able to may sure: "For me, to my knowledge [only] like this which can not be like other " .

-  Hey, the monks think? Form permanent or impermanent?

-  Buddha, the form is ephemeral.

-  If a thing is impermanent, it is what suffering or happiness?

-  Buddha, what is suffering.

-  Well, if what is impermanent is suffering, suffer variation, then for those things one could sure: "It's mine, it's me, that is the intersection of I "or not?

-  Buddha, is not certain.

-  Hey, the monks think? Sensual permanent or impermanent?

-  Buddha, the sensual is impermanent.

-  If a thing is impermanent, it is what suffering or happiness?

-  Buddha, what is suffering.

-  Well, if what is impermanent is suffering, suffer variation, then for those things one could sure: "It's mine, it's me, that is the intersection of I "or not?

- Buddha, is not certain.

- Hey, the monks think? Perception permanent or impermanent?

- Buddha, perception is impermanent.

- If a thing is impermanent voila suffering or happiness?

- Buddha, there is suffering .

-  Well, if what is impermanent is suffering, suffer variation, then for those things one could sure: "It's mine, it's me, that is the intersection of I "or not?

- Buddha, is not certain.

- Hey, the monks think? Routine permanent or impermanent?

- Buddha, routine is impermanent.

- If a thing is impermanent voila suffering or happiness?

- Buddha, there is suffering.

- Well, if what is impermanent is suffering, suffer variation, then for those things one could sure: "It's mine, it's me, that is the intersection of I "or not?

- Buddha, is not certain.

- Hey, the monks think? Knowledge permanent or impermanent?

- Buddha, knowledge is impermanent.

- If a thing is impermanent voila suffering or happiness?

- Buddha, there is suffering.

- Well, if what is impermanent is suffering, suffer variation, then for those things one could sure: "It's mine, it's me, that is the intersection of I "or not?

- Buddha, is not certain.

"In short, the monks, for whatever that body, whether belonging to the past, future or present, both internal or external, gross or subtle, trivial or great, away, or next to ,  it must look exactly like them by the unerring wisdom to say to myself : 'This is not mine, I am not of those things, they're not my atta " .

"In short, the monks, for whatever is sensual, though belonging to the past, future or present, both internal or external, gross or subtle, trivial or great, away, or next to, it must look exactly like them by the unerring wisdom to say to myself: 'This is not mine, I am not of those things, they're not my atta " .

"In short, the monks, for anything pertaining to perception, whether belonging to the past, future or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, trivial or great, away, or next to, it must look exactly like them by the unerring wisdom to say to myself: 'This is not mine, I am not of those things, they're not my atta " .

"In short, the monks, whatever is routine, even belong to the past, future or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, trivial or great, way remote or on the side, it must look exactly like them by the unerring wisdom to say to myself: 'This is not mine, I am not of those things, they're not my atta ".

"In short, the monks, whatever is knowledge, though belonging to the past, future or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, trivial or great, away or besides, it must look exactly like them by the unerring wisdom to say to myself: 'This is not mine, I am not of those things, they're not my atta ".

"This, monks, if known by looking at everything like that, a knowledgeable practitioner will no longer cling to the body, not cling to sensual figure, no longer cling to the perception, not still cling to routine, no longer cling to the knowledge. When removing them will no longer crave more. When no longer cling again, the disciple who was also freed themselves from every desire. Once freed from all desires, the disciple who was also realized that: "[World of] emancipation is also like that! ", and his disciples will understand was: "Everyone rebirth was destroyed, only pure almond Way Act exist, what is to stop over, no longer anything save to wait to be done, there's nothing more to that form " .

Bhagavan who preaches as above. Five monks have agreed labor and welcomes his teachings. Moreover, even while they still are in a lecture, any pollution of the mind has in turn been disinfected. At that time show up in this world six Arhat.

