The Five Reappear

I find the aspirations expressed by some authors congruent with the tradition of Theravada Buddhism view of anatta to be quite to the point as a response to the continual repetition of the “there is no self” message.

However, it has been my experience that what some are discovering is the phenomena of emptiness. And believe me, this is very powerful ju ju.

I would like to explain it this way, if you would indulge me. There is really no solid, tangible, physical world. What we perceive are atoms and molecules dancing around. Indeed are physical bodies are made of this stuff.

But really, atoms and molecules are made of even less tangible stuff, little sparks of electricity, if you will, with lots of empty space in between these little charges. In short, we are perceiving a physical reality which is really no more that a show of energy dancing on a stage of emptiness.

When, through meditation practices, the mind has been calmed sufficiently, and you let the dialog of thoughts drop away, to not rise again, then one begins to experience the physical realm as it really is. That is, you become aware of all this empty space within which the dance of the electricity of atoms occurs. The awareness of this emptiness is quite palpable. And you can be aware of it within your body as well as outside of it. One has the distinct awareness that their body is empty.

The other thing that occurs when the mind is this calm is a bit more like a psychological trick. As human beings we are very used to seeing ourselves, perceiving ourselves, as solid physical forms, not as emptiness. So when suddenly one is aware that their physical form is empty, then their ordinary view of their self is interrupted. In fact it seems as if there is nobody there.

That is, the body is perceived as being empty, as if there is nothing there at all. And the perception is then, that there is no self there. (This psychological trick is helped immensely by the mind being calmed. Because the normal flow of thoughts is interrupted, there is no longer an I/me dialog going on that one can relate to as being the self either.)

In Zen we talk about no-self and no-mind. And what we are doing in these instances is affirming this phenomenon, that there is this perception of no self and mind. And this is a very beautiful, free and wonderful way of living.

But then, we also talk about big self and big mind to affirm that there is more than meets the eye, as it were. And that is the other side of the story. Because the awareness of no-self doesn’t mean that there is no self, it just means that the self is not what you thought it was. And realizing this true self; ah!, there’s the rub.