feeling (vedana), perception (sanna), mental formation (sankhara), and conscious-
ness (vinnana). Then, come the clinging and attachment to“self.”The“self”or ego
is being fed by tanha (craving): craving for sensuality (kama tanha), craving to be
...(bhava tanha), and craving not to be...(vibhava tanha); and defilements (kilesa).
The Lord Buddha explains that because of the feeling of“self,”we cultivate 10
kinds of unwholesome quality of the minds or kilesa: greed(lobha), hate(dosa),
delusion(moha), conceit (mana), speculative views (ditthi), restlessness(uddhacca),
shamelessness (ahirika), and lack of moral dread or unconscientiousness (anot-
tappa). To elaborate, because of the feeling of existence of self or delusion of self,
one’s perception that one is important gives rise to conceit. The perception that
one’s point of view is very important gives rise to a speculative view. Anything that
is not pleasurable for self or for self’s view point could create annoyance or anger.
Not having what one wants creates lust or greed. The mind would go restless, and
the self may commit any unlawful deed out of shamelessness and lack of moral
dread.
According to the doctrine of causal genesis or dependent origination
(Paticcasamuppada), the ultimate cause of ego or self can be traced through 12
conditioned factors that we fabricate our“self.”The way to cease the“self”is that
we ought to see that the world is full of complexity. There is no linear thinking or
direct causality. Traditional Pali interpretation of Paticcasamuppada is as follows:
With ignorance (avijja) as condition, fabrication or mental formation (sankhara)
arises. With mental formation, consciousness (vinnana) arises. With consciousness
as condition, mind and matter (namarupa) arises. With mind and matter as condi-
tion, sense gates/contact via seeing, smelling, touching, tasting, and hearing
(phassa) arises. With senses gates as condition, feeling (vedana) arises. With feeling
as condition, craving (tanha) arises, and with craving as condition, clinging (upa-
dana) arises. With clinging as condition, becoming (bhava) arises. With becoming
as condition, birth (jati) arises. With birth as condition, aging and death (jar-
amorana) arises.
This interpretation implies the cycle of past, present, and future life or reincar-
nation. However, Buddhadasa rejects this view of Paticcasamuppada. The cessation
of self can happen any moment of practice in our life time. From his arduous Pali
studies and interpretation of many ancient books, he came up with a new inter-
pretation as seen in the following chart.
7.4 Twelve Causally Linked Stages of the Paticcasamuppada
of the Paticcasamuppada
Diagram constructed by Patchanee Malikhao from source: (Jackson 2003 : 111–119)
7.3 Not-Self 107