The Buddhist View on the "Self"

Self is one’s perception of own existence: perception of own life and motivations.

One’s existence, body and mind, is not static, but dynamic and evolving. This is the essence of the Truth of Impermanence: Self is not fixed - but is dynamic and evolving. Over the span of time, ones’s self manifests various potentials.

Buddhism also stresses the fact that one’s life is not possible without others. The Truth of Interconnectedness implies “sharing life” with others (through relationships and with the environment).

The Buddha’s teaching about one’s existence or one’s-self is based on the two truths of Interconnectedness and Dynamism of life.

The teaching of Anatta

To summerize the two truths of existence (dynamism and connectedness) the Buddha used the word Anatta. Anatta means there is no fixed stagnant self that is separate from others.

No Permanent Separate Self - constitutes the core meaning of  the Buddha’s teaching of Anatta.

Anatta was the Buddha’s insight that created a shift from the prevailing view of personal “soul”.  Literally, Anatta means No (fixed) Soul. This was also translated as “No Permanent Separate Self”, but some scholars use the shortcut of “No Self”, creating confusion. Buddhism is based on self-development, self-worth, self-mastery and also discovery of self-potentials, the highest of which is the enlightened self (enlightened to the truth of the Law of Life, the Dharma). The abbreviation of NoSelf or NonSelf - is not fitting as the original meaning of Anatta is “No Unchanging Soul”.

The life of the individual

In Buddhism, the individual is the integration of Body & Mind.

In Hinduism, the individual is the integration of Body & Soul.

While the “Mind” is a dynamic mental energy that can be enriched, expanded and fashioned, the “Soul” is a concept of an energy that is fixed since birth (and cannot be changed). This led the Buddha to consider the concept of Soul as a mental prison for those who are suffering. The concept of soul is fixed and personal; it does not include sharing of life or dependency (connectedness with others) - and leads to the illusion of a lasting and fixed property of person.

Buddhism views the Self as a dynamic energy of motivations and awareness.  Awareness of one’s life and motivations - defines one’s actions (and hence one’s responsibility for the consequences of actions).  Actions fashion the self, creating streams of tendencies (karma).

The dynamism of True-Self

Undeniably: one’s perception of own life and motivations at childhood differs than when becoming adult.  This implies dynamism of Self and its growth with developing circumstances and higher goals. 

The view of self-development is perhaps similar to what psychology offers in Maslow’s view of levels of needs of the individual.  What psychology calls the stage of self-realisation (or transcendence) is similar to the Buddhist teaching of seeking the “highest state of life”, enlightenment to the truth, transcending the limitation of the ego-self.

Buddhist literature employs the term “TrueSelf” for perceiving one’s life based on the truth of belonging to humanity, transcending all limitations and revealing the state of enlightenment (or inherent Buddhanature).

In practical terms, the TrueSelf of a person manifests in one’s broadmindedness, flexibility and empathy, manifesting the capacity for transforming hardships and living a harmonious meaningful life (helping others do the same).