The doctrine of non-soul (anatta) is another important philosophical notion of Buddhism which is a consequence of the doctrine of dependent origination. There is a belief in almost all the cultures and religions that there exists in man an eternal and permanent entity, variously known as the ‘soul,’ the ‘self,’ or the ‘spirit.’ According to Buddhism, one cannot become aware of an unchanging entity called ‘soul’ and all one can become aware of when one thinks of one’s self or soul is a sensation, an impression, a perception, an image, a feeling, or an impulse. The Buddha analyses men into five groups (skandhas), namely, form (matter), feeling (pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral), perceptions (sight, smell, etc.), impulses (hate, greed, etc.) and consciousness. Anything a man thinks he is or he has, fall under one of these groups. The self or soul is simply an abbreviation for the aggregate of these skandhas, and not some entity over and above the aggregate. Thus there is no distinct substance known as the ‘self’ or ‘soul.’ There is a mistaken understanding that through the doctrine of anatta the Buddha denies man as a self or a soul. What he denies is the belief that there exists behind and beyond the skandhas a self or a soul which is permanent and unchanging. Buddha acknowledges the changing self, but rejects the unchanging substantial self. (For details refer to the title ‘The Doctrine of No Soul (Anatta)’ in the chapter ‘Buddhism as a Religion’)