How to approach the concept of SELF ?

 

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Google  NotebookLM  formulates  the following   question and answer  based on the content of this Youtube video:

 

How should a Buddhist practitioner approach the concept of self?

  

 

A practitioner should approach the concept of self not as a metaphysical puzzle to be solved, but as a strategic tool centered on the principle of action and result 1-3. Instead of asking "Who am I?" or "Do I have a true self?"—questions the Buddha considered "dead-ends" that lead to a "thicket of views"—the practitioner should focus on the more immediate question: "What is skillful?" 4, 5.

The sources suggest a two-stage approach to the self:

1. Developing a Healthy Sense of Self

Initially, the practice assumes a self to motivate skillful action 6. A practitioner uses their concern for "me" and "my well-being" to train their thoughts, words, and deeds 7. This stage involves:

• Adopting Virtue: Following guidelines such as not killing, stealing, or lying to ensure long-term happiness 7, 8.

• Building Competence: Evaluating the results of one's actions and learning from mistakes 9, 10. This fosters a healthy sense of "I" based on skill, maturity, and the humility to learn from others 10, 11.

• Mastering Concentration: Using a centered focus to overcome uncertainty about what is skillful and to gain better control over the mind 11.

2. Deconstructing the Self through "Not-Self"

Once a sense of self has become healthy and mature, the practitioner applies the strategy of not-self 12, 13. At this stage, the self is recognized not as a static thing, but as an ongoing activity of "I-making" and "my-making" 14. The practitioner then investigates physical and mental events (the aggregates) by asking:

• "Is this constant or inconstant?" 12

• "Is what is inconstant easeful or stressful?" 12, 15

• "Is it fitting to regard what is inconstant and stressful as 'This is mine. This is my self'?" 15

By realizing that even the most refined sense of "I" involves stressful clinging, the practitioner can deconstruct the self without anxiety 14, 16.

The Ultimate Goal

The final aim is to reach a state of absolute freedom that transcends both "self" and "not-self" 16, 17. In this dimension, the concepts of "I" or "am not" no longer apply 13. The only remaining concern for the practitioner is how to use their developed skills for the benefit of the world 18.