Hi SengKiat, thanks.
I understand asaraka should be listed in the categorie of anicca. What does asaraka mean ?
What do you think, are the anatta-nupassana’s correctly translated as:
alien, empty, void and not-self?
Anatta refers, i still belief, to the fact that in the end there is no entity inside us, no self or ego or entity-I, which is in control.
I mostly refer to this notion as the common daily notion there is some kind of being inside our head, a man or woman, a person Siebe. It is like there is some kind of figure inside our head living, right?
In earlier days they refered to this daily common experience with the concept of the homunculus. See:
http://what-buddha-said.net/gallery/index.php/Dhamma-illustrations/Homunculus-Drawing
I belief, this is exactly what the belief in a self (atta) means. It is the belief there is a being inside our head, which is control, which does the seeing, hearing, thinking, walking, living etc. That is the most common daily and very strong impression.
This is, i belief, what an-atta wants to denie. Nowhere inside our head lives a being like that, although this is our daily impression. Neuroscientist do not find such a being inside our head when they examin it.
It is very easy to understand this impression of a being inside our head must be some creation of the brain/mind but it feels like we are that creation, isn’t ? This is the effect of avijja.
I belief, the Budddha refered to this daily strong perceptions of an real ego inside us, some indepedent and powerful entity as atta. And his teachings of anatta, denie the existence of such an powerful independent existing entity.
I belief, the Buddha discovered the notion ‘I am’, i.e. the notion there is a homuncules inside my head which is in control, is the greatest and strongest delusion of beings. There is nothing so strong as this notion “I am”. Nothing that fetters mind that much as this “I am” notion and desire.
The daily perception that there is an ego or self or I in our heads, comes with a feeling that this does the seeing, hearing, feeling etc. It comes also with the perception it is control. Especially when we get things happen our way. This does in fact contribute to our happiness and the joy of life, but in the end this notion of an I-in-control is an illusion. Anatta is true.
This becomes very clear when becoming sick, old and dying.
It is not an entity-I who does the seeing, smelling, walking, talking, thinking etc. It is ruled by conditionally arising formations not by a self in our head.
I see no objection to relate in this way to the meaning of anatta, as no self, as no entity in our head or mind which is in controll.
There is no homuncules.
The idea there is an ego or self inside us that is in control is a kind of intoxication. Anatta-nupassana wants to end this delusion and intoxication which comes with so much suffering. Anyone who strongly beliefs that there is a atta, a homuncules inside, and we are that, he/she becomes really helpless.
Siebe