The "no-self" doctrine supported by momentariness, denying an unchanging core in beings. Criticisms from Rival Schools
The doctrine was not present in the earliest discourses of the Buddha, which were more pragmatic about change. It emerged as a systematic theory during the and was later refined by prominent scholars such as Vasubandhu , Dignāga , and Dharmakīrti .
: Nothing is static; the universe perishes and is "re-created" every instant.
: Buddhist logicians argued that only momentary things are real because real existence requires the ability to produce an effect. A permanent, unchanging entity would be causally inert and therefore non-existent. Historical Development
: Later incorporated momentariness through commentaries like Buddhaghosa’s Visuddhimagga , particularly to explain how karma continues across the threshold of death. Philosophical and Ethical Implications
: We perceive stable objects (like a table or a person) because the series of moments ( santāna ) occurs too fast for ordinary perception to detect the breaks, similar to how a movie film creates the illusion of smooth motion.
The "stream" or continuum of causally linked momentary events that gives the appearance of a persistent object.
The "no-self" doctrine supported by momentariness, denying an unchanging core in beings. Criticisms from Rival Schools
The doctrine was not present in the earliest discourses of the Buddha, which were more pragmatic about change. It emerged as a systematic theory during the and was later refined by prominent scholars such as Vasubandhu , Dignāga , and Dharmakīrti . The Buddhist doctrine of momentariness: A surve...
: Nothing is static; the universe perishes and is "re-created" every instant. : Nothing is static; the universe perishes and
: Buddhist logicians argued that only momentary things are real because real existence requires the ability to produce an effect. A permanent, unchanging entity would be causally inert and therefore non-existent. Historical Development : Nothing is static
: Later incorporated momentariness through commentaries like Buddhaghosa’s Visuddhimagga , particularly to explain how karma continues across the threshold of death. Philosophical and Ethical Implications
: We perceive stable objects (like a table or a person) because the series of moments ( santāna ) occurs too fast for ordinary perception to detect the breaks, similar to how a movie film creates the illusion of smooth motion.
The "stream" or continuum of causally linked momentary events that gives the appearance of a persistent object.
