A sutta in Udana states that if there were not the unconditioned, an escape from the conditioned is impossible. This is for me the crux of buddha-dhamma. The only thing that can count as a real refuge is the unconditioned. It is the only stable element.
This stable element is ever present and all pervasing. Also now. It cannot be not present. With the unconditioned no arsing can be seen, no vanishing and no changing in the meantime, a sutta teaches. It differs from the conditioned because with the conditioned an arising can be seen, an ending and change in the meantime.
The Buddha teaches us the Path to the unconditioned and that starts by seeing the unconditioned. The unconditioned is not something which will be only present in the future, after long search and practice, but it can be seen immediately. The unconditioned is in no way result of practise, in no way result of vigour, in no way a result of anything.
You ask: Can you explain what else is there in a human being or any other living being?
It is the unconditioned element, Nibbana. Nibbana is always present, and it can only be obscured by adventitious defilements. It is due to defilements that Nibbana is not immediately experienced or seen by us or mind. It does not take any time to see Nibbana, but it takes time to remove obscurations, defilements. The aim of practice is to remove obscurations so what is allready present, ultimate peace, the unconditioned, will reveal itself. Like the sun reveals itself when clouds dissapear. I belief that is a very nice and accurate analogy. Also in jhana more and more obscurations dissappear. As a natural result mind gets more and more subtle, pliant, peaceful and applicable. It is only due to the effect of obscuration that our mind is not all the time pliant, peaceful and so applicable.
Also, the Buddha teaches in many sutta’s to see rupa, vedana, sanna, sankhara, and vinnana as: ‘this i am not, this is not mine, this is not myself’. I belief, this is not only some skillful means, but sutta’s clearly state this is how it is. We are not the khandha’s and we do not posess them too. Both views- thinking we are the khandha’s and that we possess khandha’s- are sakkaya ditthi (see MN44).
It is only the influence of defilements such as wrong view and avijja and tanha which makes us to belief we are the khandha’s or think that we possess them. This I-making and mine making is defiling the mind. As long as we function this way, rebirth continues. When this spell/delusion ends rebirth also ends.
But even in this life the nature of an arahant or Buddha cannot be explained/designated anymore in terms of khandha’s. Even while others think the rupa (body) they see, is the Buddha, this is not ultimately true. Likewise, the real nature of any living being cannot really be explained in terms of khandha’s, also not our own nature. But, still, as a result of I-making and mine-making we keep making such wrong identity views.
The unconditioned element reveals itself spontaneously, effortless, when obscuration are eliminated with effort.
If you or Christian or anyone else with magga phala cannot agree on this, that would really surprise me. If you really do not agree, i would appreciate a contentual comment, because i want to really understand what is wrong.
At the moment, I belief, all i say is in line with Buddha-Dhamma.