True and false ego. Liberation - how to find eternity, knowledge, bliss

TRUE I and false ego What is the mechanism of connection of the soul with matter? This connection is through the false ego. False ego is a mistaken identification of the soul with matter in two ways: 1) “I” (for example, “I am body and mind”), 2) “Mine” (“This is my land”). A selfish mind cannot tolerate a single word that contradicts the views of a selfish person. The wise person also has an unyielding point of view. However, he does not feel discomfort and even less suffering when listening to someone else's opinion. His only desire is to better understand the concept of his opponent and, having realized it well, humbly, with compassion, try to explain his point of view on this matter. Thus, humble sages have no controversy. They converse with deep respect for each other. If a person is not ready to change his ideas about life, then a wise person will not bother him. People, whose minds are saturated with selfishness, behave in a completely different way. They listen with great suffering to someone else's opinion and, with irritation in their voice, try to prove their own. Therefore, the discussion of sages in the Vedas is called a gathering of swans, and the disputes of fools are called a gathering of crows. When crows gather together, then if something is wrong, then a lot of noise rises. Thus, by the ability to listen to someone else's opinion without irritation, we can determine how humble, unselfish mind we have. An overly selfish mind is a very big danger. The worst thing is if, as a result of a very selfish mind, at some point in his life, he began to consider himself God or the messiah. The false ego is our only enemy in this world. It gives us everything bad features character, it leads us to disease and degradation. False ego is a substance (not physical) that envelops our "real I" - the soul, so that we can perceive the material world and act in it. It is a force that contains the selfish desires of a person. False egoism manifests itself in us from the very moment of birth. We know that the child wants to grab everything, everything to himself. If you give him anything, he grabs it. If you take anything from him, he will cry. You can give such an example, you sleep and see a dream in which you associate yourself with another person, perhaps even the opposite sex, and maybe even a biological species - a bird, for example. Dream events captivate you, you rejoice or suffer, experiencing the plot of the dream and fully identifying with the hero. Until the moment you wake up, you and the hero are one. The hero of the dream was simply a personality superimposed on top of you with his memories and experiences. Selfishness means that a person values ​​himself more than others. This is the feeling of "I". If he appropriates everything, that is, he connects everything with himself, this means living for himself. We consider our city to be often better than another. This is also selfishness, which means "mine": my country, my city, my family, my friends. We value and respect all this more than: a foreign country, a foreign city, a foreign family, foreign friends. A person's egoism affects his vital energy, feelings, mind and spreads very deeply, right down to the mind. Therefore, it is very, very difficult to understand the selfish inclinations in oneself. This can only be done by a truly humble person. Unwillingness to work unselfishly is a sign of the penetration of selfishness into vital energy. A strong desire for acquisitions is a sign of the penetration of selfishness into feelings. A constant desire to justify oneself and one's views on life is a sign of the penetration of selfishness into the mind. Pride in one's knowledge is a sign of the penetration of selfishness into the mind. We very often emphasize what is associated with us. What is personally related to me, I emphasize more than if it concerned someone else. This often happens subconsciously. If, for example, someone complains about their own problems, we often don't care as much as we do our own. I always say something very important to myself, but when others say such things I don't always want to listen - this is how false egoism works. It should be noted that the strength of pain perception depends on the strength of false egoism. The more selfish a person is, the more painfully he reacts to everything. If, for example, a person is very offended, he feels pain, he cries, it hurts in his mind - it means that the energy of the false ego at this time affects the mind. All types of pain that only exist in this world arise as a result of the fact that some action occurs that does not please the false ego. Suppose if someone pinches us, then pain will appear. This pain arises from the (impregnating body) false ego arousing in it a response to foreign interference. Anything that interferes with the enjoyment of the body causes pain in it. Likewise, depending on what kind of our consciousness the false ego comes into contact with, this kind of pain arises. Therefore, pain can be classified according to the structure of our body: 1. Body pain. 2. Pranic pain. 3. Sensual pain. 4. Mental pain. 5. Pain in the mind. Bhagavad Gita 2.71 "He who does not follow the lead of the senses, is not attached to the world of objects, does not identify himself with the bodily shell and does not have a sense of ownership, he attains true peace." The soul, as a result of the action of the false ego, ceases to feel itself a soul. The false ego is a special kind of translator between the spiritual and material worlds. It simply pulls all consciousness out of the soul and directs it into matter. Consciousness, focused on matter, turns into a subtle material element. After going through such a transformation, consciousness that has become material becomes incapable of experiencing the spirit soul. Thus, the soul, our true essence, is lost. In the beginning, after giving up association with the Supreme Personality, we flirt with His illusory material energy. She invites us to play a little. We play, flirt, and lose our true self. The false ego fulfills this function. However, having lost our true self, we find ourselves in a very vulnerable position. Our true nature: we are not only spirit souls, but we are part and parcels of the Supreme Soul, subservient to the sparks of God. We are subservient part and parcels of God. This is our position. This brings us to the final aspect of our true self - our function. The natural function of a living entity, an eternal spirit soul, an integral part of God, is to serve God with love. A living being needs spiritual food; this spiritual food is the taste of love of God. The living entity is truly happy when his loving relationship with the Supreme Soul is restored. This fact was understood by all the great saints, and they act in accordance with it. Your natural activity, your natural duty, your function in life, is to love God. Not just sentimentally, not just “feeling love,” but acting on that love. If you love someone, you strive to please him, you act for him. When you are in this world, you have to act in such a way as to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is not only your Father, but also your Friend. By realizing this, you realize the purpose of your eternal life. Thus, achieving the perfection of love for God should be the goal of your life. "Love does not mean repeating:" I love you, I love you. " Love is what burns inside you, burns only for Him. This is an aspiration that you cannot even express. When you are in love with someone, only the beloved exists for you, everything else loses its meaning. When you are in love with God, it’s the same feeling, only stronger. Striving for God is the same as craving for a breath of air when you are underwater and no longer bear it. This is how much you should strive for the Divine. In these times it is not easy to strive for God as much, but it is not impossible. I have seen ordinary people with great love for God. The only thing they want is to serve God and reach Him. "

