Ego.

[weareunity]

Hello all.

As well as understanding something of the consequences of what we call "egotistic" perspective and behaviour, do we not also need to understand the causes which prompt the mind to choose such perspective and behaviour?

Cheers. X.

[Maisy]

Originally Posted by weareunity

do we not also need to understand the causes...

I'd say the causes are the human body, it's brain, thought, and our memory. I think they all work together with us, (awareness) to create an ego. It's pretty amazing to me just how much people think they are their bodies. Like I was watching a tv show where people given up for adoption as kids look for their birth parents "to find out who I am!" Total body identification. We look in a mirror, "How do I look today." Our faces have been changing since the day we were born yet we think that is us. Then the body stops working and we leave it behind. It was never us.

I don't think a "healthy ego" would share the cake, it would put it into the trash! Imagine a person trying to lose weight who is addicted to sugar. That is so common. Who wins that battle? The body/brain which is addicted or the person who wants to lose weight? I was watching a tv show and the doctor said the body wins usually. The brain gets what it wants. It takes a massive will power to get free of an addicted brain. The brain kind has an advantage as it can feed us thoughts like, "Just eat one cookie.... ones not bad." Then "might as well eat them all now, you can start the diet tomorrow."

It's amazing those people who break addictions all at once. Very strong will power.

[Maisy]

Originally Posted by Gem

Although we don't use the word, 'ego' in Buddhism refers to a false view of self.

I found a few people who identified as Buddhist who were all into the "healthy ego" beliefs. Now days I think people are such a jumble of different beliefs. Like raised Catholic, read the Hindu Bhagavad Gita or Ram Das or Tolle or something. Goes to kirtans at the local Guru's ashram. Goes to Catholic mass for holidays and special days like getting ashes. Goes to a Buddhist Zen place and talks with the teachers there and goes to meditations and says they are Buddhist.

In Western countries like Europe or USA seems like everybody has been exposed to many different belief systems. I think one would have to be born and live in a small town in China or Japan to be fully conditioned in only one belief system I think. So their beliefs are purely Buddhist.

[sky]

Originally Posted by Maisy

I found a few people who identified as Buddhist who were all into the "healthy ego" beliefs

It's amazing that Buddha realised a healthy ego is beneficial so long ago and modern medicine is now catching up


[QUOTE Maisy - think one would have to be born and live in a small town in China or Japan to be fully conditioned in only one belief system I think. So their beliefs are purely Buddhist.]

What is purely Buddhist beliefs ?

[weareunity]

Hello all.

If the perspective/behaviour commonly referred to as "egotistic" is chosen by the mind in order to establish/find a sense of significance, importance, acceptance, confirmation from society--then this seems to present a dilemma for that mind.

The dilemma is of the nature that:--

On the one hand, such measure of relative value---greater than others, more than others, etc.--" the opinion of those "others" seems to be a requirement.

Whilst on the other hand, the "egotist" seems to have otherwise little regard for the opinion of those " others" beyond the function of "others" simply serving a purpose.,

If this dilemma turns into an unresolvable contradiction then it seems like a spanner has been thrown into the mechanism of relationship between the mind and emotion.

The cause for the presence of this possible disruptive dilemma may possibly be found in the initial nurture/nurturing of the mind which has not had nor found access to unconditional loving acceptance from significant "others" during the early time of nurture--and therefore seeks to establish/find the required sense of confirmation of being, importance, acceptance, by substitute means.

Cheers. X.

[sky]

Originally Posted by Maisy

I don't think a "healthy ego" would share the cake, it would put it into the trash!

Really, why would someone throw away food when so many are suffering from hunger ?

A 'healthy ego' isn't just referring to the food you put into your mouth, other parts of the body also need nourishment....

[Gem]

Originally Posted by Maisy

I found a few people who identified as Buddhist who were all into the "healthy ego" beliefs.

I don't think it's a real thing, and I don't have any positive definitions of ego since I consider ego to mean false idea of self. Still, positive self referencing thoughts are better than self deprecating thoughts, and I guess healthy ego means good self-esteem, but to me, ego is a wound up mess of reactivity and negativity.

[Goldcup7]

Imo the ego arises naturally and inevitably in a world of competition. Although animals and plants don't have egos there is still competition, for survival. In the evolved human being the mind forms beliefs based on its view of this dense, clashing, restrictive world. The ego forms as the natural belief that there is 'me against the world'.

Also, imo the ego inevitably forms as the opposite of the true nature of what is. The world is a reflection of the true nature of being. I see it as the illusory limited ego is the opposite of the reality of inseparable infinite Oneness.

[Maisy]

Originally Posted by sky

What is purely Buddhist beliefs ?

That is probably up to the individual to decide for themselves. Everyone can and does make up their own beliefs, or chooses which beliefs of others they want to believe or accept and each decides what is true. My meaning was someone posted "ego" as a term or concept was not used by Buddha.

A quick google search shows "The word "ego" comes from the Latin word ego, which means "I". It was first recorded in English between 1780 and 1790."

So Buddha's teachings and understanding, from which Buddhism was founded, or which is the original source material that is the foundation of Buddhism, would not have used the term or concept of ego or "healthy ego" to add another word to ego to make it a phrase.

I used pure in this context. "I think one would have to be born and live in a small town in China or Japan to be fully conditioned in only one belief system I think. So their beliefs are purely Buddhist."

By pure I meant not diluted with modern words and concepts that would not have existed in Buddha's time or in his mind. Really to be even more "pure Buddhist" using this idea, I would say to have read and spoke the language the original texts were written in. Meanings always get changed to some degree when translating into somebody else's language.

One fascinating thing about that is some experts in this type of thing, I forgot what they are called, have stated the world or life is experienced differently depending on our language and vocabulary.

[sky]

Ananda Sutta.

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipi....010.than.html