The Selfless Mind: Personality, Consciousness and Nirvana in Early BuddhismThis careful analysis of early Buddhist thought opens out a perspective in which no permanent Self is accepted, but a rich analysis of changing and potent mental processes is developed. It explores issues relating to the not-Self teaching: self-development, moral responsibility, the between-lives period, and the 'undetermined questions' on the world, on the 'life principle' and on the liberated one after death. It examines the 'person' as a flowing continuity centred on consciousness or discernment (vinnana) configured in changing minds-sets (cittas). The resting state of this is seen as 'brightly shining' - like the 'Buddha nature' of Mahayana thought - so as to represent the potential for Nirvana. Nirvana is then shown to be a state in which consciousness transcends all objects, and thus participates in a timeless, unconditioned realm. |
Contents
1 | |
7 | |
15 | |
THE MEANING OF NOTSELF | 47 |
9 | 54 |
19 | 63 |
21 | 75 |
23 | 82 |
24 | 101 |
38 | 107 |
40 | 123 |
3345 | 196 |
46 | 212 |
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Common terms and phrases
Abhidhamma accepted action applied Arahat aspects attachment attained attention awareness becoming bhavanga birth Buddha Buddhist cessation changing chapter citta clear clearly cognition comes commentary conception Conditioned Arising consciousness constructing activities continuity craving death defilements dependent described destroyed developed Dhamma directed discernment dukkha early Suttas elements empty equivalent eternal exist experience experienced explains fact factors falling feeling five four functional given gives going grasping Holy idea impermanent implies indicates interpretation jhāna karma kind knowledge known knows leads life-principle lives material meaning ment mental mind monks nature nibbāna normal not-Self object occur passage past Path perceptual permanent person personality-factors phenomena physical present pure questions rebirth refers regards respect saññā says seems seen sense sense-objects sentient body sequence shining shown shows solidity spiritual stimulation stopping tathāgata teaching term texts things thought tion translation true unsupported viññāṇa