Ego In Western And Indian Psychology

SR No.: 269703
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jacques Vigne
Publisher: Jacques Vigne
Total Pages: 6
Language: English
Classification: Article
File Size: 804 KB

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THE EGO IN WESTERN AND INDIAN PSYCHOLOGY
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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.
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