Ego In Western And Indian Psychology

Author(s): Jacques Vigne
Publisher: Jacques Vigne
Catalog link: https://jainqq.org/explore/269703/1

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The Ego in Western and Indian Psychology JACQUES VIGNE bu E Bulletin of the Ramakrishna Missin Institut of Culture Gal Park Calcutta. April 1999 go is that part of the psyche which superficial impression of personal, unity to enables one to say 'I'. It has a central the real unity beyond the person. Trust in role, and to understand it, one must this superior unity will enable us to reorga go beyond what the various spiritual tradi- nize the fragments of ego, just as iron filtions say. The Greek Fathers used to see in ings, when polarized in a magnetic field, orphilautia (the attachment to ego), the com- ganize themselves according to a new line of mon basis of the difficulties of inner evolu- force. An individual who thus sees consistion: tency behind the chaos of ego sees. his capacities radically changed..... One could say The 'ego' represents both a theoretical question of comparative psychology and a practical of the ego what is problem for a spiritual aspirant who would said of money: it is like to go beyond it without knowing how. The a good servant but author, who is an eminent French psychologist a bad master. It is doing research in India for years, discusses in also like the driver this article how ego has been looked at by Inof a luxury car dian sages and thinkers and by Western psywho forgets the chologist. He concludes by saying that ego owner who is on the back seat and has its role in psyche, but when it gets hypertrophied, it can become like a malignant believes that he is tumour. So it is better to get disentangled from the only master it as soon as possible. aboard. Not being identified with mind does not rnean not using it at all, but only using it wisely. Mind should be like hands and feet which rest if not in use. Then it can be said that mind functions without ego. Psychoanalysis presents ego with its defensive aspect: pulled between the Id and the Overself, its main role being to activate defence mechanisms. Another definition of ego seems interesting to me: 'Ego is the total sum of all our attachments.' Western psy chologists who go to the end of their reflections will agree with the idea that guilt, fear, inferiority complex and reactions of projection are not accidental qualities of the ego, but are parts of its very structure. Ego is somehow fragmented; one must go from the sci Human ences clearly show that one can study phenomenon a well only by replacing it in its context, that one could understand a form well only by seeing it with its background. For Indian thought, ego or 'I' can be rightly studied only in relationship to this background which the Self is. But usually it seems that people go near a huge tank, take a small glass of water and say: "This is The ego represents both a theoretical question of comparative psychology and a practical problem for the spiritual aspirant who would like to go beyond it without knowing how. Before dealing with the notion of ego in the East and the West, I would like to point out that going beyond ego is important not only for good psychic health, but also for the body. Those patients that cardiologists classify in the A-type personality have a typical profile of ego hypertrophy.

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JACQUES VIGNE In this sense one may quote Larry Scherwitz, of the notion of person in a text giving a a psychologist at the University of Califor- general overview of the relationship between nia. Scherwitz recorded conversations with non-dualism and Christianity. Roughly more than five hundred men, of which one speaking, one could say that totalitarian idethird were heart patients, the others in good ologies and materialistic psychologies 'go health. While listening to these records, he out from the person downward, while myscounted how many times each of them used ticism and the traditional Eastern psycholthe words 'T', 'my', and 'mine'. By compar- ogy go out of it upward, and eventually ing the results of the normal group with reach beyond. To constitute oneself as a perthose of the heart patients, Scherwitz real- son is necessary for the child and the adolesized that heart patients made more use of cent. Learning to respect the person of the these words. Besides, by following up these partner in a couple is important for a young patients for several years, he cliscovered that adult to counterbalance the primary drive of the more a man spoke of him self, the more physical urge in the couple. Going beyond chances he had of having a heart attack. The the person is a necessity for him who has author concludes that the antidote was to be reached an inner naturation. more generous and respectful of the others, The Narcissus myth is often interpreted less ego-centered. This is the first step of in a simplistic way: 'Don't care too much for the long way to ego-forgetfulness which has yourself; if you do you will have trouble.' deeper roots than egotism in the moral sense Narcissus was admiring the rellection of his of the term. Tasne Ikani, the oldest woman face in water and finally fell in and drowned. in Japan, stated on her 116th birthday that But more than this, one may recognize in she thought she had a long life because she this an evocation of a complete itinerary of never had been egoistic, and she had com- meditation, especially if one connects it with pletely surrendered the care of her life to the path of knowledge. Narcissus' body repnature. resents the cgo based on identification with the physical body. In the beginning, Ovid, Ego in the West : Narcissus and the Latin poet, describes Narcissus 'as beaupersonalism tiful as ivory': this is the stage before acolcsThere is a slight difference between the cence, when he was still mostly centered on notions of ego and person, ego being more himself and so as cold as ivory. Then he circumscribed, with often a pejorative under- falls in love with the nymph Echo, but she tone, while the word 'person' denotes a left her body instead of giving hersell physimore positive aspect (see for instance the cally and only sent him back his own words dignity of the person). However, both mean and thoughts: this underlines in a very clear ings have a common basis. Christianity, as way the ultimately illusory side of physical well as popular psychology, has the notion love, which is a projection and which adds of a 'hard kernel' in every person, able to to the identification of one's own body with resist outer pressures at any cost and to af- the body of someone else; instead of graspfirm itself individually. This idea of person ing the object of one's desires, one faces was developed by the school of personalism only one's own mental projections. This in the '30s, at a time when individuals were leads Narcissus to question himself, to come threatened by the storm of totalitarian re- back inside and to split himself into two pogimes and by materialist psychology, I spoke larities, the observer and the object of 174

