Don’t Be Yourself.
The Buddhist Absence of Soul
One Buddhist concept Westerners generally have difficulty grasping is the absence of an individual soul or true self. Indeed, much of the theology we’ve absorbed through direct spiritual experiences or other cultural ones relate to an innate sense of self.
Buddhism opts for a different view. We are a series of interrelated processes of momentary events. In no one moment are we the same as the next, so we cannot have just one unchanging soul. We are continually evolving, and so is the world around us.
This is quite a depressing prospect and may even cause a dash of existential dread for some. How are we to create a positive impact on our world if it is always in flux? It calls to mind the Judeo-Christian chapters of Ecclesiastes (Kohelet) in which the author laments at the meaninglessness of the changing world (“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Everything is meaningless!” Ecclesiastes 1:1–2 NIV).
From a Buddhist perspective, the absence of an innate identity is something to be optimistic about. Even the worst of people, beings, and situations have the opportunity to change for the better. This line of thinking can help bring clarity to the why of our current world.
In Love in Action, Thich Nhat Hanh reflects on a story he read (you can read the poem…
