We cannot conceive or view the self
The Buddha never once categorically denied the self, that is, he never denied what we are most primordially. Where confusion enters the scene is when we try to approach self with various presuppositions. In other words, we want to conceive self. This conceiving of self is called tma-mna. It is also a view of self (tmadrsti) which is always the wrong view of the self insofar as the self is unviewable.
More specifically when we conceive self it becomes something not-the-self (antman), or the same, it becomes an aggregate (skandha). This aggregate then becomes attachment for us, which is suffering, since the five skandhas (pacaskandha) are suffering (D. ii. 305), according to the Buddha.
Whatever we might imagine our primordial self to be will be the wrong view of self. It is without the aggregate of form, feeling, perception, volitional formations and consciousness (these are the Five Aggregates or pacaskandha).
We can better understand this if we think of our primordial self as the p-wave (p for primordial) while the psychophysical body, or pacakandha with which it interfaces, is the transverse wave or t-wave (transverse waves include the skandhas and the universe). Every time the p-wave identifies and bonds itself with t-wave phenomena, it suffers. In fact, all t-waves contain birth and death. Making matters worse, the p-wave cannot recognize itself in the maelstrom of t-waves even though it is their very substance or tathata.
If you begin to get the picture that we are precariously interfacing with a huge t-wave system which one day, as our psychophysical body, is going to crap out on us, you are not far from the Buddha. According to the Buddha it doesnt have to be this way. If we penetrate through this t-wave field we will return and awaken to the most primordial which is immortal (amrita). This is the profound Dharmaalso our true nature. It is also pure ! Mind and absolute substance or tathata.
Frankly, this is not easy to do. But I can assure the reader of this blog that when they connect with what is most primordial, they will understand what bliss (sukha) and light truly mean being also on the right path.