अहंंकाऱ

False ego (AHAMKARA) is a substance (not physical) that envelops our "real I" - so that we can perceive and act in it.

You can give such an example, you sleep and see, in which you associate yourself with another person, perhaps even the opposite sex, and maybe even a biological species - a bird, for example. Dream events captivate you, you rejoice or, experiencing the plot of the dream and completely identifying yourself with the hero. Until the moment you wake up, you and the hero are one. You consider yourself to be them, and in everything that happens in a dream, you believe as if it is an objective reality. But awakening puts everything in its place, you are again you and not the hero of a dream. The hero of the dream was simply a personality superimposed on top of you with his memories and experiences. Attention question! And what woke up is exactly you? Whether you are completely awake or are you once again superimposed on a false understanding of yourself.

Who am I?

Popular slogans of modern psychology are nonsense. Who am I and why am I suffering? We are all dressed in karma, we are wearing karmic clothes. The high position of the servant of the Lord. Service of Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami. GPS navigator on the path of bhakti. What is svarupa-siddhi? The realities of the upper world consist of spiritual substance. Krishna is cooler than any modern superstar. The nature of santa rasa.

Why are we in the world of matter?

Who is "I"? The problem of freedom and loneliness. Selfish relationship and love relationship. Elements of the objective, created world. The qualities of the Whole and the Part. Three types of relationship with God. Four layers of being. Three qualities of illusion. The versatility of Love. Different stages of devotion to Krsna. The value of a spiritual master. A plea for sincerity.

How to calm the mind?

Communication with the audience. Thought is material, telepathic communication and energy exchange. What is the mind according to the Vedas. Reasons for objections from the series: "Yes, but ...". Why are we full of claims? Self-pity and nervous tics. We need to reduce our demands. What is feedback in psychology? By immersing ourselves in our own image, we cultivate a false ego. False renunciation. Pain in life. The moment "here and now". The principle of love and detachment. For the ego, admitting that it is wrong is like dying. Life is waiting. If you do not live consciously, you degrade. Vipasana practice

Spiritual Self and Selfishness

Methods for working smartly. Mindfulness has to start with simple things. Mechanical behavior. Wherever you direct your mind, there it carries its power. Mind and Reason. How do you become intelligent? Spiritual intelligence. Lower mind. Relationships are always above principles. False ego. How to deal with selfishness?

