Transcending the ego is a number one priority for a person to attain the ultimate goal. The Bhagavad-Gita directly points to identifying the doer-ship of the ego and transcending it. The Buddha’s words in The Dhammapada, teach the same concept about transcending the ego—taught by attaining “Nirvana” which is the state of Pure Consciousness. Very few humans have attained this state of Pure Consciousness. Within the Hebrew Scriptures, the context of the ego is taught, although it is taught in the way of humility through stories, an example such as King Saul, ego driven arrogance comparing with King David’s of humility and a circumcised heart.
The ego plays three themes in life. The “Me” number one, the feeling “special” concept. Control and power, the ego thrives on having control and power over others. The Victim, the ego loves to play the victim, drawing attention to the victimization of the person that draws attention to the person. The ego is related with pure self-centeredness, which drives a person’s selfishness, greed, and arrogance. Considering that the ego is the source of darkness, for a person to advance spiritually and attain a deep meaningful friendship with the Almighty Divine Source; that person has to use action to humble oneself and understand about transcending the ego.
The person that identifies themselves with the body is living the delusion of the ego. The ego survives within the delusion that the individual is the doer of their own action, the person is the body, and takes credit. Thus, when the body dies, the person must die, which is the common belief, except for members of religion because the ego has them deluded to the point that they’re special and they are saved. Every religion thrives on being the “special group” and they’re saved because of their belief, which is false. Consequently, the person can justify their life through their religion, because they believe they are saved. As a result, justification is an ego driven characteristic that allows the ego to enjoy its survival, along with living a selfish and greedy lifestyle because of feeling special. The comment, “everyone makes mistakes, you will be forgiven” is ego driven thinking. Karmic bonds will be attached.
From the teachers that teach enlightenment that stems from India and the Bhagavad-Gita, they agree on one issue – transcending the ego. The problem with people that teach publicly is that the ego attaches onto the person who is receiving public attention. The ego is crafty to the point of deluding the person that is in the public eye; that they themselves have transcended the ego and others have not. It is impossible to transcend the ego being in the public eye. The ego will take advantage of any open door of opportunity for attention: feeling special, being number one within a group, having people follow yourself, having control over others, playing the victim.
Action required for Transcending the Ego
The people that teach enlightenment have had a lot of influence within the subject of Transcending the Ego. The concepts of the ego are easy to teach once comprehended. The problem is that many teachers have fashioned a dogmatic position. If the guru declares a person is enlightened then that person is convinced that they attained enlightenment. Enlightenment is related to a higher level of consciousness not an emotional episode. The ego is trampling all over these public teachers because they declare in public that they are a special person; the crafty ego gets just what it wants attention. Consequently, the ultimate goal is out of reach because of the sly behaviors of the ego. The public eye totally opposes transcending the ego. The teacher sets himself up by being special because people are looking up to him and idolizing him. Thus, very few spiritual teaches that receives attention on a public level can transcend the ego properly.
Jesus, Buddha, and Krishna were living in the state of Pure Consciousness; that state of consciousness is ego-less. Moses was at very high level of consciousness and he still brought attention to himself – the ego trapped him – at the rock that they got water from. This is a lesson of the ego referring to Moses and the rock, Numbers 20:1-13, keep in mind that the context is doer-ship – Moses took credit and spoke with the tongue – “look what I did”. There is not a word in biblical Hebrew that could be translated into ego; the closest would be the word they translate into “sin”. Since the ego is the source of darkness, therefore – the source of sin. The new earth will be ego-less which is the same as sinless. Jesus was without sin because he was ego-less. Ego is sin, the authentic source of darkness.
Transcending the ego resides within:
Seeking and claiming the power within is the only way to transcend such things as: the ego, the senses, emotion, attachment, results of our action, other peoples perceptions, this world, sense objects.
Continually being in touch with our inner Self (spirit) and understanding this is where our reality is situated – comprehending the formless spirit that resides within is eternal is a way to transcend the ego. This fact of reality boggles the personality of the ego. Realizing that what we do, is not the I-ego, but giving the Glory and doer-ship to the Almighty Divine Creator, the ego loses its power. The source of doer-ship is the Creator that resides within.
Humility – the action of lowering oneself is vital and pivotal to Transcending the Ego. Once a person is able to see a small aspect on how the ego operates, at that time, the person can work at transcending the ego.