[Buddha-l] Personality disorders and anatta

[Stefan Detrez]

I think Franz is saying that particularly severe personality disorders
cannot be cured with anatta based therapies. He also points to the question
I have to what extent realizing selflessness can be achieved by people who
have no clearly defined self image. Ironically, people with low esteem
should be nearer to enlightenment than others, since they have less to work
on. Nowhere is it clear that he states that generating compassion is a bad
idea. I suppose generating selfless compassion presupposes a sense of self,
however paradoxical that sounds. Can you comment on that?

Happy Thanksgiving, Franz!

2010/11/25 Dante Rosati <danterosati at gmail.com>

> wow, someone who thinks generating compassion is a bad idea! thats
> impressive!
>
> On Nov 25, 2010, at 3:35 PM, Franz Metcalf <franz at mind2mind.net> wrote:
>
> > Hello all,
> >
> > On Nov 25, 2010, at 10:42 AM, Dante Rosati wrote:
> >
> >> low self esteem, like most forms of mental inbalance, is caused by
> >> self-obsession. mental illness = narrowing horizon. generating
> >> bodhicitta is probably the most immediately effective treatment,
> >> although anatta meditations proabably wouldn't hurt either.
> >
> > I would counsel against the use of anatta meditations for people with
> > low self-esteem. As Jack Engler has famously said, you need a self
> > before you can lose it. This is why meditation centers have learned to
> > routinely advise borderline personality types to receive psychological
> > counseling/therapy before they begin serious meditation.
> >
> > Indeed, I lack the time to fully explain, but I find myself doubtful
> > of everything Dante wrote in the above quote except that mental
> > illness can be seen as a narrowing of horizons. Sorry to be so blunt
> > and to now withdraw, but it is Thanksgiving Day here in America and I
> > have other obligations.
> >
> > With thanks for the existence of buddha-l,
> >
> > Franz Metcalf
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'In some awful, strange, paradoxical way, atheists tend to take religion
more seriously than the practioners' - Sir Jonathan Miller.