False Ego

This lecture deeply reveals the influence on devotees of the modes of ignorance and passion. Instructions are given for action to stay on the spiritual platform. The importance of leaving the body in Vrindavan is revealed. What to do if a devotee has a desire to marry, what knowledge he should have. An understanding is given to what extent the influence of the planets on a person is. How to protect yourself from the bad influence of the planets. The power of the Nrsimha-kavaca mantra. The concept of happiness in the three modes of material nature. Kripana is a man with a stingy heart. Three stages of development of lust in the family. False ego. What happens if a person with a big false ego appears in the team and what to do about it.

Sthanam - the position of the living entity

How does a living being occupy a specific place in the Creation? Consciousness in passion. Consciousness in ignorance. Change of the influence of the gunas on consciousness. There is no difference between pain and pleasure. The difference between humans and animals. Only a few people listen to conscience. Religion as a tool for economic development. Group competition. Religion for the sake of liberation. Falling into samsara in pursuit of sense gratification. Q&A: What is the difference between Shruti, Smriti and Nyaya? How to organize your day?

Heart and mind

Why "the desire for pleasure throws us down"? Which is stronger - the defiling power of sin or the cleansing power of the Holy Name? Better to be a materialist than a jnani impersonalist. Kshara and akshara. How to distinguish the mind from the heart? We are dependent on gurus, Vaisnavas, sadhus and shastras. Jnana cannot produce bhakti. Pass to the spirit world. Evaluation of a Vaishnava. "I do not have such riches with which I could repay you." Just look at Krsna and you will understand this world. Spiritual radiance.

About suffering

Regardless of the conditions, we experience pain. Why do we often find rulers unjust? God is all good. Why are oncological diseases becoming more frequent? On the charitable activities of the Gaudiya Math. All suffering is in the mind. If you see evil - fight! There is no death. What is good? How does a materialistic view pervert spirituality? Lord Caitanya is not an avatara, but Happiness itself. Materialists about the Vedas. What happens if you imagine that love is a trance? What brings us closer to God, and what moves us away from Him? How does Kali work on understanding the divine? The material is created according to the images of the spiritual world. What is the Divine Plan? What is the illusion we are in? How to find yourself among false images? The realization that you are in an illusion does not relieve pain.

How to get rid of the influence of matter?

The modes of material nature. Sattva-guna. Rajas-guna. Tama-guna. What does ignorance mean? How do we see this world? The story of Haridasa Thakura. What is the power of holy places? The nature of the soul. What does false ego mean? What is Ashtanga Yoga? Four states of consciousness. Everyone chooses how to live. Why be smart? What do people do in the mode of passion? What is the correct idea of ​​life? Why is it so difficult for us to change ourselves? The story of the Buddha. What is real religion? What is virtue? Why are people unhappy? What is nirguna? Answers on questions. Levels of love. What is a soul? How to understand your true purpose?

Nonviolence

The idea of ​​non-violence. The self-destruction mechanism of the person who committed the murder. Why is punishment a blessing? The principle of non-violence in the activities of the ruler. The principle of non-violence in inaction. Raising children according to the principle of non-violence in inaction. The principle of non-violence in the dissemination of true knowledge. The principle of nonviolence is freedom from envy. The nature of envy. Where is envy concentrated? The qualities of true knowledge. The principle of nonviolence towards oneself. Why Wake Up Early? How to distinguish between true and false ego? The system of transmission of true knowledge. Stages of spiritual progress. Is suicide a manifestation of nonviolence against oneself? The qualities of a saintly person. True and False Charity. Tips on the way spiritual development... What is love? Questions - answers. The manifestation of holiness in relationships with people. Any act that a person commits, is he already predetermined? How to get rid of envy? Is ignorance non-violence? How to wean a child from eating meat? How are imitation and true love of God different?

Torsunov O.G.

We have subtle body prana, subtle body of mind, subtle body of mind, gross body and ego. Man's egoism is false and true.

