‘The Buddha’s teaching on anatta (non-self) is deep and profound because it challenges something very basic to our assumptions about life. The Buddha talked about avijja (delusion) being the root cause of all problems, of all rebirths, the root cause of defilements. He explained what avijja is through the teaching of the vipallasas (the perversions or distortions of view, thought and perception). Namely, the vipallasas say that by view, thought and perception we take what is dukkha to be sukha (happiness); we take what is impermanent to be permanent; we take what is not beautiful (asubha) to be beautiful (subha); and we take what is anatta to be atta, a self. Never in that teaching of the vipallasas did the Buddha say that we take what is self to be anatta. It’s always something that is anatta that is taken to be a self. This is because throughout the Buddha’s teachings there never was, in any way whatsoever, an atta (self) postulated.’
Ajahn Brahm
Reality is Dharma 