On Philosophy and Science of Self and No-Self

​This brief and simplified discernment is to elaborate on the content and context of no-self, self, mind, and metaphysical presented in the following essay https://aeon.co/essays/mindfulness-is-loaded-with-troubling-metaphysical-assumptions:

There are basically 4 main Buddhist sects and many lineages within each sects. And also basically 3 main philosophies and practices: metaphysical mind, metaphysical heart and mind, and non-metaphysical. Since Buddhist knowledge wisdom, and practices were not recorded many centuries after the Buddha Gautama era. And as well as due to translation and interpretation over the centuries as well as social, economical, cultural, civil, and political factors (such as lack of resources, available literature, encoded, cross cultures practices, forbidden practices). They or the philosophy and science can be very difficult or even impossible  to analyze (all seem to be similar philosophy and science of mind only.

However, the original teaching and guidance is body-mind. No-self does not mean there is no-self (a few recent discernment https://www.epistemologyontologyfoundationinstitute.org/local-and-non-local-blog/june-07th-2019, https://www.epistemologyontologyfoundationinstitute.org/local-and-non-local-blog/on-mind-and-matter, https://www.epistemologyontologyfoundationinstitute.org/local-and-non-local-blog/july-20th-2019). Rather, no-self implies that body-mind do not exist separately and independently by themselves. But rather as interdependent and interconnected parts of sum of parts of the greater whole. In simple words, No-self means nothing has its own inherent independent existence. And the real self is not the physical body but rather the subtle body-mind (i.e. the mind belongs to the subtle body rather than the physical body of the many sentient composite body-mind system).

While metaphysical in modern or contemporary philosophy and science can have diverse meanings (the readers can refer to modern dictionaries and or Wikipedia) than in naturalness-spiritual development. In naturalness-spiritual development, metaphysical not only is referring to beyond the physical (physical body and observable physical realm and world) or referring to the subtle body-mind and unobservable realms and worlds. But also to the essence, nature, and ground of being. And nature.

As such, naturalness-spiritual development and practices implied nurturing, developing, transforming, and purifying body-mind or many sentient composite body-mind system (which would include the real self or the subtle body-mind or emerging spirit-soul potentialities of possibilities) in accordance to the essence, nature, and ground of being. And nature.  In addition, body-mind also refer to heart rather than just mind. And as such, would help better the practice and experience or meditator would more likely experience transcendence and spiritual experience by going inward and integrate the subtle body-mind for augmented experience potentialities of possibilities (https://www.epistemologyontologyfoundationinstitute.org/philosophy-and-science-beyond-the-macro-world/july-26th-2019). And of course, meaningful and skillful ways of life and practices such as Tenet (as mentioned in the essay) and 8 Noble Path would further better the experience of being and transformation.


Therefore, if the author, and reader(s) are interested, inspired, aspired, and or have the passion, this could be made into meaningful heartful care and mindful care local and global projects and efforts through meaningful scientific, naturalness-spiritual (for example, the Tibetan community preserved the most progressive Buddhist philosophy and scientific knowledge and practices. And as well as in the process of reviving the knowledge, wisdom, and traditions), and humanities collaboration.


​Updated on 07/27/2019:

1.0 An illustration through the scientific method

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4sP1E1Jd_Y
https://www.epistemologyontologyfoundationinstitute.org/philosophy-and-science-beyond-the-macro-world/july-26th-2019

2.0 An illustration through mysticism

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gths93-bqRs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNmMwXEpEzU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOQwrwt1At8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3pEZjWZWPM