Why can’t one have a ‘self’ that is changing?

In short:
Because the concept of a “self” – itself! – prescribe that this “ego” remains exactly the same
over a prolonged time! So also do we subjectively also experience it: "Though older "I" am the
same ‘person’ with the same ‘name’..." we say and automatically tend to think…
However only the name, which is an empty designation or ‘label’ remains the same, but nothing
of what that this label ‘names’ or signifies, whether mental or physical remains the same even
for a millisecond! All mental states and also all bodily material states change momentarily!
Thus "we" are never exactly the same from one moment to the next. Nor is anything external...!

There exists no 'Ego', 'Self', 'Agent', 'Operator', 'I-Me' or little man (homunculus) inside any being...

Secondly: A true ‘Self’ is assumed to be in full power over itself… Otherwise: If this self have
no power over itself: Who or what has then power of this self? If anything has power over the
self then this actually deserves more to be called a 'self'. However realistically all events depend
on specific causes and not any imaginary ‘self’!
Nothing is the same. Everything is changing. Nothing is a static entity. Everything is a dynamic process.
Nothing is therefore under full control of any self. And nothing can ever be under full control of self
since everything is dependent on its own specific causes.

The "Ego-Me-I-Self" is a mere recursive auto-projection or "self"-imagination of a non-real entity!

Thirdly: There is individuality:
Only a single process of the 5 clusters of clinging (khandha) conventionally called ‘a person’
experiences the kammic after effects of it ‘own’ past activities… Other clusters of clinging
conventionally called ‘other persons’ do not run into or experience these kammic effects.
But there is no identity:
Nothing within or outside of this ever re-arising process of these  5 clusters of clinging is ever
the ‘same’ or therefore  ‘identical’, or therefore an ‘identity’… The ‘person’ is thus neither ever
the ‘same’, nor ever ‘another’, but just a selfless process of ever changing momentary states…
Nothing of such ephemeral transience is ever worth clinging to!


On this enigmatic No-Self (Anatta) Doctrine: Self-&-Substance-lessness
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Pride.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Not_Yours.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Conceit_I_Am.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Ego-Projection.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/I-dentification.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Sandcastles.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Prison_of_Pride.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Double_Problem.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Egoless.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/We_Are_Not.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Anti-EGO-Tool.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Empty_of_What.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Anatta_No_Self.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Self-less_Anatta.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Divorced_Freedom.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Uprooting_Egoism.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/anatta.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Mistaken_Refence.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Deed_without_Doer.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/No_Being_No_Person.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Without_Controversy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Mistaken_Reference.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Who_is_the_Creator.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Solo_Self-Deception.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/No_Agent_is_Inside.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Smoke_of_Self.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Non-'I'-dentification.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Just_Passing_Bubbles.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Anatta_Doctrine.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Not_Who_but_What.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Selfless_Camera.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Invisible_Impersonality.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Selfless_and_Harmless.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Input_'I'-dentification.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/No-Agent_but_Dependence.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Cause_of_Identity_View.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_Egolessness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Neither_Agent_nor_Actor.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Who_or_what_is_the_Agent.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/The_Fact_of_No-Self_Anatta.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/First_I-dentification_then_Enmity.htm

No-Self: Individuality without Identity...

Have a nice & noble day!

 
Friendship is the Greatest! Bhikkhu Samāhita _/\_ ]
http://What-Buddha-Said.net