The Nature of the Ego and Its Termination – 3
The Forms of the Ego and Their Dissolution
Question::
Why do we strive for mundane possessions like power, fame, wealth, attainments etc.? Why do we compare ourselves with others, and cherish ‘self-display’?
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Why do we try to acquire things, in spite of having the necessary? Why do we get deeply attached to things stamped as “mine”?
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Why “attitude” exists, in the first place? Why a “sense of equality” does not prevail all the time, in our heads?
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Why “complexes” come into existence, in the first place?
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It is said that “Comparison” and “contrast” are the outbursts of the “ego”. How so?
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How are ‘ego’ and ‘duality’ related?
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From where does the “idea-of-equality” crop up? How come such an IDEA is different from a “sense-of-unity”?
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It is said that– having the “idea of equality” is a way of asserting the ego, negatively. How come?
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How come “equality” different from “unity”, from a spiritual perspective?
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Why do we have “complexes”, basically? In what way they perpetuate our ego?
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What is the cause of ‘aggression’? How come ‘aggressive behaviour’ is an expression of poverty of the ego?
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When is ‘superiority complex’ stirred in us? In what way does it express itself?
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Why do we cling to our ‘possessions’? What is the cause of our aggressiveness?
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‘Inferiority-complex’ boosts our ego. How so?
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When is ‘inferiority-complex’ in us? In what way does it express itself?
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It is said that ‘inferiority’ and ‘superiority’ complexes are agents for ‘selfishness’ and ‘social chaos.’ How so?
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How come “self-surrender” ie., voluntary and wholehearted submission to a Master is NOT ‘loss-of-confidence’ or ‘inferiority complex,’ but an expression of “dignity”?
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What is the advantage in getting-related-to-a-Perfect-Master? How does the Master conduct the process of melting-down-the-ego of His disciples?
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What is the best way to dissolve one’s complexes’?
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How come ‘dissolution of complexes’ evokes ‘divine-love’? What does ‘divine love’ do?
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What happens when the ‘limited-ego’ controls our lives? How does it hinder our spiritual advancement?
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How is “consciousness” limited by “ego”?
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How does ‘ego’ obstruct the realization of the Truth?
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What does ‘self-surrender to the Master’ facilitate?
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Why ‘ego-nucleus’ need a replacement? How does the ‘ego-center-shifting’ help realize the “infinite Truth”? What happens when the ‘ego-nucleus’ is replaced?
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What does “the being of a Perfect Master” represent? How does it aid the dissolution of one’s ‘limited individuality’ and make it UNLIMITED?
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What happens when “limited-ego” disappears?
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What are the ‘spiritual requirements/qualities’ of life?
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What does the long-journey-of-the-soul comprise of?
Answer:
(Extracted from Meher Baba’s literature, which is a copyright of Avatar Meher Baba Perpetual Public Charitable Trust (©AMBPPCT), Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, Bharat/India)
The ego subsists upon mundane possessions like
- power,
- fame,
- wealth,
- ability,
- attainments, and
- accomplishments.
It creates and recognizes the ‘thine’ in order to feel what is distinctively ‘mine’.
However, in spite of all the worldly things that it claims as “mine”, it constantly feels empty and incomplete. To make up for this deep restlessness in its own being, the “ego” seeks to fortify itself through further acquisitions. It brings the array of its entire varied possessions into relief by comparison with others’ who might be inferior in any one of the items stamped as “mine”. And it often uses these possessions for wanton and uncalled-for self-display, even to the disadvantage of others.
The ‘ego’ is dissatisfied in spite of its mundane possessions; but instead of cultivating detachment from them, it seeks to derive satisfaction from a more intense sense of possession in contradistinction to others. The ego as an affirmation of separateness lives through the idea of “mine”.
The ego wants to feel separate and unique, and it seeks self-expression either in the role of someone who is decidedly better than others, or in the role of someone who is decidedly inferior.
As long as there is ego, there is an implicit background of ‘duality;’ and as long as there is background of duality, the mental operations of ‘comparison’ and ‘contrast’ cannot be effectively stilled for long. Therefore, even when a person seems to feel the sense-of-equality with another, this feeling is not securely established. It marks a point of transition between the two attitudes of the ego rather than permanent freedom from the distinction between the “I” and the “you”.
This pseudo ‘sense-of-equality,’ where it exists, may be stated in the formula– “I am not in any way inferior or superior to the other.” This will at once be seen to be a negative assertion of the ego.
The balance between the “I” and the “you” is constantly disturbed by the predominance of a ‘superiority’ or ‘inferiority’ complex. The “idea of equality” arises to restore this balance.
The negative-assertion-of-the-ego in the form of “equality” is, however, utterly different from the ‘sense-of-unity’ that is characteristic of the life of ‘spiritual freedom’.
Although the “sense-of-equality” is made the basis of many ‘social’ and ‘political ideals, the real conditions of rich cooperative life are fulfilled only when the bare idea of equality is replaced by the realization of the unity of all life.