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THE EGO IN WESTERN AND INDIAN PSYCHOLOGY observation, which is the very basis of the palaeocortex (the basic animal instincts) has path of knowledge. This process unfolds the been included and regulated by neocortex; dissolution of the body', that is indeed the likewise, in inner evolution, our ego must be dissolution of the ego based on the identifi- included and regulated by the Self. calion with the body. Then. Ovid states that Real therapy has an 'impersonalizing' Narcissus continues to observe his own im- effect in the good sense of the term. One age in the waters of the Styx, the under- comes to realize that certainly, there are vicground stream which is also connected with tims, but no culprits. Patients are no more oblivion of the past life by people who cross paralyzed by deeply entrenched guilt feelit after dying recently. At the place where ings. In fields other than psychology, great his body was remains a flower with a yellow minds such as Einstein's had a clear idea of heart, white petals and a pervasive smell the necessity of going beyond ego: 'The His companions eventually find t. Thus, the genuine value of a human being first demeditator who gave up identification with pends upon the extent and the sense in the body keeps on observing the stream of which he reached the freedom from ego.'' consciousness in the depths of his own self. The body which is being seen by onlookers Absence of ego in the East : and visitors is there only out of compassion powerful impersonality' for others. This compassion, syrabolized by An important distinction to make in the flower named narcissus, makes its purity order to understand the Indian thought rebeim around and sheds its fragra ice for any- garding the ego is differentiating sattvic ego one who passes by. from the absence of ego. The spiritual aspirA certain psychology reduces the con- ant must first transform the tamasic ego (lasciousness beyond the cgo to the Overself; ziness, etc.) into rajasic ego (capacity for this is an obvious mistake, even without tak- work, but attachment and anger also) and ing into account spirituality. How could we then into a salvic (purity, etc.) onc. Then explain the Overself of psychoanalysis and only then can one hope to be devoid of (made our of parental taboos) poctic, artistic cgo. One can see the necessity of the constiand cven only intellectual intuition? Like- tution of a salvic ego in the advice given by wise, the Id of psychoanalysis cannot be Krishna in the Bhagavad-Gita: 'It is by himconfused with the Self: this would be identi- self only that one should lift oneself.' (VI, 5) fying the petrol which makes the car work In Indian society, one can say that the deciwith the owner of the car. Ego, which is sion to embrace monastic life (sannyasa), to based on the instinctive drives of nature, is renounce everything for God in spite of opnot irrevocably opposed to culture; this is a position of the family, etc. represents a duality which must be transcended as much manifestation of sativic ego, which is not as the other ones. unrelated to Jungian individuation. This * Western psychology is much interested does not imply that the ego or person will in the inferiority complexes, etc. which ego ever be free because it is just from this ego can develop, but in India it is said that the and this person that one should be free. To very ego is a complex, even a double-com- express this clearly, sages prefer to speak of plex since it is entangled in itself and on themselves in an impersonal way: Ramatangled with the body inasmuch as it is iden- krishna used to say 'here' while pointing to tified with it. In the evolution of species, himself, Swami Ramdas from Kanhangad 175

