Non-self but no Non-Self

The concept of a non changing identity or the idea that a self persists is not real. Some like to hold to this idea that the self is eternal, that it was created and it will continue to exists after the body dies. This is the notion of an eternal self which is an illusion. Also some others hold to the idea that the self perishes when the body perishes. This too is an illusion. Both are true and both are false. But how can this be, that seems odd.

Both are true only in parts of what is held to be true. And both are false in only parts of the idea that are held to be true. I'll attempt to explain this by using an anology.

If you examine the characteristics of a river what determines its existence? The water in that river is never the same water. It constantly is new water. Also the channel the water flows down also changes from erosion. Rivers change course over time. So how can you compare a river to itself if it is in a constant state of change where each moment it is different?

This is exactly how the self is. It is in a constant state of change. Just like you can't compare your current moment with the moment you were at age five years old. These two are not equal at all. In fact the you now reading this is not the same you yesterday. Its an illusion which persists due to memory. We take memory as a linking persistence of current self to past self which assumes a future self that is the same.

It seems counter intuitive to say there is no self. If there is no self, then who is explaining this and who is reading this? It is simply the mind stream of experience of non-self that explains this and reads this. Nothing else. A mind like the flow of water, ever changing and completely devoid of permeance. Just a make up of parts coming together to give rise to a mind stream.

But what is this mind stream? Surely it is the self then. Like the characteristics of a river, if you remove one characteristic, the river ceases being a river. If a river has no water, why would you call it a river?

The same is true of this mind stream. It isn't that the mind exists. It is a combination of parts which when these parts assemble the mind stream results.

From moment to moment there is constant change, the mindstream assembles and dissipates and reassembles. There are conditions which cause the arising and ceasing of this mind stream.

So it is true that there is a self however; it is never the same self from moment to moment. There is no permanent self. The self which continues after the body dies is not the same self that arises with that body before it died. You will not continue after the death of the body. However the mind stream will arise due to conditions and a future self will arise. It is not the same "you" though.

This is how the held beliefs of existing self and the death of self are both true and false. The self dies every moment and every moment the self arises based on conditions for its arising. When the conditions for its arising cease then the self will not arise.

This idea is very difficult to grasp. People also don't like to discus this truth. It scares them or makes them uneasy because they cherish the self and don't like the idea that there is no persisting self. The self loves the self and wants to hold onto self. If you examine this deeply and thoroughly you will discover that it is true. Its not a dogma that should blindly be accepted. Its a fact even if you dont like it.

So if there is no persisting self why explain it? Because once this truth is realized true freedom from the negative effects of holding onto self will arise. But why is that even important? Because when you hold onto self it leads to selfish persuits which lead to unfavorable results. This understanding can alleviate those results. It becomes a powerful solution to the imperfect experience within this stream of mind.

True freedom arises. Its a secret which is difficult to grasp but worth understanding. Even as you read this your self will reject it because you are attached to the self which believes it persists. If you are uneasy or annoyed by this explanation it shows this attachment because this idea is the solution by which the attachment of self is transcended. True freedom is within this explanation.