Beyond the 'self', what remains?

Question

The self and its illusory nature has become a central focus in modern philosophy and has been a concern in Eastern philosophy historically.

It may be said that the overall system governing all things demands a personalised will, identity and sense of continuity as this would necessitate all its dynamics – born from 'personal' need and drive. It might be said that the self cannot remove itself (as that would be illogical) - that it can only be removed by existence itself. Beyond the centrality of self, what remains? What would the nature of this paradigm be?

Answer 1

The self in Eastern philosophy is not the same as the western world. It doesn't just refer to personal identity but also a suprasensible reality that is more akin to mind than to matter. In Greek philosophy, it is referred to as nous or the Intellect. Hegel also called it the world soul and soul was often the way the word self was translated into the west. The term self was used so as not to confuse terms that comes from two different philosophical traditions.

Thus in the Eastern world, there is nothing beyond the self as the self is the world and more and there is nothing beyond that; whilst in the Western world there is everything beyond the self, because the world is beyond the self as you can see just by opening your eyes to the horizon and sering the sky above you and the ground beneath you.