Understanding Anatta through Theoretical Physics

Buddhist writer, Barbara O’Brien, introduced the Buddhist concept of Anatman (or Anatta in Pali) this way:

The doctrine of anatman (Sanskrit; anatta in Pali) is the core teaching of Buddhism. According to this doctrine, there is no “self” in the sense of a permanent, integral, autonomous being within an individual existence. What we think of as our self, the “me” that inhabits our body, is just an ephemeral experience.

I have read many articles on Anatta. What I find interesting is the tendency of authors to introduce this concept through the time dimension, by emphasizing the impermanence of things. Of course, nothing stays the same over time. Not our bodies. Not our way of thinking. Not our preferences. Not our country. Not our sense of morality. Not even our Constitution.

The Law of Impermanence applies equally to everything we cherish — our loved ones, our religion, our high ideals, and everything we hold sacred. Buddhism, for example, does not stay the same through time and space. As Buddhism travels to different countries and different geographical locations, it also changes. There is a big difference between Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism. There is also a big difference between Chinese Mahayana Buddhism and Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism. They are very different teachings. Yet, they are all…