Do Buddhists claim that if there was a self it could not be annihilated? Do Buddhists claim that if there was a self it could not be annihilated? I dimly remember reading this, but no argument or anything like that.
The first and perhaps most famous sutta like that which comes to mind is the Anatta-lakkhana Sutta: The Discourse on the Not-self Characteristic (SN22.59) translated here and here.
I think that says that if something (e.g. form or consciousness or feeling or perception) is impermanent, then it's &quot;not fit&quot; to be regarded as &quot;self&quot;.
The word translated as &quot;not fit&quot; is kalla (&quot;clever&quot;, &quot;healthy&quot;, etc.).