Who Exists?

So, we've covered the "where," "when," and "why" of self, and

now it's time to see the "who" of self.

Who exists?

This question brings us the issue of the separation 

between "me" and "others" ...  

If "I" exist, "others" can exist,

but without "me," can "others" exist?  

If "others" don't exist, 

can "I" exist as a separate entity?

...

As we inquired quite a bit into the absence of "me,"

why don't we turn it the other way around and LOOK at it

from the opposite direction?

So ...

What are others?
Do others exist at all?

If you get to meet others, you see the shape of human beings,

you hear his / her voice, you may feel their touch,

You may smell something from them ... and you may 
think about their name, position, their past, and so on.


From the above, you assume, or take for granted, that 
they have some kind of "core" or a solid personality 
around which all the above sensory information are tied and unified, solidified into a thing called "person."


...


Here's the inquiry:


What is this tie?
Or, who ties them?


In Japanese language, the Buddha is called
仏, which is pronounced hotoke.  This comes from the verb hodokeru, which means "untie."  So, hotoke means untied.

And when its untied, you find everything 'empty', or 空 in 
Japanese ... without a core, without a knot, without a solid identity.



So LOOK.

Is it tied at all?
(Hasn't it been untied all the time?)

What ties the sensory information to mold a personal identity?

Can you find the one who ties?

Can you answer?


And you can apply this inquiry to yourself.

What ties all to make a "me"?
What is it that makes a "me"?

(btw, with the above inquiry we will have covered
 the "what" of self.)



Enjoy the search ... :)