False ego

It is a force that contains the selfish desires of a person. False egoism manifests itself in us from the very moment of birth. We know that the child wants to grab everything, everything to himself. If you give him anything, he grabs it. If you take anything from him, he will cry.
There are 2 main manifestations of selfishness:
A. live for yourself (i)
B. live for those who are associated with me (mine)
Selfishness means that a person values ​​himself more than others. This is the feeling of "I". If he appropriates everything, that is, he connects everything with himself, this means living for himself. We consider our city to be often better than another. This is also selfishness, which means "mine": my country, my city, my family, my friends. We value and respect all this more than: a foreign country, a foreign city, a foreign family, foreign friends.
A person's egoism affects his vital energy, feelings, mind and spreads very deeply, right down to the mind. Therefore, it is very, very difficult to understand the selfish inclinations in oneself. This can only be done by a truly humble person.
Unwillingness to work unselfishly is a sign of the penetration of selfishness into vital energy. A strong desire for acquisitions is a sign of the penetration of selfishness into feelings. A constant desire to justify oneself and one's views on life is a sign of the penetration of selfishness into the mind. Pride in one's knowledge is a sign of the penetration of selfishness into the mind.

True ego

According to the Vedas, true egoism means living for others, doing everything without proprietary motives, that is, not wanting anything for yourself, serving the people around you and God. This is true selfishness. It manifests itself only in a state when we have developed in ourselves good qualities character that are able to defeat selfishness in all areas of our life.
The Vedas say that having conquered selfishness in ourselves and becoming humble servants of God and His laws, in this case we are in pure consciousness. By the way, without developing Love for God, this state cannot be achieved. In other words, having true egoism, a person becomes disinterested and he spontaneously wants to do something useful, he naturally lives for the good of everyone according to divine laws. Only if he does this, then he has the right to consider himself a worthy person and his true egoism from such an understanding of things becomes completely satisfied. This is rare now. Basically everyone is just (unreasonably) happy with themselves, which is the most characteristic feature influence on the mind of false egoism.

How to recognize the activity of false egoism in oneself?

We very often emphasize what is associated with us. What is personally related to me, I emphasize more than if it concerned someone else. This often happens subconsciously. If, for example, someone complains about their own problems, we often don't care as much as we do our own. I always say something very important to myself, but when others say such things, I don't always want to listen - this is how false egoism works.

It should be noted that the strength of pain perception depends on the strength of false egoism. The more selfish a person is, the more painfully he reacts to everything. If, for example, a person is very offended, he feels pain, he cries, it hurts in his mind - it means that the energy of the false ego at this time affects the mind.

Let's say 2 children are playing with toy cars. One plays with his own, and the other with a stranger. If a child breaks someone else's typewriter, he is not attached to it by his egoism and therefore is not very upset. If he breaks his, or someone breaks his typewriter, then the child begins to cry. This means that the false ego also has a subtle nature, it comes into contact with the toy, suddenly after its breakage there is pain in the mind, and therefore the child cries in pain.

All types of pain that only exist in this world arise as a result of the fact that some action takes place that does not please the false ego. Suppose if someone pinches us, then pain will appear. This pain arises from the (impregnating body) false ego arousing in it a response to foreign interference. Anything that interferes with the enjoyment of the body causes pain in it. Likewise, depending on what kind of our consciousness the false ego comes into contact with, this kind of pain arises. Therefore, pain can be classified according to the structure of our body:

1. Body pain.

2. Pranic pain.

3. Sensual pain.

4. Mental pain.

5. Pain in the mind.

1. Body pain.

It always arises when the body stops enjoying. Let's say some microbe invades our body and begins to use it as an object of its pleasure. As a result, our senses of cognition (in this case, tactile sensitivity) are turned on to alert the mind about what has happened. So in our body a mechanism is turned on that attracts consciousness to protect the body from the microbe. All this is accompanied by unpleasant sensations which are associated with the bodily activities of the false ego.

Pain sensations, arising, immediately spread also to prana, feelings, mind, and sometimes to the mind. Therefore, in a selfish person, a small insect bite can cause hysteria. When a person reaches high degree renunciation and completely overcomes his egoism, then in this case, the body's defense mechanisms continue to work against microbes and other damage, but pain as such does not arise. Therefore, a saintly person calmly perceives heat and cold, thirst and hunger.

Sometimes the mind cannot fully contact the body, for example, damaged nerve tissue(touch does not function), then the pain in the body is not felt. In this case, we receive into our consciousness the pain of the damaged body through the perception of the stimulus by other senses of cognition. For example, if such a person is accidentally burned, then he will not immediately react to the burn, but will feel pain only after he sees the damage. However, the feeling of pain in this case will no longer arise in the body, but in prana, feelings and mind.

