The concept of no-self or anatman or emptiness of self informs it is not possible to identify an independent, inherently existing self; that the self only exists in dependence upon causes and conditions. This theory can be broken down as follows:
If you look for the self within the body, you can not find it there, since the body itself is dependent upon its parts.
If you look for the self within the mind, you can not find it there, since the mind can only be said to exist in relation to external objects; therefore the mind is also dependent upon causes and conditions outside of itself.
Since the self can not be said to exist within the body or mind, it is said to be "empty of inherent existence".
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