Self and Non-Self in Early Buddhism

Self and Non-Self in Early Buddhism

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The following is an extract from a review of Self and Non-Self in Early Buddhism by Vijitha Rajapakse published by the Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies 8, no.1 (1985): 122–25:

Pérez-Remón's book is analytical in nature, and its immediate aim is to provide an interpretative study of the anattā doctrine as it appears in the earlier parts of the Pali canon, namely the Nikaya literature. He describes the religious views elaborated in these contexts as a soteriology, that is to say a system of moral training which considers salvation to be its prime goal. Buddhist writings on the self, he argues, are not as clear and unambiguous as is often supposed. He does not, in particular, believe that one could regard them in a purely negative light, after the manner of certain Theravada exponents. The use and the import of "self" (attā) and "non-self" (anattā) are of course central to this study. In order to facilitate his inquiry into these key terms, he introduces some important distinctions which appear for the most part to be philosophical in nature. First, there is the distinction between the self in its existential and metaphysical signification; and second, between two senses of the term non-self, one qualified and the other absolute. Previous interpretations of the anattā doctrine have not revolved around distinctions of this kind. Perez-Remon, however, is of the view that it is necessary to focus on them in order to gain a true insight into early Buddhist thinking on the nature and existence of the self.

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Citation	Pérez-Remón, Joaquín. Self and Non-Self in Early Buddhism. The Hague, Neth.: Mouton Publishers, 1980.

Contents

• PrefaceV
• List or Sources and AbbreviationsXI
• Introduction1

• Part One: The Existential Self

• • 1. Preliminary Remarks7
    • How to translate the term attā7
    • Has the term attā a mere conventional sense in the Nikāyas?10
    • The Nikayan approach to the term attā17

• • 2. Attā as Man's Highest Value20
    • The self as refuge20
    • The self is best26
    • In love with the self34
    • Look for the self37
    • Paccattaṁ40
    • Ajjhattaṁ43

• • 3. The Self as the Moral Agent49
    • Moral energy of the self50
    • Salvation in general and the self56
    • The chariot and the charioteer57
    • Knowledge of the self63
    • Manifestation of the self67

• • 4. The Self and Moral Evil77
    • The metaphysical self, as such, is above moral good and evil77
    • The moral self as the cause of moral evil80
    • The moral self under the influence of moral shortcomings82
    • The moral self 'wounded and killed' by evil83
    • Asmimāna as the root of all moral evil85

• • 5. Towards Perfection90
    • The self as related to moral good90
    • Self-exertion94
    • Self-control98
    • Purification of the self104

• • 6. The Self and Perfection108
    • Perfection of the self108
    • Self-stability109
    • 'He dwells with a self brahma-become'113
    • Full blossoming of the self118
    • The self and nibbāna122
    • Nibbutatto129

• • 7. The Self as Related to Kamma and Rebirth131
    • The self and kamma131
    • The self and rebirth143

• • 8. A Brief General Assessment of the First Part148

• Part Two: The Metaphysical Self

• • 9. The Doctrine of Anattā can co-exist with the Reality of Attā153

• • 10. The Doctrine of Non-self Taught Through
    the Denial of Positive Terms158
    • This is not my self158
    • He does not regard the khandas, etc., either as the self or the self as qualified by them173
    • Void of the self or belongs to the self183
    • What is not your own186
    • Permanence, happiness, self vs. impermanence, pain, non-self189
    • As alien, not as the self190

• • 11. The Doctrine of the Non-Self Taught Through the Predication of the Negative Term Anattā.195
    • Connection with the preceding chapter196
    • Scope of the' annattā statements'198
    • Intimate relationship between anattā' and dukkha204
    • The awareness of non-self205
    • Anattā proclaimed by means of universal statements208
    • Reasons given to assert that something is annattā222

• • 12. Asmimāna, Sakkāyadiṭṭhi, Sassatavāda and Ucchedavāda227

• • 13. Self and Non-Self After Liberation268
    • Buddha was not a nihilist269
    • Transcendence of the self276
    • Moral transcendence of the self278
    • Metaphysical transcendence of the self280
    • The abyākatā pañhā and the sakkāyaddiṭṭi unanswered294
    • Reasons for keeping the abyākatā pañhā unanswered294

• • 14. Recapitulation301

• Notes306
• Selected Bibliography384
• Glossary of Terms388
• Table of Scriptural Passages Commented or Quoted393
• Index of Names and Subjects401