ANATTA

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A talk originally addressed to students of Puget Sound University in Seattle, Washington The explanations of rebirth they had heard seemed to contradict the principle of anattOE Tan Ajarn was asked to
clarify the seeming contradiction

Today we will speak about anatt and rebirth. We will discuss anatta first and then discuss rebirth. If we understand anatta properly it will be easy to understand rebirth correctly {1}
The feeling that one is a self occurs naturally and instinctually. Hence, people say self. Then, they develop theories and promulgate teachings of a higher self one more special, or more profound, than the usual daily self. Through this process of teaching and educating the belief in self develops into the highest self: an eternal soul. This kind of belief and teaching was, and remains, quite common. When the Buddha appeared, however, he taught the opposite that all these things are anatta (not-self) {2}
The primitives who long ago lived in forests and caves believed there is atta They also believed inspirits, powers,

and ghosts which were taken to be selves also This common belief occurs easily in the human mind.Thus there happened the teaching of atta then there appeared the ceremonies rituals, and rites in relation to all those spirits angels demons,and things. As civilization develops further, the beliefs about self and spirits also develop, as do the corresponding ceremonies and rituals The highest most fully developed version of such beliefs occurred in India during the era of the Upanishads, which taught attā as it is believed today: that there is a self a fundamental basis or reality in living things, which is successively reincarnated, which is slowly purified through this long succession of births until it finishes in eternity. This is the most highly developed theory of the primitive belief in self This is how the highest atta must be taught.{3}

..............Some part about dhamma talk..............

......................By Buddhadsa Bhikkhu..................