Anatta vs. Atta (Atman)
3
Life, the Universe, and Everything: Anatta vs. Atta (Atman) and the meaning of Ubuntu http://fortytwostrong.blogspot.com/2007/07/anatta-vs-atta-atman-and-meaning-of.html[08/30/2013 3:50:53 PM] Life, the Universe, and Everything Musings on the number forty two: A college student's thoughts on life, science, and stories from her never- ending spiritual journey. SUNDAY, JULY 29, 2007 Anatta vs. Atta (Atman) and the meaning of Ubuntu In Buddhism, there is this concept called Anatta which says that the Self does not exist. There is no everlasting soul or Atman. This concept states that we are just an empty conglomeration of changing body and mind. I had much trouble understanding and accepting this doctrine, since I have always believe in a soul. However, this does not mean that there is no Self, only that the Self changes from moment to moment. We are not the same person, in body and mind, that we were ten minutes ago, nor is the universe the same at any instant of its progression through time. I think I may have begun to understand and accept, so I decided to write about it. We do not inherently exist. That is we cannot exist independently. We must depend upon other people, plants, and the very fabric of the universe, spacetime, and everything in it in order to exist. The same goes for every other object and being. H.H. the Dalai Lama gives this example. A flower needs the seed, the parent flower, the water, the soil, the sun, and the air to exist. It is not independent arising. The sun and even the entire galaxy, as great and massive as they are, also depend on the existence of everything, even the little flower. Without the mass of the flower or every other planet, person, and star, the galaxy would fly apart, because each mass provides the gravity that holds the galaxy together. Alone, all these things are empty and meaningless, and they cannot exist. This emptiness I at first took for nihilism, yet Anatta is far from nihilism. It does not mean that human life, the flower, and the universe are devoid and meaningless. Instead they are full and rich and important, because they are a part of the whole, and the whole of existence depends on everything in it. Without the universe and without the connection to everything in it, life is meaningless, Self is meaningless and could not inherently exist. Looking at Anatta this way, I find that this doctrine is not nihilism at all, but existentialism. We are all connected to one another and dependent upon one another. We have a Self (and a self) that exists and changes from one instant to the next based on our experiences and the change in the universe. It makes sense now that when we are alone, we feel emptiness, because we ARE empty without others (and others are empty without us). This makes morality and compassion all the more important. Because we depend on the existence of others for our own, we should be kind and loving. We need to be compassionate for the sake of others and ourselves, Contributors Vermilion Caitlin Star Magnolia A star magnolia on campus FreeRice.com play vocabluary game to donate rice at freerice.com Blog Archive ► 2008 (14) ▼ 2007 (21) ► November (2) ► October (2)
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In Buddhism, there is this concept called Anatta which says that theSelf does not exist. There is no everlasting soul or Atman. Thisconcept states that we are just an empty conglomeration of changingbody and mind. I had much trouble understanding and accepting thisdoctrine, since I have always believe in a soul. However, this doesnot mean that there is no Self, only that the Self changes frommoment to moment. We are not the same person, in body and mind,that we were ten minutes ago, nor is the universe the same at anyinstant of its progression through time. I think I may have begun tounderstand and accept, so I decided to write about it.
Transcript of Anatta vs. Atta (Atman)
Life, the Universe, and Everything: Anatta vs. Atta (Atman) and the meaning of Ubuntu
http://fortytwostrong.blogspot.com/2007/07/anatta-vs-atta-atman-and-meaning-of.html[08/30/2013 3:50:53 PM]
Life, the Universe, and EverythingMusings on the number forty two: A college student's thoughts on life, science, and stories from her never-ending spiritual journey.
S U N D A Y , J U L Y 2 9 , 2 0 0 7
Anatta vs. Atta (Atman) and the meaning of Ubuntu
In Buddhism, there is this concept called Anatta which says that theSelf does not exist. There is no everlasting soul or Atman. Thisconcept states that we are just an empty conglomeration of changingbody and mind. I had much trouble understanding and accepting thisdoctrine, since I have always believe in a soul. However, this doesnot mean that there is no Self, only that the Self changes frommoment to moment. We are not the same person, in body and mind,that we were ten minutes ago, nor is the universe the same at anyinstant of its progression through time. I think I may have begun tounderstand and accept, so I decided to write about it.
