<p>Buddhism teaches what is commonly called the human life form is comprised of five aggregates (<a href="https://suttacentral.net/sn22.48/en/bodhi" rel="nofollow noreferrer">SN 22.48</a>; <a href="https://suttacentral.net/sn22.22/en/bodhi" rel="nofollow noreferrer">SN 22.22</a>), namely, body, feelings (of pleasantness, unpleasantness &amp; in-between), perceptions, mental formations (such as emotions &amp; thinking) and consciousness via the six senses.</p>
<p>Buddhism teaches what is commonly called &quot;the self&quot; is merely a product of thinking and conditioning (<a href="https://suttacentral.net/sn22.81/en/bodhi#sc10" rel="nofollow noreferrer">SN 22.81</a>) and is not ultimately real and is merely the manifesting of suffering (<a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.bodh.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">SN 5.10</a>). Therefore, Buddhism teaches the five aggregates are &quot;not-self&quot; (&quot;anatta&quot;; <a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.mend.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">SN 22.59</a>).</p>
<p>Buddhism says anatta (not-self) is only the true nature of things but is also the understanding that leads to the ending of suffering because, according to the 1st Noble Truth (<a href="https://suttacentral.net/sn56.11/en/bodhi#sc4" rel="nofollow noreferrer">SN 56.11</a>) all suffering is caused by the mind possessively clinging/attaching to things (the five aggregates; SN 56.11), both internally &amp; externally, as &quot;I&quot;, &quot;me&quot;, &quot;mine&quot; and &quot;self&quot; (<a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.001.than.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">SN 22.1</a>).</p>
<p>The sole purpose of the Buddhist teachings is to mitigate and end suffering (<a href="https://suttacentral.net/mn22/en/bodhi#sc56" rel="nofollow noreferrer">MN 22 paragraph 56</a>). Here, it is taught nothing whatsoever should be attached to (as &quot;I&quot; &amp; &quot;mine&quot;; <a href="https://www.dhammatalks.net/Books9/Bhikkhu_Bodhi_Culatanhasankhaya_Sutta.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">MN 37</a>).</p>
<p>In Hinduism, when it is taught &quot;everything is an illusion&quot;, the purpose of this teaching is also to end suffering and made the mind feel more free &amp; unattached.</p>
<p>In summary, Buddhism believes if you can live according to the <a href="https://suttacentral.net/sn45.8/en/bodhi" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Noble Eightfold Path</a> you can live a life that is free from suffering.</p>

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2021-02-01T20:20:40.600Z
2021-02-01T20:32:11.857Z
2021-02-01T20:32:11.857Z
Dhamma Dhatu
<p>Does Buddhism say everything is an illusion? For Buddhist, are all other people just an illusion (philosophical zombies)? For example, when I talk to a Buddhist, he thinks I'm a philosophical zombie without minds,feeling,emotions? It turns out that all people in the world believe that other people have consciousness besides the Buddhism?I don't think this is true, so I want to clarify thanks</p>

<tibetan-buddhism><academic-buddhism>
What do Buddhists believe in?
# What do Buddhists believe in?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-02-01)

Does Buddhism say everything is an illusion? For Buddhist, are all other people just an illusion (philosophical zombies)? For example, when I talk to a Buddhist, he thinks I'm a philosophical zombie without minds,feeling,emotions? It turns out that all people in the world believe that other people have consciousness besides the Buddhism?I don't think this is true, so I want to clarify thanks

**Tags:** tibetan-buddhism, academic-buddhism


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2021-02-01. Score: 1

Buddhism teaches what is commonly called the human life form is comprised of five aggregates ([SN 22.48](https://suttacentral.net/sn22.48/en/bodhi); [SN 22.22](https://suttacentral.net/sn22.22/en/bodhi)), namely, body, feelings (of pleasantness, unpleasantness & in-between), perceptions, mental formations (such as emotions & thinking) and consciousness via the six senses.

Buddhism teaches what is commonly called "the self" is merely a product of thinking and conditioning ([SN 22.81](https://suttacentral.net/sn22.81/en/bodhi#sc10)) and is not ultimately real and is merely the manifesting of suffering ([SN 5.10](https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.010.bodh.html)). Therefore, Buddhism teaches the five aggregates are "not-self" ("anatta"; [SN 22.59](https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.mend.html)).

Buddhism says anatta (not-self) is only the true nature of things but is also the understanding that leads to the ending of suffering because, according to the 1st Noble Truth ([SN 56.11](https://suttacentral.net/sn56.11/en/bodhi#sc4)) all suffering is caused by the mind possessively clinging/attaching to things (the five aggregates; SN 56.11), both internally & externally, as "I", "me", "mine" and "self" ([SN 22.1](https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.001.than.html)).

The sole purpose of the Buddhist teachings is to mitigate and end suffering ([MN 22 paragraph 56](https://suttacentral.net/mn22/en/bodhi#sc56)). Here, it is taught nothing whatsoever should be attached to (as "I" & "mine"; [MN 37](https://www.dhammatalks.net/Books9/Bhikkhu_Bodhi_Culatanhasankhaya_Sutta.htm)).

In Hinduism, when it is taught "everything is an illusion", the purpose of this teaching is also to end suffering and made the mind feel more free & unattached.

In summary, Buddhism believes if you can live according to the [Noble Eightfold Path](https://suttacentral.net/sn45.8/en/bodhi) you can live a life that is free from suffering.


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