As philosophers have increasingly shied away from belief in the soul, the Buddhist doctrine of “no-self” (anātman)—the idea that there is no real enduring entity to underpin our commonsense notion of a continuous, living being—has garnered growing respect. Monima Chadha’s Selfless Minds: A Contemporary Perspective on Vasubandhu’s Metaphysics brings classical Buddhist philosophical positions into vigorous engagement with current perspectives. Buddhist no-self is not merely a charming presage of modern discoveries but a live option only ignored to the detriment of current conversation. In particular, to consider seriously the positions of Vasubandhu (fourth/fifth century), the most influential Indian Buddhist philosopher to take up the topic, is to acknowledge a serious challenge to standard presuppositions about a wide range of “self”-centered topics in philosophy.
The book is of immediate use for students and nonspecialists, since Chadha’s opening chapters provide admirable introductions to the basics of Indian Buddhist philosophy (chap. 1)...
