Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

Sign In Register
Examples: Monday, today, last week, Mar 26, 3/26/04
Welcome home! Please contact lincoln@icrontic.com if you have any difficulty logging in or using the site. New registrations must be manually approved which may take several days. Can't log in? Try clearing your browser's cookies.

If there is no 'self'...

megahumanmegahuman
edited November 2010 in Buddhism Basics
is 'self control' considered real, or some sort of name for something else?

Comments

  • The_Fruit_Punch_WizaThe_Fruit_Punch_Wiza Veteran
    edited November 2010
    A concept that is used to dismantle false concepts.

    Heh heh heh....
  • thickpaperthickpaper Veteran
    edited November 2010
    megahuman wrote: »
    is 'self control' considered real, or some sort of name for something else?

    "She who conquers the mind, conquers the universe."
  • megahumanmegahuman
    edited November 2010
    Heh, well.
    I guess those both make some sort of sense.
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    edited November 2010
    sometimes it is taught as relative truth and ultimate....

    there is no absolute permanent entity the self...

    But there is a self as relative to its environment...


    So discernment and bodhicitta (awakened mind/heart) become self control
  • Ch-an_noobCh-an_noob
    edited November 2010
    Morality and self-control is very important in the early stages. The Illusory mind is controlled by Greed, Anger and Ignorance, self control helps to calm the mind and body.
  • moonbeamsmoonbeams
    edited November 2010
    see through the self that needs to be controlled, haha
  • megahumanmegahuman
    edited November 2010
    Touch'e.

    BTW, thanks for all the replies.
  • not1not2not1not2 Veteran
    edited November 2010
    Q: What is 'self'?

    A: A word
  • MountainsMountains Veteran
    edited November 2010
    Don't confuse the word with the concept. The "self" that's contained in the word "self-control" and concept of the ego-created "self" are not the same thing. Unfortunately we're stuck using language to communicate (at least on this level), so we have to adhere to some sort of conventions to make ourselves understood. We say "I like..." or "I want..." or "I feel..." usually without thinking about what "I" is. In many (of not most) cases it's the ego-created, separate self that we're talking about. But if we become more aware, and stop creating the illusion of separateness, then the "I" or "self" become simply ways of referring to our beingness that transcends physical reality.
  • The_Fruit_Punch_WizaThe_Fruit_Punch_Wiza Veteran
    edited November 2010
    Exactly why I said it is a concept used to dismantle false concepts. :D
  • MountainsMountains Veteran
    edited November 2010
    Only you used way less words than I did :)
  • The_Fruit_Punch_WizaThe_Fruit_Punch_Wiza Veteran
    edited November 2010
    Less words necessary methinks. Too many words makes life complicated.
  • not1not2not1not2 Veteran
    edited November 2010
    Mountains wrote: »
    Don't confuse the word with the concept. The "self" that's contained in the word "self-control" and concept of the ego-created "self" are not the same thing. Unfortunately we're stuck using language to communicate (at least on this level), so we have to adhere to some sort of conventions to make ourselves understood. We say "I like..." or "I want..." or "I feel..." usually without thinking about what "I" is. In many (of not most) cases it's the ego-created, separate self that we're talking about. But if we become more aware, and stop creating the illusion of separateness, then the "I" or "self" become simply ways of referring to our beingness that transcends physical reality.

    Words are what they are, and they represent what they represent.

    I'm mainly saying to not get caught up so much in them, but rather look to the reality underlying them.
  • The_Fruit_Punch_WizaThe_Fruit_Punch_Wiza Veteran
    edited November 2010
    not1not2 wrote: »
    I'm mainly saying to not get caught up so much in them, but rather look to the reality underlying them.

    I agree wholeheartedly. Words are tools first and foremost.
  • FoibleFullFoibleFull Canada Veteran
    edited November 2010
    There IS a self ... it just isn't what we think it is. The Self is not a product, but rather a by-product. Don't know how to put that differently. Sorry.
Sign In or Register to comment.