WHAT BUDDHISTS BELIEVE Is there an Eternal Soul?

WHAT BUDDHISTS BELIEVE
Is there an Eternal Soul? 

Belief in an eternal soul is a misconception of the human consciousness. 

Soul -Theories - WITH regard to the soul theory, there are three kinds of teachers in the world:The first teacher teaches the existence of an eternal ego-entity that outlasts death: He is the eternalist.

The second teacher teaches a temporary ego-entity which becomes annihilated at death: He is the materialist.

The third teacher teaches neither an eternal nor a temporary ego-entity: He is the Buddha.

The Buddha teaches that what we call ego, self, soul, personality,etc., are merely conventional terms that do not refer to any real, independent entity. According to Buddhism there is no reason to believe that there is an eternal soul that comes from heaven or iscreated by itself or that it will transmigrate or proceed straight away either to heaven or hell after death. Buddhists cannot accept that there is anything either in this world or any other world that is eternal or unchangeable. We only cling to ourselves and hope to find something immortal. We are like children who wish to grasp a rainbow. To children,a rainbow is something vivid and real; but grown-ups know that it is merely an illusion caused by certain rays of light and drops of water.The colours are only a series of waves or undulations that have no more reality than the rainbow itself. 

We have done well without discovering the soul. We show no signs of  fatigue or degeneration for not having encountered any soul. No one has produced anything to promote the human race by postulating a soul and its imaginary working. Searching for a soul in man is like searching for something in a dark empty room. But the poor person will never realise that what is being sought for is not in that room. It is very difficult to make such a person understand the futility of the search.

Those who believe in the existence of a soul are not in a position to explain what and where it is. The Buddha’s advice is not to waste our time over this unnecessary speculation and devote our time to understand reality. When we have attained perfection then we will beable to realise whether there is a soul or not. A wandering ascetic named Vacchagotta asked the Buddha whether there was an Atman (self/soul) or not. The story is as follows: 

Vacchagotta comes to the Buddha and asks:

‘Venerable Gotama, is there an Atman ?’

The Buddha is silent.

“Then Venerable Gotama, is there no Atman ?” 

Again the Buddha is silent. Vacchagotta gets up and goes away. 

After the ascetic has left, Ananda asks the Buddha why He did not answer Vacchagotta’s question. The Buddha explains His position:‘

Ananda, when asked by Vacchagotta, the Wanderer: “Is there aSelf?”, if I had answered: “There is a Self”, then, Ananda, that would be siding with those recluses and brahmanas who hold the eternalist theory (sassata-vada).’ 

‘And Ananda, when asked by the Wanderer: “Is there no Self?”, if I had answered: “There is no Self”, then that would be siding with those recluses and brahmanas who hold the annihilationist theory (uccedavada).’ 

‘Again, Ananda, when asked by Vacchagotta: “Is there a Self?”, if Ihad answered: “There is a Self”, would that be in accordance with my knowledge that all Dharmas are without Self?

’‘Surely not, Sir.’‘

And again, Ananda, when asked by the Wanderer: “Is there noSelf?”, if I had answered: “There is no Self”, then that would have created a greater confusion in the already confused Vacchagotta. Forhe would have thought: Formerly indeed I had an Atman (Self), but now I haven’t got one’ (SAMYUTTA NIKAYA).

The Buddha regarded soul-speculation as illusory. He once said,‘Only through ignorance and delusion do human beings indulge in the dream that their souls are separate and self-existing entities. Their heart still clings to Self. They are anxious about heaven and they seek the pleasure of Self in heaven. Thus they cannot see the bliss of righteousness and the immortality of truth.’ Selfish ideas appear in human beings’ minds due to their conception of Self and craving for existence.

~ Ven. Dr K Sri Dhammananda.