1. The Nature of Self
P L Dhar iitd

2. How does the notion of self arise?
By clinging to form , … to feeling, to perception, …. to volitional formations, …. to consciousness that ‘I am’ occurs
Apart from the aggregates no distinct ‘being’ : no forest apart from the trees, no car apart from its component parts etc.
Apparent continuity of identity: illusion created by memory ; gradual change in body doesn’t draw our attention

3. ‘Self’ and Modern Science
Professor David Loy :
Self is a construct : psychological
social
Linguistic
Understanding of ‘self-ing’ from recent researches in Neuro-biology : Continuity of background feelings gives rise to the perception of continuity of identity

4. The illusion of Personality : Body
Am I looking fine ? Fair & lovely !
I am tall / short
I suffer from backache !

5. The illusion of Personality : Mind
Consciousness
Perception
Feelings
Volitional formations

6. The illusion of Personality
“My” sense of ‘self’ is a precipitate of my habitual ways of feeling, thinking, and acting.
Those impermanent processes interact with others and give rise to a sense of being a ‘self’ that is separate from others
If we strip away theses psychological processes … what is left? ……………… no-thing

7. The illusion of Personality
A constructed self is not a real self
Both a problem and the solution !
Problem …. An uncomfortable sense of unreality at our core , …… a perpetual sense of lack
We usually try to make ourselves ‘real’ through various means , various reality symbols like wealth, power, fame
Solution : not being a real self => the sense of self can be deconstructed
Liberation from all suffering : no ‘self’ to defend !!

8. No I , No Problems

9. How to bring about this abandonment of clinging ?
Cultivation of Mindfulness of these aggregates clearly comprehending these characteristics of impermanence, suffering and non-self.
Dis-enchantment
Dispassion
Abandoning craving & aversion
Awakening from the Illusion of personality

10. A human being is part of the whole, called by us "Universe,"
a part limited in time and space.
He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as
something separated from the rest –
a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness.
This delusion is a kind of prison for us,
restricting us to our personal desires and to affection
for a few persons nearest to us.
Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by
widening our circle of compassion to embrace
all living creatures and the whole [of] nature in its beauty. ~
Albert Einstein

11. Let us spend some time practising this deconstruction of ‘self’ !

12. यायं तण्हा पोनोब्भविका नन्दिरागसहगता तत्रतत्राभिनन्दिनी, सेय्यथिदं – कामतण्हा, भवतण्हा, विभवतण्हा।