Comment to 'No Permanent Self'
  • In my experience and observation so far, this statement:

    "Buddhism teaches that far from being the solid centre of experience, the sense of self is created moment by moment, by means of an instinctive identification with aspects of experience — our body, feelings, perceptions, thoughts, emotions, sense-consciousness."

    refers to the subtle body, that is where lifetimes of experiences are referenced as the stock of instincts and other kneejerks reactions corresponding to consciousness.

    And, so yes, as indicated in the of the original post, that is the root of suffering, or as correctly stated there, the identification with it causes the suffering.

    The purported conclusion of Lord Buddha's teaching is also understandable. Though the self, if defined as higher than the subtle body may not be discovered by looking closer at the experiences, but rather by retracting from them.

    However, part of the process to this withdrawal implies observation of the experiences, in considering that as part of purificatory step of the psyche/ subtle body.