Is there any specific term to denote "things without self"?

Question

I am confused between selfless and non-slef.

I am under the impression:
1. "non-self" is the term for "things other than self".
2. "selfless" is the term for "things without self"

Answer 1

Lousy friends? lol
Yes selfless is right.

Answer 2

to be selfless , truly, as the word is meant to be used, you must be a thing,such as a person, who ordinarily has a self and has released it or lost it as a form of spiritual development or phase in development. One becomes selfless and no longer has a sense of self or sets a value on self so that it does not obstruct behavior. a loss of the classic ego in freudian terms.

Logically one may think Selfless refers to trees or rocks that have no "self" but that is inaccurate usage.

Non-self may be properly used to denote a thing that has no self , such as " the rock is of the non-self type of existence", but it would be very strange indeed to catagorize things as being of the non-self type and the self type and mean that some things have self and some do not. A person can have a self but still be selfless without being of the non-self type of things.

Answer 3

In essence, selfless does mean 'things without self' (less=without and self=self). But usually 'selfless' is referred to as being able to put other's needs before their own. If you have a Webster's Dictionary, or could locate their website, the definate meanings would be there. Unfortunately, one word can have more than one meaning.

Answer 4

it would depend on the definition of 'self'. does 'self' mean consciousness? self understanding? would you attribute the qualities of 'self' to an average adult? how about a pre-language child? what about a goldfish?

you could use the term inanimate, but is a tree an inanimate object?

the term selfless should probably not be used as it can be confused with generosity (Ie: a selfless person).

if you are writing a paper, I would use the phrase: object without self awareness, but it depends on the context.

good luck... Jeff M-K

Answer 5

just a wild guess but if self is +5, then selfless is 0 and non-self is -5.

Answer 6

I think you may be looking for the phrase "anonymous philanthropy", though this doesn't exclude any personal satisfaction the philanthropist may feel.
On the other hand, you could be looking for the deeper meaning of "gifting", wherein a gift is given without any hope or expectation of anything in return. But again, you run into the unfortunate reality that even if the intention is there, people still seem to hope for gratitude - social custom, I guess.
To gift properly, though possible, is very hard to do, and unfortunately, very very rare.

Answer 7

Nothing.

anything that can be perceived by yourself is with-self, but what can be perceived without your self? Nothing. Without the self it can not be perceived. And don't get tied up in Buddhist semantics. Self is God, self is ego, but both are reflections of the human quality of a self and the higher Self which encompasses all things.

Answer 8

Selflessness is a right word for your question...
Good luck

Answer 9

u'r getting too hung up on labels and semantics. if u are a true follower of the spiritual way, this would not be an issue. simply accept the limitations of the material world we live in - one of which is the limitations of human-created words

Answer 10

The word "Muslim" means to give one's will over to god, to be selfless for god's will. I am not Muslim, but I can apprecate the purity of that concept.