144 pp., NOSEN2
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Simple Awakening; The Benefits of Falling Apart; No Self, No Problem Book Excerpts

Anam Thubten's training in Tibet and his years of experience teaching Westerners are beautifully distilled in his remarkably clear new book, No Self, No Problem. This excerpt describes the core of the spiritual path.

When awakening happens, there is no longer any desire to become someone other than who we are. Every previous idea of who we are vanishes and along with it the pain, guilt, and pride associated with our body. In Buddhism this is called no self. This is the only true awakening. Everything else is a spiritual bypass. This awakening is what we should be aiming for from the very beginning of being on the path. It will rescue us from falling into unnecessary spiritual traps.

When we are openhearted and ready to drop our previous perceptions of self, then spiritual awakening can happen at any moment. There is a beautiful analogy. Imagine a dark cave that hasn't been illuminated for a million years. Then one day someone brings a candle into the cave. Instantaneously the darkness of a million years vanishes. Like that, when your true nature is realized there is no longer this "I" searching for anything else.

This opening, this receptivity, is basically related to our ability to resist arming the ego with concepts and ideas. A true spiritual path transcends all concepts and belief systems. It is not about reinforcing the mind's illusion of self as an identity. It is not about being a Buddhist, a saint, or a better person. It is really about deconstructing all of our illusions without any mercy.

It is very important to look into our mind to see what we are looking for, what we are seeking. This is especially relevant when we are going to receive spiritual teachings. When a spiritual teacher impresses us, we might discover that our desire is completely antagonistic to authentic awakening. Perhaps our mind is looking for comfort, for validation, for a spiritual high, or a new set of beliefs. Sometimes our ego convinces us that we are realizing this sense of no fixed self but at the same time we are holding on to another concept like trying to be sacred or spiritual. Holding on to concepts such as "sacred" or "spiritual" while we are working towards transcending self-attachment is very subtle.

Perhaps this sounds like a lot of work, like an arduous insurmountable task. It isn't when we find the secret ingredient. That is to know that this "I" is a fictitious entity that is always ready to wither away the moment we stop sustaining it. We don't have to go to a holy place to experience this. All we have to do is simply sit and pay attention to our breath, allowing ourselves to let go of all of our fantasies and mental images. Then we can experience connecting to our inner world.

As we begin to rest and pay attention, we begin to see everything clearly. We see that the self has no basis or solidity. It is a complete mental fabrication.

More about the book . . .

No Self, No Problem is about how to realize the ultimate meaning of life in each moment by dissolving all notions of ego identity. It asks that spiritual seekers wake up to their true nature, which is already enlightened. Based on the Buddhist wisdom tradition, this easy-to-read book discusses in simple but profound and inspiring language how we can live a life full of love, satisfaction, and happiness.

Anam Thubten, an accomplished Tibetan Buddhist meditation teacher, speaks with clarity, humor, and refreshing honesty as he shares his own spiritual journey. With profound knowledge and insight into the human condition, he illuminates the path to enlightenment for those willing to go to the heart of the matter. In his words,

The Benefits of Falling Apart

We are no longer trying to hold the composure of this illusory entity, ego or self. Self is always collapsing and dissolving in each and every moment. It dissolves if we leave it as it is because it's not real from the very beginning. It's already unreal. It's already collapsing. When we try to construct and maintain the illusion of self, then we suffer quite a lot. We experience insecurity and madness because we are trying to uphold something that is already falling apart. Self is already falling apart. Suffering is already falling apart. And who is it that works so hard twenty-four hours a day trying to keep samsara together while complaining about it at the same time? Who is that person?

There is a bit of a dichotomy here. It's confusing too because we come to the spiritual path with a lot of enthusiasm and determination. We are complaining about samsara, our misery, and we are looking desperately for liberation. At the same time, we must remember that samsara is already falling apart. We may wonder how that can be. I have been stuck in it for many lifetimes. This vicious cycle is not falling apart on its own. The question is actually, "Who is the self? Who is the one who is trying to maintain that samsara?" Samsara is really very high maintenance. It costs lots of headaches and heartaches to maintain. Who is this self trying to construct samsara? Who is that person?

—excerpted from No Self, No Problem