[Buddha-l] Enneagram and Buddhism

[Leigh Goldstein]

In some versions of Gurdeiffian / Fourth Way teachings, the false personality / chief feature / personality type (which seem to be closely related and intertwined but distinct) is considered to have existed as a seperate, non-physical entity before conception (and even after death). The association beween a particular mind-stream or incarnating sentient being and this entity is based on mutual attraction or need (including being of the same or complementary type). (See, for example, a passage in Gurdjieff's "Life is Real Only Then When I Am" on the casting out of his personality as an expedient means. The presentation of this idea is often oral.)

The false personality in this scheme is not identical to the self or false self, which persists in its absence, but it does exacerbate it and fixates it in a particular mode of mechanical behavior. States like calm abiding would be understood as a temporary banishing of this somewhat foreign entity, a necessary step to insight.

I found this to be a particularly strange and esoteric theory, in spite of the fact that it is sometimes presented as being merely an expedient view.

I have seen only a very few fleeting references in Buddhist literature to similar ideas. Is anyone aware of Buddhist sources for anything like this?
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Timothy Smith 
  To: Buddhist discussion forum 
  Sent: Monday, January 05, 2009 10:54 AM
  Subject: Re: [Buddha-l] Enneagram and Buddhism


  I didn't read Richard's link, but I'm not surprised that there may be  
  those who
  think this way.  My experience with field does not lead me to believe  
  that
  there is a consensus that we are 'born' with a dominant type.