The Reasons for the Inability to Realize Anātman

We know that this physical body is not the self, yet we simply cannot sever the view of self. Why is this? It is a matter of wisdom. On one hand, the conscious mind lacks the wisdom of selflessness; it does not know how to observe and contemplate, nor how to gather evidence and data, nor how to permeate the manas (the mental faculty). On the other hand, the power of meditative concentration is insufficient, making it impossible to focus the mind on contemplation, to enable the manas to accept the concepts of consciousness, or to allow the manas to concentrate on evaluating the evidence and data collected by consciousness. Consequently, the view of self cannot be severed.

The deeply ingrained notions held by the manas since beginningless kalpas are the most difficult to overturn. Although consciousness may clearly recognize at times that the physical body is impermanent, arising and ceasing, and thus unreal—impossible to be the self—the manas remains unable to acknowledge this falsity. The sticking point lies precisely here. Most of the time, the evidence provided by consciousness is not conclusive either. For example, take the proposition that one plus one equals two. We know this proposition is correct, but why is one plus one equal to two correct? We do not know. If even consciousness does not know, the manas is even less likely to know.

To observe and realize the selflessness of the physical body, one can approach it from various perspectives. For instance, if a hand is cut off, observe: Is that hand me? No, because the hand is gone, yet I still exist. If the hand were me, then I would no longer exist. Thus it is evident that the hand is not me. When the eyes are dug out, do I not still exist? Then the eyes are not me. When the ears are cut off, I still exist and have not died; thus the ears are not me. When the head is cut off, although I die along with it, if I truly ceased to exist, there would be no future self in subsequent lives. Thus it is evident that this physical body is not me either. Was yesterday's me, me? If it was me, then where did yesterday's me go? Hold this question as a single thought suspended in the heart. One day, the manas will finally understand: "Oh— so it is like this. The physical body, the five aggregates, none of them are me." Then the view of self will be severed.