 

II- Deduction in Samyuktagamasutra
(Samyutta)

(The Vietnamese translation below is based on the French version translated by Jean Eracle from Chinese ( paroles du Bouddha, tirees primitive de la tradition , Ed. du Seuil, coll. Sagesse, 1991, pp. 142-144). The original business Tripitaka in Japan (Taisho Shinshu daizokyo edition  Issaikyo Taisho Kanko Kai , Tokyo, 1924-1932, II, 100.195, p. 444c)

"I heard like this.

Once the Buddha lived in Rajgir (Rajagriha), on Vulture Peak (Grdhrakuta) in the bamboo gardens Ka-lan-da (Karanda)

There is a practice Brahmin named Bat-sa (Vasta) look to where the Buddha was resting. After uttering greetings Buddha [formal politeness] sat aside.

He asked the Buddha spoke as follows:

- "Lord Gautama! In all beings have a self?"

Buddha remained silent and did not answer.

Bat-sa asked:

- "Well, no self?"

Again the Buddha did not answer anything.

Then Bat-sa self thought like this:

- "I have asked the monk Gautama repeatedly on this subject, but He remained silent and did not know how to answer."

Who then, servant is Ananda-momentum is beside Tathàgata to most fans. Ananda-momentum hear those words said to the Buddha as follows:

- "Dear Exalted Christ! Why Bhagavan who did not answer the question of Vatsa? If Bhagavan did not answer, he would say:" I asked the Tathagata, but the Tathagata does not know how to answer How? ", and so only make him more confident in his incorrect views and not others?

The Buddha told Ananda-momentum like this:

- "Before he had raised the question like this:" Everyone has the phenomenon of self? ", And [ask] how not [a way] to make him believe in the views Mistakes of him?

Because there is no ego, [so] if I answered his question, I will go against the principles of the Path.

Why so?

Because there is no ego in all phenomena, so also does the ego that I may answer him? If you do so, I just reinforces his bewilderment ever.

Again, this Ananda-momentum, if I tell you that there is ego, we will fall into everlasting concept; and if I tell you that there is no ego, I will fall into nothingness concept.

When Tathagata preaching the Dhamma, the Tathagata both extremes dismiss him and keep the path in between. Because all phenomena are gone, they are not durable, but again there is continuity, [so] they are not destroyed.

[Then] they are not durable, [but] nor destroyed. Nothing is due to the reason that the one can the other, this is because the other one was born but born; and precisely because of this that the other was not born nor born.

Therefore, because of ignorance but there is no causation [of business], because the cause of the artifacts [of business] but have the knowledge, the cause should have overall knowledge-determined body-mind-spirit, For body-determining cause-mental that has six base [of six functions] (five functions sensual and mental function) , the cause of six establishments [of six functions] should have the contact; because exposure causes should be sensual; the cause should be sensual lust; the cause hunger should have attachment; For VAM cause crowding should be the formation; For reasons forming the students; because the cause of the students should have aging and death, and all the grief, hardship, pain, regret and even a large mass suffering.

[So] when the cause of termination, the consequences of termination, [which means] when ignorance ends, the artifacts [of business] terminated; While the artifacts [of business] termination, termination knowledge; when knowledge ends, the overall body-mind-spirit-determined termination; While overall body-mind-spirit-determined termination, six basis [of six functions] terminated; when six basis [of six functions] termination, the termination contacts; when the exposure ends, sensual terminated; when sensual termination, termination hunger; While ending hunger, clinging terminated; While clinging to an end, the formation of termination; While the formation of termination, the termination of birth; when the students finished, aging and death terminates including grief, hardship, pain, regret, and even a large mass of suffering ".

After Buddha preached these things, the monks were receiving hear her teachings with joy and together put into practice ".END=VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=THICH TAM GIAC AND THICH CHAN TANH.VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN PRAYED BUDDHIST MONASTERY AND VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN GOLDEN LOTUS MONASTERY.AUSTRALIA,ADELAIDE AND SYDNEY.17/7/2015.