[Buddha-l] re. means of ego-inflation

[Piya Tan]

At the risk of sounding supercilious, after 30 years of Buddhism
(beginning with Theravada, then dabbling in Mahayana and Vajrayana)
like a land-sighting bird, I returned to the "Theravada" or
pre-sectarian Buddhism. I find a comparative study of the Pali texts
and English translations of the Chinese Agama very refreshing and
helpful.

Now with better Pali texts (such as the World Tipitaka available
online), and better translations and close studies, such studies and
Buddhist living become easier.

With some level of personal meditation practice and open friendliness,
I find Buddhism to be like an art form. I can try more easily see
beauty in impermanence and feel goodness in being responsively aware
of others.

With metta\,

Piya Tan


On Wed, Mar 4, 2009 at 11:54 PM, Timothy Smith
<smith at wheelwrightassoc.com> wrote:
> I find Robert's position to mirror my own pretty closely.  I find the
> methodologies of both Jungian (integrative/depth) psych. and buddhist
> practice to be complementary.
> I have a hard time adopting any one 'system' as 'the' path, but find
> that there are many ways to approach the ongoing problem of "what the
> hell is the matte with me."
> Timothy Smith
> Wheelwright Associates
>
>
> On Mar 4, 2009, at 1:24 AM, Robert Ellis wrote:
>>
>>
>> However, integrative psychology (such as Jungian psychology) offers
>> a clearer application of the Middle Way in relation to ego than
>> anything I have come across in traditional Buddhism. There is no
>> idea there of removing the ego or becoming egoless, but rather of
>> stretching ego identifications and unifying them with opposing
>> desires and beliefs, to remove the false dichotomies we constantly
>> create in our interpretation of the world. The constant reference in
>> Buddhist language and symbology to idealised selfless and pure
>> states is the main reason why I have stopped calling myself a
>> Buddhist: but the central insight of the Middle Way nevertheless
>> offers a way forward that avoids being stuck in dichotomies of the
>> self.
>> Best wishes,
>> Robert
>>
>
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