The tree is not me. In short, we live in a world of distinct, albeit interconnected, beings. Buddhists draw on an equally venerable tradition, but it is not a philosophical or theological tradition in the Western sense of the words, but rather a reflection on experiences born out of deep meditation. There are deep and powerful experiences of the loss of self, and these experiences are much better known in the East than in the West, and it is upon these experiences that a systematic reflection has been built up over the centuries that has come to the conclusion that there is no self. A recognition of this fundamental difference in outlook could open the way for a deeper dialogue.
Christians ought to come to terms with the fact that no-self experiences exist.
But a question for the Buddhists is whether their reflection on no-self experiences is identical to an ontological position which would say that the human self does not exist, or God does not exist. Such a dialogue is not going to be easy for either side, but if they persevered, it could be very fruitful. There are two basic topics we would like to pursue in this discussion area. The second is the existence of no-self kinds of experiences in the West. Descriptions of no-self experiences are common in the East, but until recently, much less common in the West.