Not-Self: Contemplating Anatta | Ajahn Dhammasiha | Dhammagiri

The Buddha's teaching on Anattā (Non-Self) is not meant to establish a doctrine or philosophy. It's not meant for mental gymnastics, to think about it in a purley intellectual manner, or to argue about it. Instead, it's meant as a meditation object, a tool to be used for contemplation, in order to free our hearts from identification, attachment and suffering. When we contemplate form, feeling, perception, intention and consciousness as:

"This is not mine, this is not me, this is not my Self",

then we weeken identification and ultimately completely disengage from these five groups of clinging. It's not so much about trying to determine in an 'objective' manner whether anything is me, mine or self. Ownership and identification is not objectively existing, but it is projection of our own mind. We create and project the illusion of self, ownership and 'I' & 'Me' onto these conditioned phenomena. The question is simply whether doing such projection, creating such an illusion, is beneficial for us, or not.

As the phenomena we regard as self and me and mine are constantly changing, and therefore inherently unable to ever give as lasting fulfillment, it's apparent that the self-delusion is NOT beneficial, but ultimately always leads us into suffering. Thus, the Buddha recommends not to regard anything as self, me and mine, so that we don't experience suffering.

Regarding is something subjective, it's up to us how we prefer to regard: as self/me, or as not-self/not me. We've got the choice, but we have to bear the consequences of that choice ;

Regarding anything as me/mine/self, we will continue to experience disappointment and suffering.

Regarding everything as not-me/not-mine/not-self, we make an end to disappointment and suffering.

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