The Selfless Mind: Personality, Consciousness and Nirvāṇa in Early BuddhismThis careful analysis of early Buddhist thought opens out a perspective in which no permanent Self is accepted, but a rich analysis of changing and potent mental processes is developed. It explores issues relating to the not-Self teaching: self-development, moral responsibility, the between-lives period, and the 'undetermined questions' on the world, on the 'life principle' and on the liberated one after death. It examines the 'person' as a flowing continuity centred on consciousness or discernment (vinnana) configured in changing minds-sets (cittas). The resting state of this is seen as 'brightly shining' - like the 'Buddha nature' of Mahayana thought - so as to represent the potential for Nirvana. Nirvana is then shown to be a state in which consciousness transcends all objects, and thus participates in a timeless, unconditioned realm. |
Contents
Key nonBuddhist concepts | 1 |
NotSelf and scholars | 7 |
Exploring the Notion of Selflessness | 15 |
THE MEANING OF NOTSELF | 47 |
9 | 54 |
19 | 63 |
21 | 75 |
23 | 82 |
24 | 101 |
38 | 107 |
40 | 123 |
3345 | 196 |
46 | 212 |
Other editions - View all
The Selfless Mind: Personality, Consciousness and Nirvana in Early Buddhism Peter Harvey Limited preview - 2013 |
The Selfless Mind: Personality, Consciousness and Nirvana in Early Buddhism Peter Harvey Limited preview - 2013 |
Common terms and phrases
Abhidhamma advertence Annihilationism Annihilationists apprehended Arahat aspects ātman attachment attains nibbāna becoming between-lives bhavanga brightly shining citta Buddha Buddhist cessation chapter citta clearly cognition commentary conception conception-element conceptional-discernment Conditioned Arising sequence consciousness constructing activities context craving defilements dependent developed Dhamma dukkha early Buddhist early Suttas elements empty eternal factors feeling five personality-factors form of discernment formless fruition gandhabba grasping higher knowledges idea impermanent implies intermediary existence interpretation javana jhāna karma karmic life-principle Mahāyāna Māra material form meaning meditative ment mental Milindapañha mind mind-and-body mind-organ monks Nagasena nāma nāma-rūpa nature nibbanic discernment Non-returner normal not-Self object Pāli passage past karma perceptual process person Personalists personality-factors phenomena physical questions radiant citta rebirth reborn refers rūpa samsāra sankhāras saññā says seen sense sense-channels sense-objects sense-organs sense-spheres sentient body shows signless stimulation stopping Stream-enterer tathāgata tathāgata after death texts Theravada Theravadin things tion transcended translation unconstructed unsupported Upanisad viññāṇa