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Billions of cittas (and associated cetasikas) collectively form the mind that can think, feel and perceive. A sentient being is a collection of 5 aggregates. A puthujjana (average human) thinks that those aggregates are “them” or belong to them. So being able to stroke/pleasure them is the biggest happiness.
Buddha, having rejected both the extremes of immortal soul and denial of existence, said one can’t say something truly belongs to them under the following conditions:
- It is not under their complete control (anatta)
- It can not be maintained to their satisfaction (anicca)
- It leads to suffering in the long run (dukkha)
When one fully knows that something is anicca, anatta and dukkha, they will not generate attachment for it.
While doing Insight Meditation, let’s ask ourselves,
- Are the 5 aggregates under our complete control (atta)?
- Can they be maintained to our satisfaction (nicca)?
- Do they lead to happiness in the long run (sukha)?
- If the answer for all three above is “No”, why do we fool ourselves to thinking that it is “yes”?
The most relevant question doesn’t have much to do with whether there is a “self” or not. It has to do with why we think the 5 aggregates belong to us and that it is beneficial to attach to them.
So instead of dwelling over “self” and “no-self”, the question worth pondering is, “Is it worth thinking that the 5 aggregates are one’s own and cling to them?”
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It is a good summary. However, there is another aspect to be considered.
- Because of the reasons you discussed, there is an innate sanna of “me” and “mine” in all humans regardless of whether they believe in a soul (sassata ditthi) or believe that death of the physical body is the “end” (uccheda ditthi). This is one of the ten samyojana (asmi mana) that will disappear only at the Arahant stage.
- That innate sanna of “me” and “mine” arises because of a “distorted sanna” that is also “built-in” to our bodies.
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