Introduction The phrase “cogito ergo sum” (I think therefore I am) comes to mind whenever one brings up the question of existence and Descartes; however, this particular phrase does not appear in its current format in “Meditations.” In fact, “cogito ergo sum” could even be considered as being an overly simplified representation of the idea of the existence of the self that Descartes developed. Before simplifying his approach, Descartes expounded upon it in “Meditations” by considering the “self” as a “thinking thing” that happens to be based on its ability to interpret outside information and develop its observations and conclusions (Descartes 26). On the other end of the spectrum, Buddha thinks that there is no such thing as “the self”, instead, there is an amalgam of form, sensation, perception, thought, and consciousness. Through Buddhist teachings, a person supposedly could overcome these “limitations” and attain nirvana where the concept of “the self” per se does not exist (Carter 4). It is the assumption of this paper that Descartes’ perspective and the teachings of Buddha on the self are inherently incompatible due to their different perspectives on what constitutes “the self”. Understanding the Perspective of Descartes Descartes’ understanding of the existence of the self has its origins in the capacity to doubt. Simply put, if a person is capable of doubting their existence, then they must exist since they can question whether they are real or not. This is based on the premise that something that does not exist cannot think, let alone doubt something. Building upon this assertion, Descartes then begins the process of asking himself what he is. From his perspective, the mind can be considered as a substance, and he interprets the concept of this “substance” as something that can exist independently of all things aside from the power of God who sustains it (according to Descartes, God is a necessary aspect towards all existence) (Descartes 27). Since the mind can be considered as a substance, then what is its essence? Descartes interprets this as “thought” where the faculties to think, consider, doubt, confirm, and evaluate are all manifestations of the mind’s ability to think. Therefore, Descartes determines that he is, in essence, a thing that thinks and this logic is thus applicable to other individuals. Further evidence to support this perspective is Descartes’ interpretation of the senses, which is made using the example of wax. Having examined his five senses, Descartes stated that he is capable of knowing the properties of the wax (smell, taste, touch), but without his mind to interpret the changes that occur to the wax as it is manipulated or processed, his comprehension of it would be vague. This interpretation is similar to what many perceive as the difference in existence between humans and animals since animals fully rely on instinct to survive while humans utilize thought processes that originate from their mind (Descartes 28). This is not to say that animals do not have minds and thus do not exist; rather, it is more accurate to state that they do exist but cannot have an understanding of the concept of the “self”. Counterargument: