I have to point out that the very notion of a "True Self" is very much a Hindu concept and seriously non-buddhist. The entire passage is like a Hindu interpretation of Buddhist doctrine!
The Noble Eightfold Path has to be understood in the context of:
1. The Four Noble Truths
2. The Middle Way
3. Dependent Origination
metta,
Yong Peng.
-----Original Message-----
From: Rosati
Date: Wednesday, July 25, 2001 12:25 PM
> Every Being possesses a deathless Essence (Atta: True Self, Spirit,
> that which transcends on, either to painful rebirth or to Nibbatta),
Excuse me, where does it say this in the Nikayas. I must have missed it.
> **Tathagata [(Tathan.) Tatta+San.(Samma)+gata]
Thats some creative etymology dude. With methods like these you could prove
that Tathagata means cucumber.
Dante
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