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Tibetan view of self

sambodhisambodhi
edited October 2009 in Philosophy
I read in a book that is there is some disagreement between Tibetan Buddhists about the existence of a "self." Is this so?

Comments

  • SimonthepilgrimSimonthepilgrim Veteran
    edited May 2009
    Omigod! Are we going to open that can of worms again?
  • sambodhisambodhi
    edited May 2009
    What?
  • JasonJason God Emperor Arrakis Moderator
    edited May 2009
    Simonthepilgrim wrote: »
    Omigod! Are we going to open that can of worms again?

    This time, Simon, you can count me out. ;)
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited May 2009
    Sam....dearest....we've dun it to death....

    whose death, we're not quite sure, but......:p

    ;)
  • SimonthepilgrimSimonthepilgrim Veteran
    edited May 2009
    Elohim wrote: »
    This time, Simon, you can count me out. ;)


    Me too, Jason - after all this time! So much wasted bandwidth! Oy gevalt!!!
  • DhammaDhatuDhammaDhatu Veteran
    edited May 2009
    Clearly there is such a thing as 'self' because we have all felt a sense of 'self' in our lives.

    Disagreements can arise when attempting to define both the true nature of this phenomena of 'self' and its absence.

    :)
  • shenpennangwashenpennangwa
    edited October 2009
    sambodhi wrote: »
    I read in a book that is there is some disagreement between Tibetan Buddhists about the existence of a "self." Is this so?

    what book was it?
  • lalavajralalavajra
    edited October 2009
    sambodhi wrote: »
    I read in a book that is there is some disagreement between Tibetan Buddhists about the existence of a "self." Is this so?

    First of all:
    So-called "Tibetan" Buddhism is simply [predominantly Mahayana and Vajrayana] Buddhism in Tibet - it's not a different unique type of Buddhism. It is just that in Tibet the emphasis has fallen more onto Vajrayana than in other countries, but all the canonical scriptural doctrines - Sutra, Abhidharma, Vinaya, Dharani, Tantra, Shastra - all come from India.
    So a "Tibetan" Buddhist view of self is really a [predominantly Mahayana] Buddhist view of self, in Tibet.
    The orthodox Mahayana (and Theravada) view of self expounded in the sutras and so forth by the Buddha is that the worldly, secular personhood (Skt: pudgala) is selfless (Skt: nairatmya). However, in the third turning
    of the wheel of Mahayana sutras of definitive meaning the Buddha further expounded the doctrine of Tathagatagarbha and true self which is the naturally radiant innate Buddha nature in all beings which is beyond samsara and nirvana, does not suffer change, is blissful and pure, and is beyond the ken of wordly speculations and is therefore very difficult to perceive because it is extremely profound and beyond the ken of worldly speculation.
    Therefore we who study and practice the Mahayana teachings take the Buddha's preaching on faith in accordance with reason whilst experientally cultivating those teachings with the belief that they can be truly actualized and realized.
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