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JACQUES VIGNE ing of soch, namely thought and anxiety. used to speak of 'Ramdas' as if someone else was concerned, Ma Anandamayi used to say 'this body'. To conclude these short reflection on the sattvic ego, we can point out that re We will now examine successively the nouncing one's ego does not mean becomsattvic ego and the absence of ego. ing a slave to the ego of others. Ma Anandamayi says clearly: 'Be very careful never to fall under the influence of someone. To remain steady, composed, deeply serious, and heroic keep your personality intact, honest, pure and holy; remain centered in God.'s Ramakrishna clearly states: 'The consciousness of self is of two kinds: one ripe, the other unripe. "Nothing is mine, whatever I see, feel, or hear-nay, even this body itself is not mine. I am always eternal, free, and all-knowing"-such consciousness as this originates in the ripe ego; while the unripe ego makes man feel forever related to the transitory things of the world. "This is my house, this is my child, this is my wife"-consciousness like this is the manifestation of the unripe ego." Consciousness is trapped by ego only temporarily. The time will come when it will be free again, if not in this life. Sometimes, one makes the differentiation between aham which is the pure and superior 'I', indeed the impersonal 'I', we could say in a paradoxical way, and ahamkara, which is the ordinary ego that we make with the net of our desires and worries. Indian spiritual psychology is much less interested than modern Western psychology in the contents of ego or mind. It is more interested in the way in which one can have his buddhi (intelligence) disentangled from them. The common defence mechanism of the ego is so natural that psychologists forget to mention it as such: this is dispersion, dis traction (vikshepa), a fundamental notion of Vedanta. By the way, it is interesting to note the similarity between the Sanskrit words-chitta (memory), and chinta (worry, disquiet). This suggests that the idea that most problems come from the past was already implicit in the Sanskrit vocabulary, the closest to the original Indo-European source. One can also note the couble mean The absence of ego The concept of absence of ego is not exclusive to India; one can find in Taoist texts phrases such as 'going in an empty boat', 'vomit one's intelligence', 'thinking without head' and so on. The word atma in Sanskrit is interesting. As there are no capitals in devnagari the word can mean both poles, the extremes of inner evolution, the small self, and the universal Self. When I began my study of Indian philosophy and psychology. I thought it was the sign of a theoretical confusion, but afterwards I realized that this uncertainty of meaning was reflecting the uncertainty of inner reality, where we continuously evolve from self to Self. To progress in this sense, giving up the idea of being a doer (karta) is a must. Ramakrishna gives striking similes. He says: Vegetables in the cooking pot move and leap and the children think they are living beings. But the grown-ups explain they are not moving by themselves; if the fire is taken away, they will soon cease to stir. So it is ignorance which thinks I am the doer'. All our strength is the strength of God. All is silent if the fire be removed. A marionette dances well while the wires are pulled; but when the master's hand is gone, it falls inert." There are four ultimate idolatries: body; oneself considered as a person, i.e., ego; spiritual master considered as a physical 176

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THE EGO IN WESTERN AND INDIAN PSYCHOLOGY webther 10 . person; and the Divine, considered as a According to the situation, the person metaphysical person. When one is really no changes roles, and it often seems that these more identified with the body, the three different roles have little relationship with other idolatries vanish by themselves; before each other." this, they seem real at their respective levels. The person is more than a mask (in Identification is deeply rooted even in Latin, persona); he is a whole series of our vocabulary: don't we say in English for masks. A practical way of meditating is to 'a person' 'somebody"? Death of the ego ap- look at one's own face from inside, i.e., no pears. according to the testimony of those more the face built up to communicate to mystics who experienced it, more frighten- others, but a relaxed, natural face, the face ing than the death of body itself. Neverthe- one had before birth to take the formulation less, it is at the same time an opportunity to of a Zen koan. rejoice. Nisargadatta Maharaj compares it to The ideal ego is often criticized by psythe joy felt when, after believing that a chologists as being a source of illusions friend had died in a train accident, one even- about oneself. Indeed, this is truc since the tually realizes that he had not taken this train genuine ideal is the absence of cgo. Ilowat all.' Ego and permanence are two notions ever, practically, an ideal of ego is needed. It whicl support cach other. When we sup- should be like the runner who sprints just press one, the other automatically collapses. ahead of a sportsman to train him: he should When we focus on impermanence, the ego be neither too near, because the traince will gets cissolved. The result of this process is slow down, nor too far ahead, because then an essential absence of fear, as Nisargadatta he will be discouraged. After pursuing this said to his visitors: 'Your world is like a ideal of ego for a long time, one has a stranger, and you're afraid of it. My world is chance to really achieve the ideal beyond myself, I am at home.'' ego, which means Liberation. Western psychology which is based on Nobody is separate common sense has a superficial idea of indiThis pristine idea which was supported viduals as being separated like islands. On by mystics is current among scientists too. A the contrary, traditional, especially Indian well-known specialist of cognitive sciences, psychology knows there is a common base, a Francisco Varela, who is also a personal shelf which links islands to one another." friend of the Dalai Lama, fully supports the Ego has its role in psyche, but when it gets idea of the absence of ego, and is not against hypertrophicd, it can become like a maligthe notion of the non-substantiality of the nant tumour. Meditating means developing world, which does not prevent, according to immunity against this growth. In any case, him, the emergence of a global ethics.' one should know that the ego in itself is in A relatively recent notion in psychology curable; better to get disentangled from it as which has become quite popular is that of soon as possible. At this point one reaches subpersonality, which is also called multiple what the Gita describes as a stability, personality or states of ego. They are not the atmanyatmana, 'in oneself by oneself' or 'in only characteristics of schizophrenia or ma- the Self by the Self'. This experience of jor cases of split personality, but can be unity with others is the foundation of true found in a minor way among most people. compassion. 177