The feelings of “superiority” and “inferiority” are reactions to each other and the artificially induced feeling of “equality” might be regarded as a reaction to both. In all these three modes, the ego succeeds in asserting its separateness.
The superiority-complex and the inferiority-complex for the most part remain disconnected from each other. They both seek separate and alternate expression through suitable objects, as when a person dominates those whom he regards as his ‘inferiors’ and submits to those whom he looks upon as his ‘superiors.’ But such alternative expression through contrasting behaviour only accentuates these opposite complexes instead of leading to their dissolution.
- The “superiority-complex” is stirred when a person meets someone who is in some way remarkably ‘inferior’ in mundane possessions.
In spite of its many possessions, the ego is constantly confronted with the spectacle of its intrinsic emptiness. Therefore it clings to the ‘comforting delusion’ of its worthwhileness by demonstrating the greatness of its possessions. This contrast is not confined to theoretical comparison, but often exhibits itself in an actual clash with others. Thus, “aggressiveness” is a natural outcome of the need to compensate for the poverty of the ego-life. - The “inferiority complex” is stirred when a person meets someone who is in some way remarkably ‘superior’ in respect to mundane-possessions. But his submissiveness to the other is rooted either in ‘fear’ or ‘selfishness’. It can never be wholehearted or spontaneous because there is a lurking jealousy of and even hatred for the other for possessing something he would rather have for himself. All forced and outward submission is purely the effect of an ‘inferiority complex’ and can only enhance the ego in one of its worst forms.
The ‘ego’ attributes its sense-of-emptiness to the apparently inferior possessions it can claim as “mine”, rather than to its deep-rooted viciousness in seeking fulfillment through possessions. Awareness of its inferiority in possessions becomes only a further stimulus for making desperate efforts to add its possessions through such means as are available to it.
Thus, while perpetuating the inward poverty of the soul, the inferiority complex, like the ‘superiority complex,’ constitutes an agent for selfishness and social chaos, and for the accumulation of that type of ignorance which characterizes the ego.
When a person comes into contact with a Perfect Master, and recognizes him as having the state of egoless Perfection, he voluntarily surrenders himself to the Master. The disciple perceives the “ego” to be a source of perpetual ignorance, restlessness and conflict; and, he also recognizes his own inability to terminate it.
But this ‘self-surrender’ should be carefully distinguished from ‘inferiority complex’ because it is accompanied by awareness that the Master is the ‘ideal’ and as such has a basic unity with the disciple. Such self-surrender is in no way an expression of loss of confidence. On the contrary, it is an expression of confidence in the final overcoming of all obstacles through the help of the Master.
The appreciation of the ‘divinity’ of the Master is the manner in which the ‘higher-Self’ of the disciple expresses its sense of dignity.
In order to bring about a rapid dissolution of these two chief forms of the ‘ego,’ the Master may deliberately stir both of these complexes in alternation.
- If the disciple is on the point of losing heart and giving up the search, he might arouse in him deep self-confidence.
- If he is on the point of becoming egotistic, he might break through this new barrier by creating “situations” in which the disciple has to accept and recognize his own ‘incapacity’ or ‘futility.’
Thus the Master wields his influence over the disciple to expedite the stages that the ‘melting ego’ passes through before its final disappearance.
The ‘superiority’ and ‘inferiority’ complexes have to be brought into intelligent relation with each other if they are to counteract each other. This requires a “situation” in which both would be allowed to have their play at the same time, without requiring the repression of one in order to express the other.
When the “soul” enters into a dynamic and vital relation with the Master, the complexes concerned with the senses of ‘inferiority’ and ‘superiority’ are both brought into play; and they are so intelligently accommodated that they counteract each other. The disciple then feels that he-is-nothing-in-himself, but IN and THROUGH the Master he is enlivened by the prospect of being Everything.
Thus, at one stroke, the two complexes are brought into mutual tension and tend to annihilate each other in the attempt the disciple makes to adjust himself to the Master.
With the dissolution of these opposite complexes, there comes a breaking down of the separative barriers of the ego in all its forms. With the breaking down of the barriers of separation, there arises ‘divine love’. With the arising of ‘divine love,’ the separate feeling of “I,” as distinguished from “you,” is swallowed up in the sense of their unity.
For a car to move toward its destination, a driver is necessary. However, the “driver” may be susceptible to strong attractions for things that he encounters on the way; and, he might not only halt at intervening places for an indefinite time, but also get lost by the wayside in pursuit-of-things that have only “temporary charm”. Thus, he might keep the car moving all the time but without coming nearer the goal, and he might even get further away from it.
Something like this happens when the “ego” assumes control of human consciousness. The ‘ego’ may be compared to a driver who has a certain amount of control over a car and a certain capacity to drive it, but who is in complete darkness about its ‘ultimate destination.’
For a car to reach its “ultimate-destination”, it is not enough merely to have someone who can drive the car. It is equally necessary that the driver should be able to direct the car toward the destination.
