Scholar-monk Bhikkhu Analayo clarified the Buddhist doctrine of no-self during an event at the Harvard Divinity School, addressing widespread misconceptions about the controversial concept that challenges both experts and everyday practitioners.
Seated alongside Daniel T. Aitken, CEO of Wisdom Publications, and Charles Hallisey, senior lecturer on Buddhist literatures at Harvard Divinity School, Analayo discussed rebirth and its connection to the Buddhist doctrine of no-self.
Aitken asked Analayo to explain what, if anything, continues from life to life, given that one of the core principles of Theravada Buddhism is the belief in “anatta,” or no-self.
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AITKEN: Let’s imagine there’s such a thing as rebirth. In the Buddhist context of no-self, what continues from life to life?
ANALAYO: Sometimes there is a misunderstanding of the doctrine of not-self, with some interpreting it to mean that there’s nothing at all. However, this is not the case. One of my favorite sayings is, “The voidness of emptiness is filled to the brim with causes and conditions.”
The not-self doctrine doesn’t suggest that there’s nothing at all; rather, it indicates that there is no permanent essence in things. Everything exists as a combination of causes and conditions. Once we understand these causes and conditions, we can appreciate the continuity that exists, even if certain aspects, such as the bodily or somatic part, are left behind.
In the “Mahanidana Sutta” of the “Digha Nikaya,” consciousness, or “viññāṇa,” is described as the continuity from one life to the next. This consciousness is understood as a stream or flow of being conscious, carrying on across lifetimes.
The event took place at Harvard Divinity School on April 21, 2018, and was dedicated to Analayo’s book, “Rebirth in Early Buddhism & Current Research.” The panel explored rebirth, its role in early Buddhist teachings, and its relationship to other central Buddhist beliefs. To watch the full discussion, visit this link.
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Complement with our article titled “Did the Buddha really say, ‘There’s no self’?”
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