Thoughts Without a Thinker summary

The third core of the Buddhist wheel of life is delusion, represented by the black hog.

In Buddhism, delusion is said to prevent us from perceiving ourselves accurately. In psychoanalysis, it is the underlying cause of a variety of behavioral disorders, such as dissociative disorder, in which the subject experiences a split in his personality.

As children, we’re often expected to behave as our parents desire, which often implies acting against our authentic nature. Children can’t simply do as their instincts tell them, because the societal expectation is to fit in and make a good impression.

Because of this tension between one’s true nature and social self, a person’s sense of self can become entirely warped. For instance, we often have to be quiet when all we want to do is scream, and are at times forced to say what others expect, regardless of what we think.

We’ve seen that the cause of many mental illnesses is a disproportionate sense of self, whether it’s inflated or deflated. But Buddhism might have a cure for both of these ailments.

Buddhist practice can enable you to transcend your attachment to the self. Just take the Buddha himself: when asked by a wanderer named Vacchagotta if the self existed, he merely said that to answer the question would only reinforce the deluded concept of the self, and remained silent thereafter.

Have you ever heard of the hungry ghosts?

They’re powerful metaphors originating in that Buddhist image of existence, the Wheel of Life. These ghostly creatures are depicted as having huge stomachs and mouths so small they are barely the size of a pinhead. Because of this, they constantly crave, never reaching satisfaction.

The highly acclaimed experimental musician John Cage endeavored to make music with odd sounds, but had an aversion to those that were loud or irritating. So, he began practicing the Buddhist technique of bare attention, cultivating openness by focusing on sounds without judgment.

By practicing this way, he came to accept and even enjoy sounds that he had previously found annoying. He grew as a musician and expanded his creative repertoire.

Mindfulness has become something of a buzzword over the last several years. So what’s all the fuss about?

Well, mindfulness is about training yourself to exist in the present moment by focusing your attention on your body and breath, rather than the thoughts that constantly threaten to pull you into the depths of your own head. Mindfulness is a great tool to stop excessive worrying about the future or to avoid replaying painful experiences in your mind.