As long as the movement of “consciousness” is under the full and exclusive domination of the ‘ego,’ the spiritual advancement of the person is jeopardized by the natural tendency of the ego to strengthen the separative barriers of ‘false imagination.’ So, because of ego-centered activities, “consciousness” remains enclosed by the walls of its own creation and moves within the limits of this mayavic prison.
If “consciousness” is to be emancipated from its “limitations” and rendered adequate to serve the original purpose for which it came into existence, it must draw its directive momentum not from the “ego” but from some other principle. In other words, the ‘driver’ who is ignorant of the ‘ultimate destination’ must be exchanged for ‘another driver’–
- who is free from all the allure of the ‘accidental things’ encountered on the way, and
- who centers his attention not on the ‘rest stations’ or ‘side attractions’ but on the ultimate goal of “non-duality.”
The shifting of the ‘center-of-interest’ from unimportant things to truly important values is comparable to the transference of power from the ‘ignorant-driver’ to the ‘driver who knows the destination.’ Concurrent with this gradual shifting of the center-of-interest, there is progressive dissolution of the ego and motion toward the Truth.
If the ‘ego’ were nothing but a medium for the integration of human experience, it would be possible for one to get established in the final Truth merely by carrying further the activity of the ego. But, while playing a specific part in the progress of consciousness, the ‘ego’ also represents an active principle of ignorance that prevents further spiritual development.
The ‘ego’ attempts the integration-of-experience, but it does so around the false idea of ‘separateness’. Having taken an illusion as the foundation for the construction of its edifice, it never succeeds in anything but the building of ‘illusions’ one upon another. Arriving at the Truth is actually hindered rather than helped by the function of the ego. The process-of-arriving-at-the-Truth can be fruitful only if the integration presided over by the ‘ego’ is carried further without bringing in the basic ignorance of separateness.
As long as ‘human experience’ lies within the limitation-of-duality, ‘integration of experience’ is an essential condition for a ‘rational’ and ‘significant’ life. But the ‘ego’ as a nucleus-for-integration has to be renounced because of its inevitable alliance with the forces-of-ignorance. There arises, then, an imperative need for a new center of integration that
- will steer clear of the basic ignorance of ‘separateness,’ and
- will allow free scope for the incorporation of all “values” formerly inaccessible to the ‘ego center.’
Such a new center is provided by the Master, who expresses all that has real value and who represents the ‘absolute Truth’. The shifting of interest from ‘unimportant things’ to ‘important values’ is facilitated by allegiance and self-surrender to the Master, who becomes the new nucleus for integration.
The Master, when truly understood is a standing affirmation of the unity of all life. Allegiance to the Master therefore brings about a gradual dissociation from the ego-nucleus, which affirms ‘separateness.’
After this important crisis in the life of an individual, all “mental activity” has a new frame of reference. And its significance is to be gathered in the light of its relation to the Master as the manifestation of “infinite Truth”, not in the light of any relation to the ego-center as a limited “I”.
- The person henceforth finds that “all acts” that flow from him are no longer initiated from the limited “I”, but are all inspired by the Truth working through the Master.
- He is also no longer interested in the well-being of the ‘limited-self’ but is only interested in the Master as representing ‘universal’ and ‘undivided’ life.
- He offers all his ‘experiences’ and ‘desires’ to the Master, reserving neither the ‘good’ nor the ‘evil’ for the limited “I,” stripping the ‘ego’ of all content.
This ‘advancing bankruptcy of the ego’ does not interfere with the process of integration because the function is now performed around the new center of the Master as representing the Truth.
When the ‘ego-nucleus’ is completely bankrupt and devoid of any power or being, the Master– as Truth, is firmly established in consciousness as its guiding-genius and animating-principle. This constitutes both– ‘the attainment of union with the Master’ and ‘the realization of the infinite Truth.’
As the ‘ego’ gradually adjusts itself to the ‘spiritual requirements’ of life– through the cultivation of humanity, selflessness and love, wholehearted surrender and offering oneself to the Master, as Truth– it suffers a drastic curtailment. It not only offers less and less resistance to ‘spiritual-unfoldment’, but also undergoes a radical transformation.
This eventually turns out to be so great that in the end, the ego– as an affirmation of ‘separateness,’ completely disappears and is substituted by the Truth, which knows no separateness.
The intermediate steps of– ‘slimming down the ego’ and ‘softening its nature’ are comparable to the trimming and pruning of the branches of a wild and mighty tree, while the final step of ‘annihilation of the ego’ amounts to the complete uprooting of this tree. When the ‘ego’ disappears entirely, there arises knowledge of the true Self.
Thus, the long journey of the soul consists in developing from ‘animal-consciousness’ the explicit ‘self-consciousness’ as a limited “I”, then in transcending the state of the limited “I” of human consciousness, through the medium of the Master. At this stage, the ‘soul’ is initiated into the consciousness of the supreme and real Self as an everlasting and infinite “I am”, in which there is no separateness and which includes all existence.
– Meher Baba
Source ::
Discourses, Pg:: 172-178
© AMBPPCT, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, India/Bharat
