The History of Buddhist Thought c14.22

c14.22

Some of these views are cosmological and do not need discussion, as they are not characteristic of any particular school. The first doctrine set forth is that the self and the universe are eternal (*sassatavāda*). It takes for granted that the universe passes through ages of disintegration and renewal, a point which the Buddhist does not dispute. An ascetic or brahmin who practises concentration remembers many of his past existences, and comes to the conclusion that “the self and the universe are eternal, barren (i.e. not producing anything new), standing as on a mountain peak, fixed as a firm pillar; and these beings are reborn, transmigrate, arise and pass away, but (self and universe) are eternal.” Here we have the important word *attā* (Skt. *ātman*) “self”¹; no difficulty is made about it. The only question is whether it is eternal or not. We shall later find a different point of view implied in the word *ātmavāda*, the doctrine that a self or soul exists. We do not find it expressly stated that the self is not eternal, but only that a yogi has remembered such an enormous number of his existences that he infers that self and world are eternal. When we come to the doctrine that everything compound is transitory, then we shall find a positive argument against the eternal existence of the soul.