Self definitions
The New Oxford Dictionary defines ‘self’ as: A person’s (or
phenomenon’) essential being that distinguishes it from others, A person’s
particular nature or personality, The
qualities that make a person individual and unique. Wikipedia
defines ‘self’ (very inadequately) as: The self is the subject of one's own experience of phenomena, such as perception,
emotions and thoughts. The Buddha
never defined (the) ‘self’ (Sanskrit: atma). He merely stated that (the) ‘self’ was not abiding,
i.e. permanent (to wit, all emerged phenomena are anatta, i.e. without (abiding) self). Victor’s definition of ‘self’: A set of applied
adaptation rules (that serves survival). One’s
adaptation state, to wit, ‘I am (i.e. my self is) how I have adapted’. |