The Buddhist Concept of Self Essay Questions

1. Explain how Buddhists can deny that there is a permanent “true self” behind experiences without denying that the self exists at all.

2. The Hindu concept of ātman entails that each of us is actually just an aspect of Brahman, the unified divine reality. Does the Buddhist doctrine of anātman also entail that we are all just part of the same underlying reality? Why or why not?

3. What are the key differences between Hindu and Buddhist thought that lead Buddhists to accept the doctrine of anātman?