Ego and Competition

Hi, I've been researching a lot of Eastern philosophy recently and am finding it very interesting and eye opening. However I can't get my mind around one part; if you live with no ego, how does this effect competition with other people. I live running competitively, and find there is friendly rivalries where we try to beat ourselves and each other. From a Buddhist point of view, is there anything wrong with trying to be the best at something?

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by rickywaldron

Hi, I've been researching a lot of Eastern philosophy recently and am finding it very interesting and eye opening. However I can't get my mind around one part; if you live with no ego, how does this effect competition with other people. I live running competitively, and find there is friendly rivalries where we try to beat ourselves and each other. From a Buddhist point of view, is there anything wrong with trying to be the best at something?

Be true to yourself. Enjoy the learning experience of eastern philosphy and enjoy competition if you like it.
"Living with no ego" is about as controversial as it gets in regards to what people think that statement means.
Be true to yourself.

[CSEe]

Originally Posted by rickywaldron

Hi, I've been researching a lot of Eastern philosophy recently and am finding it very interesting and eye opening. However I can't get my mind around one part; if you live with no ego, how does this effect competition with other people. I live running competitively, and find there is friendly rivalries where we try to beat ourselves and each other. From a Buddhist point of view, is there anything wrong with trying to be the best at something?

To me , Buddhism is a natural process of all being regardless living or non-living releasing its polluted energy back into emptiness . In human , Buddhism is a natural process that I will understand , discover , learn , experience myself - that is all my emotions / desire / ego / compassion / love etc by being awake , by my own realization leading to acceptance of myself and me- the emptiness .
So in my current understanding on Buddhism , there is no comparison of right / wrong , true/false or good/bad .......there is no action is neither right or wrong , just that is part of own learning process to discover ownselves .
In my current understanding , Buddhism is a process that will decreased all my emotions , myself will be decreasing not increasing so "trying to be" is like swiming against the current ............in Buddhism there is nothing is " the best" or " the worst".....is all same and equal source for you to discover yourself .............

Thks
CSEe

[psychoslice]

If you see the running as just a game, then no, there is nothing wrong in that, its only when you need to win, that is NEED to win, that it may be a problem.

[Samana]

Originally Posted by rickywaldron

Hi, I've been researching a lot of Eastern philosophy recently and am finding it very interesting and eye opening. However I can't get my mind around one part; if you live with no ego, how does this effect competition with other people. I live running competitively, and find there is friendly rivalries where we try to beat ourselves and each other. From a Buddhist point of view, is there anything wrong with trying to be the best at something?

Hi ricky,

"Ego" is a western concept.

The Buddha taught about "anatta" which means 'not-self.' There is no unchanging, permanently existing 'self' or anything pertaining to a self - and this is known as one of the three characteristics of conditioned phenomena. Understanding this doesn't mean that we shouldn't do our best in life, as long as it isn't going to cause harm to other sentient beings.

You might like to read this article : "Self View, Personality and Awareness"

http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books9/Ajahn_Sumedho_Personality.htm

I hope it will be helpful.


S.