The story of materialist prince Paesi is the only larger legend common to Jain and Buddhist canonical literature and a rare sample of a lively dialogue. Its subject, the corporeality of the soul, is denied by the Jains. In contrast the Buddhists consider the ‘I’ a facon de parler for practical reasons. Modern brain research tends in favour of the Buddhist view of the ego as being impermanent and therefore an illusion created by the brain. The problem in this ...
