You are an illusion.

You are not your name.

My name is Brandon.

‘Brandon’ is a word.

I am not a word.

You are not your body.

Am I my left thumb?

Am I my head?

Am I my right foot?

If I am not any body part, then am I the whole body?

You are not your memories.

A memory is a thought that occurs in the present moment.

Recall a memory now.

Are you that memory?

If you are not, then does it make sense to say you are your memories?

Recall:

Can you recall what you did at 6:22pm on the 27th of March last year?

If not, then how do you know who you are?

Memory is dynamic:

New memories are always being created. If memories are always being created, then this is not a static process. It’s dynamic.

Memories can be forgotten, or modified involuntarily upon recall. This phenomenon is known as false memories.

Because memory is dynamic (constantly changing), how can we claim we are something that is in constant flux?

As soon as a claim is made that ‘I am X’ and X changes, then it becomes false.

The past is an illusion:

Is the past real?

If you say yes, how do you know?

Memories!

But memories are thoughts that occur in the present moment. Memories are not the actual event that apparently took place in the past.

Video evidence!

You watch videos in the present moment and assume the videos are a true representation of a past.

Therefore video evidence does not prove the existence of the past.

Because past is illusion, then memory is based on illusion, since memory refers to the past.

Therefore, if you say you are your memories, then you are saying you are an illusion.

You are not your senses.

When you get touched by someone, and feel the sensation of pressure on your skin, are you that pressure on your skin?

You are not your inner voice.

If the inner voice ever stopped speaking, you would disappear.

Thought Experiment

Consider your body.

Who’s body is it?

Mine.

Who does ‘mine’ refer to?

Me.

Who is ‘Me’?

Thought Experiment 2

Who tastes?

Who smells?

Who sees?

Who hears?

Who touches?

Who talks?

Who thinks?

Who remembers?

Who imagines?

Who experiences?

Who suffers?

Conclusion

If you are not your name, body, memories, senses, or inner voice, then who are you?

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