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We were conceived, developed from a zygote into a baby in our mother's womb, and after nine months we entered this world, crying and screaming. Then we grew older, progressively, our bodies and minds changed. We say the bodies "aged" and the minds "matured". There is however one thing that didn't change. The feeling of "I". When we identify ourselves, we say "I am so and so" and then further "I am son or daughter of so and so" and then further more, "I live in such and such a place and belong to this or that group". Further we say "I am a doctor, an engineer, a teacher, and so on". It seems that our identity is hinged something other than our own self. We look at our body and say "This is my body". Our mind formulates thoughts and our body acts accordingly. But when we break all of that down, cut away all the material trappings of country, language, profession, property, religion, etc; it is "my mind, my body" that we come down to. Yet, we don't say "me mind, me body". The mind and the body belongs to me. Who is that me? The answer comes back - "I am". So tell me, you, this complex being of bones, flesh, blood and gray matter, grew from a zygote into what you are today (young person, middle-aged person, old person). Yet your "I" sense has remained unchanged, when you strip away all the "I am this, I am that" kind of thinking. All the cells in your body, even the cells in your brain, where you think your "consciousness" exists have died and rebuilt themselves entirely, over and over again. Yet you, the "I am", remains unchanged. How then can you say, that your consciousness is a function of your body, made of matter. Matter that is impermanent and ever changing... So ask yourselves this, my friends - "Who am I?" and listen for the answer.