The "I" is not necessarily selfish.

[Honza]

Here is a point which I keep tripping up over. I keep feeling that all "I" is selfish, but it is not necessarily so.

The difference between a Gods "I" and a Demons "I" is the level of selfishness, but the truth is that the Gods "I" is pretty selfless while the Demons "I" has turned black with self concerns.

NOT ALL "I" IS SELFISH. We can have beautiful "I" without the nastiness of selfishness. If our "I" is loving, self loving and decent then our "I" is pure beauty.

Our "I" does not have to be ME FIRST! We can be "I" and believe that people come first.

Why do you think selfishness is bad? Do you think it is always bad?

[Apakhana Akshobhya]

If nature's survival instinct as part of our identity makes us selfish, then being an altruist makes us dead.

Stop thinking about it .

Well, technically since humans are social animals, cooperation amongst ourselves is definitely required for our own survival. So it is not quite right to to say altruism makes us dead.

Of course you can argue that this kind of altruism is selfish. The claim that all human behaviors are selfish lacks good explanatory power. It can be slapped onto everything and never proven false. Thus it boils down to personal opinion/beliefs.

[Gem]

Originally Posted by Honza

Here is a point which I keep tripping up over. I keep feeling that all "I" is selfish, but it is not necessarily so.

The difference between a Gods "I" and a Demons "I" is the level of selfishness, but the truth is that the Gods "I" is pretty selfless while the Demons "I" has turned black with self concerns.

NOT ALL "I" IS SELFISH. We can have beautiful "I" without the nastiness of selfishness. If our "I" is loving, self loving and decent then our "I" is pure beauty.

Our "I" does not have to be ME FIRST! We can be "I" and believe that people come first.

I agree. It's important the I is considered a beautiful thing, and from the bottom of our hearts, it is.

[Xan]

Yes, Honza... The "I" that is the "me, me me" of self-centeredness is not the "I" of the conscious love being that is our true self.


~ ~

[Uma]

"I" means identifier. The I by definition identifies with something, meaning...it attaches something to itself as if it owns it...it does this by way of desire/aversion. This is where the idea of selfishness comes in...it's really narcissism. The avataurs, the ones with pure egos have only one attachment, the desire to serve humanity. That is what creates a golden halo around their otherwise pure white aura. This is crown chakra consciousness. An ego, an I, only becomes pure when it attains that permanent connection with the infinite. Until then it is tainted, even if only slightly, and subject to the pull of lower consciousness. Without an I there is no experiencer and no observer. Without an I the soul cannot exist, it merges into pure spirit, into oneness, the void and source of everything. No more bodies, no more incarnations. It is the final "death"...

[quote=Uma]"I" means identifier. The I by definition identifies with something, meaning...it attaches something to itself as if it owns it...it does this by way of desire/aversion. This is where the idea of selfishness comes in...it's really narcissism. The avataurs, the ones with pure egos have only one attachment, the desire to serve humanity. That is what creates a golden halo around their otherwise pure white aura. This is crown chakra consciousness. An ego, an I, only becomes pure when it attains that permanent connection with the infinite. Until then it is tainted, even if only slightly, and subject to the pull of lower consciousness. Without an I there is no experiencer and no observer. Without an I the soul cannot exist, it merges into pure spirit, into oneness, the void and source of everything. No more bodies, no more incarnations. It is the final "death"...[/QUOTE

Very wise Uma......

[Honza]

Instead of "I" being the identifier, I see the "I" as the identified.

I wonder what the diference is?

[CSEe]

Originally Posted by Honza

Here is a point which I keep tripping up over. I keep feeling that all "I" is selfish, but it is not necessarily so.

The difference between a Gods "I" and a Demons "I" is the level of selfishness, but the truth is that the Gods "I" is pretty selfless while the Demons "I" has turned black with self concerns.

NOT ALL "I" IS SELFISH. We can have beautiful "I" without the nastiness of selfishness. If our "I" is loving, self loving and decent then our "I" is pure beauty.

Our "I" does not have to be ME FIRST! We can be "I" and believe that people come first.

Just sharing , from my understanding of Buddhism , I am alone in my journey to purity , I am all alone , no one is related to "me" , nothing that I do could cause others benefit or harm , all my actions / intention / re-action is the cause for all my suffering ........I am all alone.

Thks
CSEe