We are all at the same time beautifully unique and completely interdependent. Everything that makes up “me” is an external element, so “I” is nothing but the aggregate of things that “I” is not. What, then, is the self? From this arises the Buddhist doctrine of non-self. The individual is like a wave rolling up from the ocean of reality. Certain conditions came together to form the temporary wave. No two waves are the same, yet they are both formed of the same water. The wave has its own life, its own qualities, and its own force; yet eventually the conditions which allowed it to manifest will change and it will disappear back into the ocean. Energy is not lost in this process, it is simply transferred and transformed. So it is with us when we die.

At the same time, each self-aggregate is unique and possesses its own qualities and capacities. I am the result of forces I did not control, and so I may question the role of volition in my existence. Yet, I am capable of thoughts, feelings and experiences that will be unique to me. It is this individual experience that allows for beauty in human existence.

Self is non-existent at the same time it is of ultimate importance. To reach my highest potential I must recognize that “I” does not exist, because self is the aggregate of the external. And yet, to truly respect interdependence, I must celebrate my individuality. It is precisely because I cannot own my achievements that I must achieve, for I am humanity.