selflessness; self-effacement; self-abandonment
A somewhat formal or literary term, often used in philosophical, religious, or artistic contexts to describe a state of losing oneself or transcending the ego. Not an everyday word for 'unselfishness'.
In Zen practice, reaching a state of selflessness is considered the ideal.
His performance had a total self-abandonment that captivated the audience.
self-effacing; selfless
A Sino-Japanese compound of 没 (to sink, to disappear) and 我 (self, ego). The term is associated with Buddhist concepts of non-self, but its exact historical derivation is uncertain.