March 9 2013 Overcoming Ego 5 CARDINAL SINS

March 9, 2013 Overcoming Ego 5 CARDINAL SINS 5 ENLIGHTENING TEACHINGS IGNORANCE Wisdom HOSTILITY / ANGER Serenity GREED Discipline CONCEIT Humility UNCERTAINTY Confidence 1

Identification with things • Identification with things e. g. the toy is the context (content). How the toy becomes part of “I” identity is the structure. March 9, 2013 Inflation and Defence of Ego 2

Identification with things • Later, instead of toys, my cars, my house and my life become part of “I”. How meaningful are these when death is near March 9, 2013 Inflation and Defence of Ego 3

Identification with things • Identification with body, gender & physical appearance: We can see this clearly with the TV Commercials that push beauty products. • http: //www. youtube. com/watch ? v=U 4 e. XTriev. QQ March 9, 2013 Inflation and Defence of Ego 4

Identification with Status and fame • Identification with status: Holier than others, i. e. bigger ego, e. g. Bible story – lesson of the widow’s mites. • Identification with fame: Ego needs to feel superior, e. g. movie stars, sport stars. March 9, 2013 Inflation and Defence of Ego 5

Characteristics of Ego • Ego lives through comparison: chasing wealth and fame, e. g. March 9, 2013 Inflation and Defence of Ego 6

Characteristics of Ego • Ego tends to equate “Having” with “Being”. I have therefore I am. But its satisfaction in having is relatively short lived. Why? Because form is never permanent. • Ego is greedy and always wants more: Wanting is structural, so no amount of content can fulfill it, e. g. Ego always wants something from other people or situations. The hidden agenda is “ a sense of not enough yet”. The underlying emotions is fear. Again because identification with form is never permanent. March 9, 2013 Inflation and Defence of Ego 7

Characteristics of Ego • Ego wants to be “right”: Even some religious practice cannot rise above this, e. g. • 1. Catholic church Inquisition and Reformation • 2. Islamic jihad March 9, 2013 Inflation and Defence of Ego 8

Characteristics of Ego • Ego does not want peace. It wants drama and conflicts, e. g. action movies. • Ego loves complaining and resentment: to feel superior, to feel important, e. g name calling, shouting and physical violence. March 9, 2013 Inflation and Defence of Ego 9

Characteristics of Ego • Ego likes role playing: e. g. villain (temper tantrum), victim (seeking sympathy and pity), lover (falling in love – intensification of egoist wanting and needing), self definite roles in society (priest, doctor, farmer, merchant). So “you” are not relating to that person at all, but who “you” think you are is relating to who “you” think the other person is and vice versa. March 9, 2013 Inflation and Defence of Ego 10

Characteristics of Ego • Parental role: don’t disappoint me. I sacrificed so much for you. Parents know best. Don’t fight them. Ego will take up a defensive position. Recognize that you are dealing with their egoist self and not their true self. • Ego can also takes things personally, e. g. “ Believe me, I know”, “Why don’t you believe me? ” The action can be defensive, even aggressive. March 9, 2013 Inflation and Defence of Ego 11

Collective Ego • Collective ego can act like individual ego, e. g. war, national conflicts. March 9, 2013 Inflation and Defence of Ego 12

Characteristics of Ego • Ego leads to greed. • Ego feeds hostility • Ego is stubborn, ignorant. March 9, 2013 Inflation and Defence of Ego 13

March 9, 2013 Overcoming Ego 5 CARDINAL SINS 5 ENLIGHTENING TEACHINGS IGNORANCE WISDOM HOSTILITY / ANGER SERENITY GREED DISCIPLINE CONCEIT HUMILITY UNCERTAINTY CONFIDENCE 14

Beyond Ego Give up self to seek True Consciousness • Buddha are exceedingly insatiable, unyielding and unwavering beings. • Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva is insatiable in liberating all beings from hell. • Buddhas are antagonistic to suffering and extremely persistent (immovable) in trying to guide sentinel beings. • Their goal is for the salvation of others and not for themselves. • Greed insatiable ideal of utopia • Hostility antagonistic to suffering • Conceit immovable, unwavering grand vow March 9, 2013 Overcoming Ego 15