The Core Philosophical Rejection

Buddhism fundamentally rejected the Hindu concept of an ātman—an eternal, unchanging self or soul. Hindu teachings describe the ātman as the immortal essence within living beings, ultimately identical with Brahman (the universal spirit).

Liberation (moksha) in Hinduism is realized by understanding this true self and its unity with Brahman.

By contrast, the Buddha taught anattā (Pali) or anātman (Sanskrit), often translated as “not-self.” This doctrine states that no permanent, unchanging essence can be found within any person or phenomenon.

According to the Buddha, our personalities, bodies, and minds are made up of compounded parts (the five aggregates), all impermanent and subject to change. Where Hinduism sought a true, eternal self beneath surface changes, Buddhism asserted there is only a fluid process of change—no enduring core.

Why Did Buddhism Reject the Eternal Soul (Ātman)?

• Empirical Investigation: Buddhist inquiry found no evidence of an unchanging self within experience or consciousness—only a stream of mind-and-body processes.

• Roots of Suffering: Buddha argued that belief in a permanent self leads to attachment, craving, and suffering. By letting go of this idea, one can end the cycle of dissatisfaction and attain liberation (nirvana).

• Universal Application: The denial of self is not limited to the physical body or intellect but applies to all phenomena, including spiritual concepts. The standard Buddhist scriptures make categorical statements: “All phenomena are not self.”

How Did This Change Buddhist Practice?

1. Shift in Soteriology (Liberation Path)

• Instead of realizing the true self (ātman/Brahman), Buddhists seek the end of suffering through insight: understanding impermanence, suffering, and not-self.

• Liberation (nirvana) is achieved by relinquishing clinging—not by union with or realization of an eternal soul.

2. Meditation and Mindfulness

• Practices focus on observing the changing nature of body and mind, seeing directly that no permanent self can be found.

• Mindfulness of feelings, thoughts, and sensations highlights impermanence, fostering dispassion and non-attachment.

3. Ethical Life and Compassion

• Without reference to an eternal soul, ethics are grounded in interdependence and empathy for all living beings.

• Understanding not-self reduces egoism and boundaries, widening compassion.

4. Karma and Rebirth Reinterpreted

• Buddhism maintains karma and rebirth without positing an eternal essence. Instead, continuity is seen as cause-and-effect—not as the transmission of a fixed self.

• Death leads not to the migration of a soul but to the unfolding of karmic momentum in new life—like a candle lighting another, not a soul jumping bodies.

Fundamental Impact

By rejecting the idea of an eternal soul, Buddhism invites a radical transformation: not seeking an unchanging essence, but awakening to freedom by observing, understanding, and letting go.

This shift in metaphysics led to new meditation methods, ethical perspectives, and approaches to suffering—distinguishing Buddhism from the traditions that preceded it.

In summary, Buddhism’s denial of a permanent self changed spiritual practice from self-realization to self-transcendence, making the not-self doctrine central to meditation, ethical living, and liberation from suffering in daily life.