It helps to reduce body egoism well: dousing, one-day fasting, as well as exercises such as vibration massage. As a result, you can help yourself cope with diseases that arise as a result of excessive bodily selfishness. Here is a short list of these diseases:

- overreaction to an irritant (microbes, chemical substances) as a result of which a violent, uncontrolled inflammatory process occurs;

- allergic reactions of all kinds;

- autoimmune processes in the body (when altered immunity destroys its own tissues and organs);

- increased excitability of the skin, intestines, stomach, liver, etc.

2. Pranic pain.

Not everyone immediately understands what pain in prana is. If we are forced to do something unwillingly, then certain mental sensations such as weakness, fatigue, and soreness often arise. This is the pain in prana or the egoistic reaction of a person to the use of his prana. In all cases, when a selfish person is not allowed to enjoy his own life energy independently, then some changes in movement immediately appear. vital energy in his body.

Sometimes, if suddenly someone asks him to do it, with high selfishness in prana, a person immediately feels bouts of nausea, headaches, weakness, loss of appetite. In special cases with such a request, a person may even faint. On the other hand, he with pleasure in a cheerful state of mind can do something for himself. Excessive selfishness of human prana activity leads to the following diseases:

- decreased performance;

- dizziness, weakness, nausea;

- headache;

- pressure drops;

- fainting.

To reduce pranic selfishness, it is good to practice Hatha Yoga, douche, group trips, socially useful selfless work.

3. Sensual pain.

I think that there is no point in commenting on this kind of pain, it is clear to everyone. If a favorite thing is taken away from us, then resentment, despair, anger, irritability, anxiety arise. It is especially dangerous if selfish feelings excited by someone else's success cause envy. The main cause of excessive pain in feelings is greed, which makes sensory pain almost unbearable.

Sometimes the sensory pain is so severe that a person can die of a ruptured heart. Overwhelming selfishness can activate feelings to such an extent that tantrums and stressful conditions arise. Uncontrollable feelings can easily lead a person to illness or to prison. Sensual pain causes many different types of illnesses:

- neuroses;
- hysteria;
- neurasthenia;
- hormonal disorders.
For the treatment of diseases associated with increased sensual egoism, you need to: make donations, make gifts, ask for forgiveness from everyone who disturbed and also forgive everyone who disturbed us.

4. Mental pain.

With excessive mental egoism, a person feels a constant desire to discuss the shortcomings of other people. Pain in the mind is also expressed in despair, negativism in relation to the people around and, as a result, there are: fenced off, suspiciousness, anger. Pain in the mind forces us to make various hypotheses about which bad people we are surrounded. Gossiping regularly is an activity aimed at satisfying mental selfishness.

As a result of the strong effect of egoism on the mind, there appear: inertness of thinking (severe difficulties in understanding another person), a decrease in memory for good and an increase in memory for bad. The consequence of such processes in the mind is a decrease in mental activity, which in turn leads to numerous chronic diseases and also to:

- dementia;
- memory loss;
- obsessions;
- schizophrenia;
- psychopathy.

To reduce mental egoism and get rid of the diseases that it causes, it is recommended: cultivate communication on spiritual topics in yourself, try to look for good character traits in the people around you and condescend to their shortcomings. To work with an egoistic mind, it is good to practice the repetition of “I wish everyone happiness!”, Or “I wish you happiness!” If this applies to a specific person. It is good if a person who is tuned in this way begins to study the law of karma and it is even better for him to start engaging in spiritual practice.

5. Pain in the mind.

A selfish mind cannot tolerate a single word that contradicts the views of a selfish person. The wise person also has an unyielding point of view. However, he does not feel discomfort and even less suffering when listening to someone else's opinion. His only desire is to better understand the concept of his opponent and, having realized it well, humbly, with compassion, try to explain his point of view on this matter. Thus, humble sages have no controversy. They converse with deep respect for each other. If a person is not ready to change his ideas about life, then a wise person will not bother him.

