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

[curt]

Richard Hayes wrote:
> 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.
>
>   

Ugh - I really don't like reading Tricycle - but this actually sounds 
interesting. Just a few days ago I was reading C.G. Jung's introduction 
to the little Shambala edition of "The Spiritual Teachings of Ramana 
Maharshi" - where Jung noted the different approaches of Ramana and 
Ramakrishna. According to Jung Ramakrishna saw the "I" (which should 
probably be here read as "jiva"?) as something to be put in its place, 
rather than destroyed. Ramana, however, was far more categorical about 
the need to get rid of the ego altogether. Although, in fact now that I 
look back at it, what Jung says that Ramana says actually refers to the 
"I-sense".

Thanissaro Bhikko should "convert" to Mahayana - that always makes 
things much easier (in terms of being evasive with impunity). For then 
you can always hide behind "upaya" and the claim that teachings such as 
"kill the ego" (sometimes heard uttered by Sasaki Roshi, for example) 
are "only medicine" for people who are "too attached" to their ego. 
Whereas for people who lack "a strong center" (a phrase often uttered by 
my grand-teacher Seung Sahn) need to "learn to stand on their two feet".

- Curt