If there is no self, then what is there?

Question of the Week: 2/11 - 2/17

This question comes from the comments on The A to Z of Being : Awareness.

If there is no self, then what is there? I know you will say , I need to know or figure it out for myself, but if you say it in words, it will help :-) thanks

There is no-thing, and every-thing. There is awareness, but no-one that is aware. Even though one might see a dog or a cat, there is no way of knowing what is there, because there is no-one that interprets what is seen.

It is all emptiness; all aloneness. But there is no loneliness because there is no-one to be lonely.

There is no authority that can control one that is aware. Truly, one stands alone, but is not against anything.

There may be happiness, there may be sadness, but nothing sticks. There is no attachment because there is no-one to be attached to anything. Feelings might arise, but there is nothing they can cling to. It is like the wind blowing through an open window.

It is all and no-thing, yes and no, soft and hard, clear and murky, fast and slow, here and there, love and love.

If there is no self, then what is there?

The self can only imagine the answer. It can never really know it. It can only suppose and theorize.

If there is no-self, then that is all there is. If there is self, then that is all there is.

We might re-frame the question as this: If there is no self, then what takes its place?

Nothing takes the place of anything. Everything is as it is. It is not as if the self dissolves and is replaced by something. The idea of replacement and substitution is within the domain of the self anyway.

If the self dissolves, and nothing takes its place, what is there? It is simple.

If there is a key to any of this, it might be: Everything is as it is.

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3 Comments

  1. Nu
    Posted Tuesday, February 12, 2008 at 12:41 am | Permalink

    Very nice. It’s as though I know this ,sometimes I forget , and long for answers but sometimes I just know that indeed, ‘everything is as it is’. The quest was to make this a lasting effect, but that cannot be, for what is, is.
    Thank you. Very nicely and clearly explained.

  2. Posted Tuesday, February 12, 2008 at 4:39 am | Permalink

    Your questions are profound and consciousness raising. Thank you for being who you are, whoever that is.

    I find the “Who am I” type questions invite me to venture outside my ego comfort zone. That is a good thing. My practice is of late to breathe and be present.

    I write about thoughtful, heartfelt topics like you do. Keep up the good work,

    Joseph

    http://www.explorelifeblog.com
    http://www.peace-together.com

  3. Nur
    Posted Tuesday, February 12, 2008 at 8:26 pm | Permalink

    Sorry, the first comment is from me, says ‘Nu’. wrong spelling.

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