sexuality
between the self and God because Brahman is qualified by the matter and
the Ātman that constitute its body.
From the perspective of postmodernism and arguably its most famous
representative Jacques Derrida, the self is disappearing in Western
thought. Previous conceptions of the self from Derrida’s perspective con-
ceive of the self as a presence. Using his deconstructive method on the
statement “Here I am,” Derrida thinks that the statement does two things:
it effaces the present nature of any such exactly duplicate quotation, and
it indicates that the self is not present as itself and cannot make itself
present to itself. Moreover, Derrida connects the self to a trace, which
represents the erasure of selfhood. Since the self is a genuine trace, there
can be no presence of the self because a trace possesses the ability to
inscribe itself as a difference between the breaches it creates in space.
The dual powers of repetition and erasure make full presence impossible
for the self. In addition, Derrida thinks that it does not really matter if one
thinks that the self is different from God or whether the self is identical
to God because the name of God is a mere trace, and it thus does not
designate anything permanent. Derrida probably possesses more in com-
mon with the Buddha with his emphasis on impermanence than with the
other thinkers cited on the problem of the self.
Further reading: Buber (1958); Derrida (1976, 1978); Kierkegaard (1980); Olson
(2005, 2007)
SEXUALITY
If sex is determined by anatomical differences between men and women,
the concept of sexuality is determined by culture. Various religious cul-
tures attempt to define sexuality, control it, and channel its energy. In
some instants, religions encourage sexual behavior, such as Judaism and
Islam, while other religious cultures espouse a more ascetic lifestyle,
such as Buddhism and Jainism. Christianity and Hinduism both encour-
age and discourage sexuality in certain contexts and for certain people.
Although Buddhism contains no systematic discourse on sex, there is,
however, an element of general discourse on desire or power. Buddhists
tend to focus on desire because it represents a basic problem with respect
to achieving liberation. Desire is considered thus one of the three poi-
sons (hatred, ignorance, and desire) that pollute and maintain the cycle of
human existence and suffering associated with it. Desire is not limited to
sexual desire because it encompasses all sensual desire. Carnal desires