(to the tune of “There’s No Business Like Show Business”)
There’s no self like no self
Like no self I know
Nothing in samsara can be lasting
No book, no cash, no boyfriend, and no cow
Even though you might have had a past thing
You’ll find you can’t bring it with you now
There’s no self that’s not five skandas
There’s no self you can know
A person cannot exist autonomously
It’s the skandas’ image that we see
If we were the same as skandas, we’d be too many
Without skandas, we do not show
Substantial self? I say no!
Inspired by the teachings of Drupon Khenpo Lodro Namgyal (as translated by Jim Scott) in the Rigpe Dorje Spring Program at Pullahari Monastery. Written by Tania Israel, March 23, 2008 at Pullahari.