Many people struggle to grasp the Buddhist teaching of anatta (non-self), which is understandable since the concept is quite complex. Most assume that “someone” must be in control, thinking they have a self that they might lose. The idea of losing this self often leads to fears about a lack of control or the inability to make choices. They wonder how one can live without a self.
Contrary to common belief, the Buddha didn’t teach that there is no self. We often say “there’s no self” as a shorthand to explain that the kind of self people believe they have doesn’t exist. The illusory self is usually thought to be a single entity that orchestrates all our experiences and actions and is fully conscious. In reality, such a self doesn’t exist, so there is no self to lose. Issues about “how to live without a self” don’t arise because we already function fine without it. What we actually have is the illusion of a self, and this illusion burdens us and hinders our happiness.
A significant aspect of this illusion is the assumption that the self acts consciously. We think some decisions are made consciously and others unconsciously. However, even what we perceive as conscious decisions are made unconsciously. Psychologist Ben Libet’s studies showed that decisions made consciously, like pressing a button, involve a burst of unconscious activity that occurs before we are even aware of making the decision.
Some argue that consciousness equates to the self, but that’s not the case. When we recognize that consciousness isn’t the self, it becomes easier to accept the idea of non-self. This realization can lead to a sense of confusion or even dismissal of the idea as unimportant.
To better understand this, consider the teaching method known as “direct pointing,” which helps practitioners see beyond their delusions to realize what’s really going on. The evidence for non-self is ever-present but often overlooked. To conceptualize this, consider the metaphor of “the boys in the basement,” as termed by author Stephen King to describe the unconscious creative forces. The conscious part of us, or the “atrium,” merely observes what the boys produce without direct involvement.
Imagine your brain as a building with a central empty atrium and various rooms branching out where different unconscious “boys” (mental processes) work independently, sometimes influenced by bodily sensations and movements. Some of these processes communicate directly, bypassing conscious awareness (the atrium).
There’s no single “self” in charge. Our mind is like a community with various members influencing our actions, none of them knowing everything. Choices result from the debate among these different parts of us.
For example, during emotional conflicts, such as wanting to retaliate when someone hurts us, different parts of the brain respond. Some urge us to retaliate, while others advocate for restraint. This internal debate occurs without a central deciding “self.”
Now consider another part of the basement called “The Plagiarist,” who observes thoughts and impulses and claims responsibility, saying, “I did that.” This leads to the illusion of a conscious self in control.
The illusion of conscious choice involves mistaken credit for thoughts and decisions that originate unconsciously. For instance, we decide to lift an arm or choose a cereal brand unconsciously, but “The Plagiarist” claims these actions as conscious choices, reinforcing the self-illusion.
Experiments can help see through this delusion. You can observe that thoughts arise without conscious foreknowledge, speech happens without prior conscious planning, and bodily movements occur automatically.
Free will, or rather, relatively free will, operates within constraints. We can make choices, but they often stem from unconscious processes rather than a conscious decision-maker. Mindfulness practices increase our capacity for making more considered choices by creating a bit of “wiggle-room” for better decisions.
In Buddhist practice, the aim isn’t to employ the conscious self to train the unconscious mind but to allow wiser parts of the unconscious to guide the less wise parts.
Understanding the concept of non-self can be elusive but is liberating. It helps diminish the burden of self-illusion, enabling us to live more freely and happily. Disengaging from the self illusion through mindfulness and compassion can lead to enlightenment and a profound sense of relief.