Buddhism & the 'Self' (or, 'Not-Self')

When I was taking an independent study class in Buddhism in 1999 to add to my minor in religious studies, I wrote this as my reply to the long-time question in Buddhism - Is there a 'Self'?

*

If we could be
Fully in the moment
And truly experience it, totally
 
We would understand
That it would be untrue
To say
The moment is permanent.
 
It would also be untrue
To say
The moment does not exist.

We would notice
The indiscernible line
Between the present moment
And the last
 
And how this present moment
Connects to the next
 
Each moment
A part of each other
 
Yet-
Still changing,
Moving,
Dancing.
 
This is time.
This is life.
 
Perhaps this is why
The Buddha
Would not answer the question
“Is there a self?”
 
Because-
He understood
That it would be untrue
To say
The self is permanent.
 
He also understood
It would be untrue
To say
The self does not exist.
 
He noticed
The indiscernible line
Between the present self
And the last
 
And how the present self
Connects to the next
 
Each aspect of self
A part of the other
 
Yet-
Still changing
Moving
Dancing.
 
This is the self.
This is life.
 
This is why
We should learn to be
Fully in the moment
So that we may truly experience it, totally
Then,
We would understand.

 *

©1999 -2015 by Chris Kellett