The idea of "No Self" for Bodhisattvas and Buddhas is that idea that there are actually "No Beings." Accordingly, "Good men and good women develop Anuttara Samyaksambodhi (unexcelled complete Enlightenment) by giving rise to a mind thusly; I will liberate all sentient beings. Yet when all sentient beings have been liberated, then truly not a single sentient being has been liberated."**
I believe this to mean that there are no beings, no people, no animals, no gods, and even no Buddhas. These are just terms to describe what we perceive but what we perceive is merely what we created through our consciousness, and not the actual reality. For example, if there is a dog in front of us, we say "that's a cute dog," but why don't we say that is a cute collection of atoms and molecules? We don't because we can't perceive it. Thus, our minds limit our perceptions, which limits our consciousnesses, which creates limited terms to describe what we perceive. Essentially, we only know people as people, and that is why we call them people, but Buddha can see them as what they truly are, and that is not people. Thus, there are sentient beings that have to be liberated, and when they are liberated we will see that they were never sentient beings to begin with. So the Buddha now is teaching his followers that we are not really beings, and that once we attain wisdom, we will see that we are not beings. Now that begs the question, if we are not beings what are we?
This leads to the second major concept of Prajna Paramita which is nondualism. The Buddha states the following; "No world exists in the world of beings, nor does a world of beings exist outside the world of beings." In our thinking, we often think of things as one or another, but the Buddha reveals that the world is nondualistic. "there will neither be sentient beings nor will there not be sentient beings, (because) the sentient beings that the Tathagata (Buddha) speaks of are not sentient beings, and are thus calle sentient beings."** So it is not true that a person is a being, but at the same time is also not true that that a person is not a being. But if that is the case then what are we? A possible interpretation of the teachings is that:
1. We are beings because we believe we are beings.
2. Because we believe we are beings we created our world and language the concepts of beings.
3. Buddhism allows us to see that we are not beings.
4. Once we see we are not beings we become "enlightened beings"
5. Though we are still not beings, our terms are limited so we are called enlightened beings.
6. Enlightened beings goal is to liberate other beings.
7. While the beings are not really beings, they think they are and they still suffer pains in their existences.
8. Once they are liberated they are no longer beings, therefore, even though Bodhisattvas liberate many beings, in fact no beings are liberated.
Now, you will notice that it is still not stated what we are, only that we are not beings, and we are also not not beings. Once that is understood by someone than that person has become an enlightened being. "The characteristics of a person, a being, a self, are also not true characteristics. Those who depart from all characteristics are called buddhas."**
*Conze, Edward. Perfect Wisdom (1993)
**Diamond Sutra
I believe this to mean that there are no beings, no people, no animals, no gods, and even no Buddhas. These are just terms to describe what we perceive but what we perceive is merely what we created through our consciousness, and not the actual reality. For example, if there is a dog in front of us, we say "that's a cute dog," but why don't we say that is a cute collection of atoms and molecules? We don't because we can't perceive it. Thus, our minds limit our perceptions, which limits our consciousnesses, which creates limited terms to describe what we perceive. Essentially, we only know people as people, and that is why we call them people, but Buddha can see them as what they truly are, and that is not people. Thus, there are sentient beings that have to be liberated, and when they are liberated we will see that they were never sentient beings to begin with. So the Buddha now is teaching his followers that we are not really beings, and that once we attain wisdom, we will see that we are not beings. Now that begs the question, if we are not beings what are we?
This leads to the second major concept of Prajna Paramita which is nondualism. The Buddha states the following; "No world exists in the world of beings, nor does a world of beings exist outside the world of beings." In our thinking, we often think of things as one or another, but the Buddha reveals that the world is nondualistic. "there will neither be sentient beings nor will there not be sentient beings, (because) the sentient beings that the Tathagata (Buddha) speaks of are not sentient beings, and are thus calle sentient beings."** So it is not true that a person is a being, but at the same time is also not true that that a person is not a being. But if that is the case then what are we? A possible interpretation of the teachings is that:
1. We are beings because we believe we are beings.
2. Because we believe we are beings we created our world and language the concepts of beings.
3. Buddhism allows us to see that we are not beings.
4. Once we see we are not beings we become "enlightened beings"
5. Though we are still not beings, our terms are limited so we are called enlightened beings.
6. Enlightened beings goal is to liberate other beings.
7. While the beings are not really beings, they think they are and they still suffer pains in their existences.
8. Once they are liberated they are no longer beings, therefore, even though Bodhisattvas liberate many beings, in fact no beings are liberated.
Now, you will notice that it is still not stated what we are, only that we are not beings, and we are also not not beings. Once that is understood by someone than that person has become an enlightened being. "The characteristics of a person, a being, a self, are also not true characteristics. Those who depart from all characteristics are called buddhas."**
*Conze, Edward. Perfect Wisdom (1993)
**Diamond Sutra