We do not inherently exist. That is we cannot exist independently.We must depend upon other people, plants, and the very fabric ofthe universe, spacetime, and everything in it in order to exist. Thesame goes for every other object and being. H.H. the Dalai Lamagives this example. A flower needs the seed, the parent flower, thewater, the soil, the sun, and the air to exist. It is not independentarising. The sun and even the entire galaxy, as great and massive asthey are, also depend on the existence of everything, even the littleflower. Without the mass of the flower or every other planet,person, and star, the galaxy would fly apart, because each massprovides the gravity that holds the galaxy together. Alone, all thesethings are empty and meaningless, and they cannot exist. Thisemptiness I at first took for nihilism, yet Anatta is far from nihilism.It does not mean that human life, the flower, and the universe aredevoid and meaningless. Instead they are full and rich andimportant, because they are a part of the whole, and the whole ofexistence depends on everything in it. Without the universe andwithout the connection to everything in it, life is meaningless, Self ismeaningless and could not inherently exist.
Looking at Anatta this way, I find that this doctrine is not nihilism atall, but existentialism. We are all connected to one another anddependent upon one another. We have a Self (and a self) that existsand changes from one instant to the next based on our experiencesand the change in the universe. It makes sense now that when weare alone, we feel emptiness, because we ARE empty without others(and others are empty without us). This makes morality andcompassion all the more important. Because we depend on theexistence of others for our own, we should be kind and loving. Weneed to be compassionate for the sake of others and ourselves,
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http://fortytwostrong.blogspot.com/2007/07/anatta-vs-atta-atman-and-meaning-of.html
Life, the Universe, and Everything: Anatta vs. Atta (Atman) and the meaning of Ubuntu
http://fortytwostrong.blogspot.com/2007/07/anatta-vs-atta-atman-and-meaning-of.html[08/30/2013 3:50:53 PM]
Posted by Vermilion at 10:08 AM
because what we do to others (who are connected to us), we do toourselves.
I suppose I could bring the whole God thing into this too. I believethat the collective whole is God, just like the Hindu Brahman who iseverything and in everything (the Self). There is a powerful Africanword which reflects this: Ubuntu, which means alone we are nothing,but together we are (God). Ubuntu literally means, “I am, becauseWe are.” I once read a book by Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutuwho worked against apartheid in South Africa. In the book, he talksabout Ubuntu and why even the supporters of the apartheiddeserved forgiveness, “A person with Ubuntu is open and available toothers, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others areable and good, for he or she has a proper self-assurance that comesfrom knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and isdiminished when others are humiliated or diminished, when othersare tortured or oppressed.” Every action precipitates a reactionwhich will produce another reaction and so on. We are all connectedto everything in the universe. We need to practice tolerance,acceptance, and love, because we ourselves want to be tolerated,accepted, and loved. Those who are truly compassionate and do kindacts will improve others, and that in a small way, will help theuniverse on its journey to peace, happiness, and truth... reality,nirvana.
There is something to live for, there is something to hope for, wehave a purpose! It is for the sake of others that we exist. Whichreminds me of a quote by Albert Einstein, “Strange is our situation onthe earth. However, there is one thing that we know, we are herefor the sake of others. Above all, for those upon whose smile andwell-being our own happiness depends. And, also, for the countlessunknown souls with whose fate we are connected by a bond ofsympathy.” Einstein said it exactly.
Back to the lack of an everlasting soul, we should live in the now andnot worry about what is to come, because we do not know or controlanything beyond the present. We should not try to store up gooddeeds in heaven or good karma for a satisfactory rebirth, because wedo not know if there is an afterlife, or another reincarnation, oreven an eternal soul. No one can answer these in the negative or thepositive. All we can do is live now and enjoy what we have now. Ifwe are worried about the future and the afterlife, we will continueto suffer, because we are living in the future which may never come.We should live for others, not to get into heaven or gain a good birthor obtain some vengeful god's favor, but to reach peace andhappiness in this life NOW and help other do the same.
So this is my acceptance of Anatta. We exist. We are beautiful. Weare, but not without one another. Ubuntu.
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Life, the Universe, and Everything: Anatta vs. Atta (Atman) and the meaning of Ubuntu
http://fortytwostrong.blogspot.com/2007/07/anatta-vs-atta-atman-and-meaning-of.html[08/30/2013 3:50:53 PM]
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