Even Agency is Not Denied (Conventionally)

John Tan said:

You must understand the way happenings are expressed through our language—specifically, how verb-like events or vivid happenings are articulated.

For instance, in thinking, there are only thoughts; there is no thinker. Or, as in Madhyamaka, there cannot be a thinker without thoughts, and no thoughts without a thinker—they are neither the same nor different.

This is how the conceptual mind, which can only operate using discrete parts, fragments and expresses that which is fluid and seamless. However, over time, the mind "mistakes" and reifies these conceptual parts, believing them to be "real," independent, and separate entities.

We must understand exactly what sort of self Buddhism is negating. It is negating the Atman or Brahman type of self—an inherent self. That is, a self that is separate, independent, and unchanging.

The conventional self is not negated. Therefore, even agency—such as Karen Barad’s concept of the "agential cut" (from the book Yin Ling introduced to me and the conversations I had with her)—is not negated.