The I and the Ego

[Guest guest]

The three detachable parts of Man are the SPIRIT, the MIND, and the

BODY. Confusion comes when these three parts are not differentiated

from one another.

 

For example, " I " is always the SPIRIT. But when " I " identifies itself

with the body we have materialism and psychiatry. The solution to

mental ailments (the software) then becomes the fixing of the brain

(the hardware) through operations and chemical drugs.

 

And when " I " identifies itself with the mind we have psychology and

various mental philosophies. The " I " is considered to be the EGO and

is looked upon with disapproval. But the EGO is simply the

identification of the " I " with the mind. The EGO is not the " I. "

Because of this misunderstanding, when somebody admits to having done

something right, he is still considered to be EGOTISTICAL (and looked

upon with disapproval), even when he is speaking an innocent truth.

Isn't that interesting!

 

" I " is being truthful when it is not identifying itself with the body

or the mind, but admitting itself to be the spirit (the creative

force) that it truly is. As long as the claim by " I " of having

accomplished something is not false, and is simply an admission of

what one is truly, that claim should not be looked down upon as being

egotistical.

 

And that is the viewpoint of Vedanta towards the " I. " Vedanta does

not look down upon " I " as being the ego.

 

Vinaire

 

 

EDTipple <edtipple (AT) xxxxxxxxxx (DOT) xxx>

 

" Krishna's use of " I " is not at all the same as our use of " I " . The

" I " when you say " I desire to be with God " is the ripe ego (rather

than upripe: Ramakrishna's words), but it is still ego. "

 

" No, Vinaire, the real you will not vanish, but the individual

Vinaire will dissipate as a puff of smoke. But only until the puff of

smoke wishes to dissipate. "