Why do some people believe there is a self? What is this self? Is the self comprises eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind? If a person has no eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body or mind, does the self cease to exist? Upon breaking up of the body, does the self cease to exist? Why do some people believe there is a soul which is permanent and it will depart to Heaven or Hell after death? Is there any concrete scientific proof which can be independently verified with controlled experiment? Why do some people believe something which cannot be proven? Why don’t people believe there are real Pokemons in the world? Why do some people think it is ridiculous if you believe there are real Pokemons but not ridiculous if you believe there are Gods, Ghosts, Heaven and Hell?
Ask yourself these questions:
(1) Do you exist after death?
(2) Do you not exist after death?
(3) Do you both exist and not exist after death (similar to the case of Schrodinger’s cat)?
(4) Do you neither exist nor not exist after death?
If your answer to question (1) is “yes”, you are probably one who believe in the existence of Heaven, Hell, Gods, Ghosts, or reincarnation. You believe in mortalism. Isn’t this belief unfounded (like believing there are real Pokemon)? If this belief is true, then the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind are not the self (because these organs will rot after death but you still exist). Consequently, the body, feeling, perception, volition and consciousness are not the self (because you can’t have these if the above organs rot after death). If you believe you still exist after death, in the form of something called “soul” or “self”, then where is it now? Is the “soul” inside the body? Is the “soul” not inside the body? Is the “soul” both inside and not inside the body? Is the “soul” neither inside nor not inside the body? How do you proof it?
If your answer to question (2) is “yes”, you are probably one who don’t believe in the existence of Heaven, Hell, Gods, Ghosts, or reincarnation (since you are not going anywhere after death). You believe in annihilationism. Isn’t this belief unfounded? If this belief is true, then something known as “soul” or “self” which supposedly exist perpetually is a myth; there is no such thing as “soul” or “self”. The eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind which are taken as the self is a mistaken concept (it is known as “self” but it doesn’t fit the original definition of “self”). If having the body, feeling, perception, volition and consciousness can be considered as having a “self”, then a robot with advanced Artificial Intelligence (to have body, feeling, perception, volition and consciousness) can also be considered as having a “self”. The robot should then be considered as equal to humans (unless you are a racist). Alternatively, you should consider yourself to be no difference from the robot; you thought that you have a self but you don’t. The perception of having a “self” is a delusion.
If your answer to question (3) is “yes”, then you are probably a scientist who believe in the existence of parallel worlds. After death in this world, you cease to exist in this world but you still exist in the parallel world. While you are still alive, there is a “self” in this world and there is a second “self” in the parallel world. However, which one do you consider as the real “self”? Are you the avatar of the real “self” in the parallel world? Or the “self” in another world is your avatar?
If your answer to question (4) is “yes”, then you are probably a scientist who believe in another concept of parallel worlds. After death in this world, you cease to exist in this world but you still exist in the parallel world. There is no primary nor secondary “self”. Therefore, it is incorrect to say you still exist after death, and it is also incorrect to say you don’t exist after death. While you are still alive, there is a “self” in this world and there is a second “self” in the parallel world. However, you are not the avatar of the real “self” in the parallel world, and the “self” in the parallel world is also not your avatar. You may be a human in this world but a butterfly in another world. The human body doesn’t control the butterfly body, and the butterfly body doesn’t control the human body. Both are mutually exclusive. If this is your belief, is there any meaning in believing that you have a “self” in this world and another “self” in the parallel world?
All the four hypotheses above cannot be scientifically proven or independently verified with controlled experiment. Why do you choose to believe there is a “self”? Are you happier to argue with another about the existence of a “self”? Or are you happier to stay silence? The Buddha would stay silence; not answering this kind of question.
Everything arises due to conditions, and everything ceases when the conditions cease. It is not wise to think about something which has no answer; an “answer” is false if it cannot be proven. It is wise not to think that you have a self or you have no self. When you don’t think that you have a self, it does not necessarily mean you think that you have no self. Binary or dualistic thinking is not the way of wise individuals.
When you don’t think that the body is the self, or the self is inside the body, or the body belongs to the self, you will have the characteristics of a selfless person. You will naturally exhibit the four Brahmavihara: loving-kindness or benevolence (maitrī/mettā); compassion (karuṇā); empathetic joy (muditā); equanimity (upekṣā/upekkhā). You don’t think in terms of I, mine, or myself. You will not worry about yourself since you don’t think you have a self. You will have no fear, anger, anxiety, depression, sorrow, grief, lamentation, pain, displeasure, or despair. Thinking otherwise will bring the opposite effects, i.e. suffering. If you want to be happy, why don’t you choose the right thought which will bring you happiness? Why would you choose to have Cognitive Inertia (i.e. the tendency for a particular orientation in how an individual thinks about an issue, belief or strategy to resist change, 惯性思考) which will cause suffering? “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”
RESILIENT KID 