「無我」與「有我」的比較探究

????? 2003?4?15-26 ??????????????????????? ??? ????????????? ?? ??????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????? ?????????????? ??????????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????? ??????????????? ??????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????? ????????????? ?????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????? ????????? ???????????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????????? ???????????? ??????????????????????? ????? 2003?4?15-26 The comparison, clear-up, bridging and integration of non-self and self George S. Wang Retired from Department of Physics, National Tsing-Hua University, Hsin-Chu, TAIWAN Non-self is the unique notion of Buddhism as compared to the other religions, but the existence of self or personality is also emphasized in the “Nirvana Sutra” of Buddhism. The aim of this writing is to make comparative studies, clear up the puzzles, bridge the gap and integrate the two apparently contradictory notions. We first state the notion of Non-self by citing the twelve nidanas or chains of existence, three proofs, etc. Then we mention the notion of self in accordance with “Nirvana Sutra”, Enlightenment of Kuan-yin Bohdisattva, etc. Subsequently, we analyze what “self” is. And finally, the well-known “seven locations of seeking the mind”, and “ten cases of exhibiting the self in visual consciousness” in “Surangama Sutra” are cited to justify our claim on the no-self/self issue. The true meaning of no-self in Buddhism is the non-existence of unchanging individual self. By "individual self" we mean the self of an individual living being with changing mind or thoughts in the cause-and-effect realm. This individual self is associated with the contaminated portion of Alaya consciousness. In contrast, the true meaning personality self is the true self or holistic personality, that is non-creating, non-annihilating, and exhibiting as same-body personality in non cause-and-effect realm. Even in the realm of cause-and-effect or conditioned origination, the true self always exists in a hidden way, viz., exists but can not be found. More important is that non-self is a prerequisite of exhibiting the same-body true-self. This fact is clearly written in Consciousness-only School doctrine, viz., “When reaching the stage of Arhan, the Alaya consciousness is detached.” To search for the true self in western philosophy, Rene Descartes did seriously consider the existence of self about 400 years ago. His result was that “Because I can think, I must exist”. About 300 years ago, Immanuel Kant stated firmly that ontological self, called the Thing-in-itself, exists but can neither be found nor known. More recently about 80 years ago, the quantum mechanical wave function Ψ was developed to represent a system, which can be regarded as a projection of noumenon onto the cause-and-effect realm. This Ψ may be the most explicit expression of noumenon in the cause-and-effect realm. Practice of non-self may be very useful in both daily life and Buddhist cultivation. If one is freed from consideration and/or worries of his personal profits and his selfishness, he has reduced stress and annoyance in his mind and therefore gets happiness and health. In practicing Buddhism, practice of non-self enables him to advance in the way of exhibiting his true self. In “Sandhi-nirmocana Sutra” Buddha Sykyamuni states a notion of “self-nature nirvana”. This is based on the fact that all dharmas have none self-nature, or more precisely, none unchanging self-nature. The very nature of the none self-nature is a concept or notion and is known as the “none self-nature nature”. Clearly, this none self-nature nature is a notion of truth. When a person enters into the notion, he may easily abide in a steady state of mind, feel like to do nothing and even tend to stay in the non-creation non-annihilation way of self-nature nirvana. Indeed this self-nature nirvana of none self-nature nature may be one of the best methods of practicing non-self cultivation. Keywords: non-self, self, thing-in-itself, noumenon, wave function, nirvana