People, whose minds are saturated with selfishness, behave in a completely different way. They listen with great suffering to someone else's opinion and, with irritation in their voice, try to prove their own. Therefore, the discussion of sages in the Vedas is called a gathering of swans, and the disputes of fools are called a gathering of crows. When crows gather together, then if something is wrong, then a lot of noise rises. Thus, by the ability to listen to someone else's opinion without irritation, we can determine how humble, unselfish mind we have. An overly selfish mind is a very big danger. As a result of such inclinations of the mind, the following diseases arise:

- alcoholism;
- drug addiction;
- sexual perversion;
- insanity.
The worst thing is if, as a result of a very selfish mind, at some point in his life, he began to consider himself God or a mission.

The mind is healed by those activities that strengthen it (observance of the daily routine, communication with holy people, study of spiritual literature under their guidance, regular repetition of prayers and the Holy Names of God).

The false ego is our only enemy in this world. It gives us all the bad character traits, it leads us to disease and degradation. Therefore, by cultivating the true ego in oneself, a person must defeat this insatiable enemy of happiness and progress. This victory is possible only if you use exalted knowledge and do it under the guidance of a saintly person.

Question: How to distinguish a false ego from a real one?

Answer: Under the influence of the False Ego, a person thinks in the categories "I" and "mine". Under the influence of his true Ego, a person thinks in the category "Everything around is the energies of Krishna, and it is my duty to serve Him."

A person under the strong influence of the False Ego identifies himself with the material body, the meaning of his life and the path itself is receiving various material sense pleasures. The one who has freed himself from the influence of the False Ego sees himself part of Krishna, and he sees Krishna through His manifestations in every living and non-living being. Such a person is motivated by the desire to please Krishna and thereby benefit the entire creation. This is the original, inherent in our nature, spiritual constitution. This is the appearance that each of us has in a state “cleansed” of matter.

Two types of false ideas about life - "I" and "mine" - are inherent in two categories of people. At the lower level, the concept of "mine" prevails, and at the higher level, the false concept of "I" prevails. In the animal kingdom, even cats and dogs have false ideas about "mine", which this delusion makes to fight with each other. The same delusion prevails at the lowest level. human life where it takes the form of representations like “this is my body”, “this is my home”, “this is my family”, “this is my caste”, “this is my nation”, “this is my country” and so on. At a higher level, at the stage of speculative comprehension of the world, the false concept of “mine” is transformed into such representations as “I am” or “everything is I”, etc. All people share the same false notions of "I" and "mine", which are accepted by different categories of people. different shapes... However, you can truly understand the nature of your "I" only by fully realizing: "I am the eternal servant of the Lord." This is the formula pure consciousness and this is the understanding of life that all the Vedic scriptures teach us.

Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's Commentary on Srimad Bhagavatam 2.9.3

In an interesting way, Krishna himself examines the False Ego in the Srimad Bhagavatam in the form of:

The material ego arises from the mahat-tattva, which is formed from the personal energy of the Lord. The material ego is primarily endowed with three kinds of creative energy: benevolent, passionate and ignorant. These three kinds of material ego give rise to the mind, the sense organs, the organs of action, and the gross material elements. The threefold ahankara (the false ego manifests itself as a doer, an instrument of activity and its result), a source of gross elements, feelings and mind, - is not different from themselves, for it serves as their cause... In this case, the false ego can be peaceful, active or passive, depending on which of the modes - goodness, passion or ignorance - exerts its influence on it. Ahankara is called Sankarsana, who is none other than the thousand-headed Lord Ananta.

Srimad Bhagavatam 3.26.23-26

Sri Sukadeva confirms the source of the influence of the False Ego on conditioned souls from Lord Sankarsana in Canto 5 of Srimad Bhagavatam:

Lord Ananta controls the material modes of ignorance as well as the false ego of all conditioned souls. When the conditioned living entity thinks, "I am the enjoyer, this world exists only for my pleasure," Sankarsana instills these notions in him. In this way, the fallen conditioned soul thinks that he is the Supreme Lord.

Srimad Bhagavatam 5.25.1

However, the most important and most striking factor that can speak of the power of the False Ego in a person is the degree of his dependence on Krishna, or the degree of humility... A person with a strong False Ego cannot feel his complete dependence on Krishna, as a result of this he cannot sincerely rely on him and wholeheartedly turn to him for help. Such a person thinks that he can achieve everything on his own - this is the trap. Only the False Ego can act independently, while the true Ego completely relies on Krishna and completely depends on His will.