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JACQUES VIGNE NOTES & REFERENCES Quoted hy Barrere in Choisir de ne pas vieillir (choosing not to grow old), Troisieme Millenairc, n. 37, p. 88. 2 Vignc Jacques, Indian Wisdom, Christianity and Modern Psychology, ch. 14 and 15, BRPC, Delhi, 1996, also available on the Internet, see below. 3 Einstein Albert, Ideas and Opinions, Crown Publishers, 1954, and Rupa, 1993, p. 12. Teachings of Sri Ramakrishna, Advaita Ashrama, Calcutta, 1994, p. 22. 5 Ma Anandamayi Vie en jeu, presented by JC Marol Accarias, Paris, 1995, p. 81. 6 Teachings of Sri Ramakrishna, op. cit. p. 24. 7 Nisargadatta Maharaj, Seeds of Consciousness, Acorn Press, p. 164. 8 ibidl., p. 17. 9 Varela Francisco, L'inscriptin corporelle de l'esprit' Seuil, 1993, p. 8. 10 Walkins JG, in BB Wolman Handbook of States of Consciousness, Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, New York, 1986, p. 134 sqq. Il Those who want more information on the topics of cgo and personality in Indian thought should scc The Indian Cultural Heritage of India, Vol. III, The Philosophics, part on personality. "The Seer is Really the Self' Cgnorance is the cause of egoism, attach- ignorance. We think of man, and see man ment, aversion, and clinging to life. as body. This is the great delusion.... . These impressions exist in different The seer is really the Self, the pure states. They are sometime:s dormant. You one, the ever holy, the infinite, the immoroften hear the expression 'innocent as a . tal. This is the Self of man. And what are baby,' yet in the baby may be the state of a the instruments? The Chitta or mind-stuff, demon or of a god, which will come out by the Buddhi or determinative faculty, the degrees. In the Yogi, these impressions, Manas or mind, and the Indriyas or sensethe Samskaras left by past actions, are at organs. These are the instruments for him tenuated, that is, exist in il very fine state, to see the external world, and the identifiand he can control them, and not allow cation of the Self with the instruments is them to become manifest. 'Overpowered' what is called the ignorance of egoism. We means that sometimes one set of impres- say, 'I am the mind,' 'I am thoug!t,' 'I am sions is held down for a while by those that angry,' or 'I am happy'. How can we be are stronger, but they come out when that angry and how can we hate? We should repressing cause is removed. The last state identify ourselves with the Self that cannot is the 'expanded,' when the Samskaras, change. If it is unchangeable, how can It be having helpful surroundings, attain to a one moment happy, and one moment ungreat activity, either as good or evil.... happy? It is formless, infinite, omnipres All the different sort; of impressions ent. What can change It? It is beyond all have one source, ignorance. We have first law. What can affect it? to learn what ignorance is. All of us think, 'I am the body, and not the Self, the pure, - From The Complete Works of Swami the effulgent, the ever blissful,' and that is Vivekananda, Vol. I, pp. 237-238 178