The Old Buddha’s half truth
The
Sakya Buddha claimed that suffering arises because all dharmas are not
atta, i.e. not or empty of self.
During
40 years of continuous preaching he never once clearly defined what he meant
by atta (i.e. a self). However, in his explanation as to why a dharma is
anatta, i.e. not-a-self, he describes two qualities that are missing from a
dharma, thus actually describing at least two essential qualities of an
atta/self, namely permanence and ownership.
The 3 characteristics sutra
In
other words, for me to have a (true) self it must be mine permanently.
Since it is obvious that I can’t own anything permanently and in addition
emerge dependent on conditions, hence don’t own myself, I don’t have a true
atta/self.
Well
yes!, in the long run.
But
what about the short run? Is it possible to have a true atta/self from
moment to moment? So to speak as a discrete reality?
The
Old Buddha dodged this question in his conversation with Vacchagotta. Had
he answered Vacchagotta truthfully then Buddhism would never have emerged
as a world religion-cum-mental-emergency-health-care-service or would have
taken on an entirely different shape.
The Old
Buddha: ‘In the long run I’m dead, ..… so what’s the point?’ ‘I suffer because
I don’t live forever, unchanging!’
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The New Buddha’s other half truth
The Old
Buddha existed in an analogue relativistic world. The New Buddha operates
upon a quantum ground.
@ quantum
collision (@q2, i.e.
formerly Einstein’s c2) realness happens.
Quanta, i.e. discrete (or digital) units) collide in a relativity vacuum.
Consequently the realness effect is absolute (i.e. perfect).
When a
self, as ongoing (or on-line), hence undecided, therefore uncertain,
incomplete process collides on-end with another ongoing process, also
undecided, therefore uncertain, incomplete, it does so in a relativity
vacuum, thus, for an instant becoming absolutely real.
That
instant of absolute realness is fully owned because the elimination of
relativity has also eliminated the conditions via which the self-as-process
arose. The momentary (or quantised) self is therefore a true self or atta.
It is also timeless (i.e. self-permanent) since time (i.e. a function of
series or string length) belongs to the domain of relativity which is
excluded @ contact.
If the
whole sequence (or line or string) of which as self is composed (namely its
identity) likewise collides on end, i.e. quantum by quantum, then the whole
identity achieves momentary whole absolute realness, in other words, the
status of a true identifiable atta or self.
The difference of view between the Old and the
new Buddha arises because the Old Buddha took a relativistic view of
existence whereas the New Buddha understands quantum mechanics and the
nature of the quantum base.
The New Buddha: ‘In the moment I am real and
identifiable, a true me … and that’s a wonderful point!’ ‘I enjoy because I
live fully real and identifiable, hence perfectly true in the moment!’
But how to create such perfect moments in which
one’s true (i.e. essential) self can be experienced absolutely?
That’s the tricky bit. The Old Buddha performed
the trick, but never taught it.
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