The "no-self" doctrine supported by momentariness, denying an unchanging core in beings. Criticisms from Rival Schools
The theory faced heavy critique from Hindu and Jaina philosophers: Momentariness, Buddhist doctrine of
: Nothing is static; the universe perishes and is "re-created" every instant. The Buddhist doctrine of momentariness: A surve...
: We perceive stable objects (like a table or a person) because the series of moments ( santāna ) occurs too fast for ordinary perception to detect the breaks, similar to how a movie film creates the illusion of smooth motion.
The smallest partless unit of time in which a phenomenon arises and perishes. The smallest partless unit of time in which
: Instead of objects enduring over time, existence is seen as a rapid succession of discrete, momentary entities.
: Later incorporated momentariness through commentaries like Buddhaghosa’s Visuddhimagga , particularly to explain how karma continues across the threshold of death. Philosophical and Ethical Implications Philosophical and Ethical Implications The doctrine was not
The doctrine was not present in the earliest discourses of the Buddha, which were more pragmatic about change. It emerged as a systematic theory during the and was later refined by prominent scholars such as Vasubandhu , Dignāga , and Dharmakīrti .