[Buddha-l] FW: Three year Research Associate, UK, Indian & Buddhist theories of self

[jkirk]

Does anyone have any reactions to Thanissaro Bhikkhu's claim in the Summer
2007 issue of Tricycle? An oversimplified summary of his claim is that ego
is an indispensable part of the psyche and that whatever else Buddhism may
be teaching, it is definitely not encouraging people to dump their egos.

--
Richard P. Hayes
=========================

I don't get Tricycle so haven't seen this article.
Depends on what is meant by the term "ego."
Is a reified Freudian concept intended here?
I agree with the idea that some sort of a notion of self is necessary for
survival, but that agreement doesn't refer to a notion of a reified Self (
as anthematised in Buddhism), or something called the Ego--any more than I
go along with something called the Subconscious, the Id, the Super-ego, et
al.

Joanna Kirkpatrick 

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