anatta

Etymology

From Pali anattan, from Sanskrit अनात्मन् (anātman, “no soul”), from अन्- (an-, “non-, un-, a-”) + आत्मन् (ātman, “soul”).

anatta means the idea that there is no separate self or soul; egolessness. One of the three marks of existence. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 86 out of 100.

Why “anatta” is a great word

ANATTA — [Noun] In Buddhist doctrine, the concept that there is no permanent, unchanging, independent self or soul, considered one of the three fundamental characteristics of existence. From Pali anattā, from Sanskrit anātman ("no soul"), from an- ("not, without") + ātman ("soul, self"). Unlike ātman (the Hindu eternal essence of the self) or ego (the conscious sense of individual identity), anatta is a radical negation, asserting that what we perceive as self is merely a conditioned, transitory process. It is the sound of wind through a bamboo grove—a phenomenon with no singular source; the flame passed from candle to candle—continuous yet never the same flame; and the recognition that a chariot is merely a convenient name for a temporary assembly of parts. The self is a verb masquerading as a noun.

noun

The idea that there is no separate self or soul; egolessness. One of the three marks of existence.“The texts indicate that when the Buddha's first disciples heard about anatta, their hearts were filled with joy and they immediately experienced Nirvana.”