08/04/2010 7:00 pm
Location:
- Street:
- Village Books
- Additional:
- 1200 Eleventh Street
- City:
- Bellingham ,
- Province:
- Washington
- Postal Code:
- 98225
- Country:
- United States
Anatta is the Buddhist teaching on the nonexistence of a permanently abiding self. It’s a notoriously puzzling and elusive concept, usually leading to such questions as, “If I don’t have a self, who’s reading this sentence?” The sense-of-self is an image created by the mind rather than a separate entity, says Rodney Smith. This understanding is critically important for anyone on a spiritual path, and holds the key to aligning our practices with the freedom promised by the Buddha.In Smith’s new book, he thoroughly explores the reality of anatta– a truth the Buddha considered central to his teaching. The belief in a self separate from everything else distorts the perception of unity that is inherent to life and relegates our spiritual life to self-improvement. Once our spiritual journey is allied with the truth of our selfless nature, the wonder and mystery of life quickly unfolds. This book is the first on anatta written for a wide, popular audience.
Rodney Smith is the founding teacher of the Seattle Insight Meditation Society and a Guiding Teacher for the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts. He was also an ordained Buddhist monk for several years in Asia. He teaches classes and retreats throughout the U.S.. Smith is also the author of Lessons from the Dying.
