“We tend to treat the ego as something that’s real in some final sense rather than just a useful way of accounting for a part of human experience.” — Adyashanti, The Mystery of Being
The concept of Anatta (Non-Self) in Buddhism, teaches that what we perceive as the “self” is a mental construct, a collection of thoughts, sensations, and experiences that continuously change. This mistaken identification with the ego—our thoughts, desires, and sensations—creates suffering. We cling to the idea of a fixed “I” and thus reinforce a sense of separation and isolation from the flow of existence.
In truth, there is no independent, unchanging self. Instead, everything arises in dependence on conditions—a key insight from Dependent origination.
The ego, or separate self, is not a solid entity but a process that is shaped by countless interdependent factors, none of which exist in isolation. When we grasp at the ego’s illusions, we obscure this underlying interconnectedness, reinforcing the cycle of ignorance and attachment.
Anatta invites us to observe that thoughts and sensations arise and pass away without being “owned” by a self. The mind creates the illusion of a self to hold onto these experiences, yet when we examine it deeply, we find no self at the center of this experience—only Awareness and the constant arising of phenomena.
Thus, the struggle of ego identification is not just a misperception; it is the root of suffering. The mind clings to transient phenomena as “me” or “mine,” obscuring the profound truth that nothing arises independently. Realizing Anatta reveals that everything we experience is contingent on causes and conditions—a dynamic dance of existence that is ultimately empty of a separate self. To see this clearly is to awaken to the non-dual nature of reality.
Reflect: Who is it that struggles with thought or sensation? What remains when we cease to identify with them? Let this be a pointer to the deep recognition that we are not the ego, but the Awareness in which all arises and dissolves.
Liens: Anicca Identité de l’égo Qui suis-je Dissolution de l’égo Ton égo C’est juste une illusion