Defence of Ego/self

1. Defence of Ego/self Listen a little bit won't do much harm, after all I will not understand it anyways. I have determined that Self/I will not understand the deeper meaning of any teaching. Counting to ten, hundred, thousands,....... millions, billion is within my reach. Any larger number is irrelevant to me (I). Called it infinity Inflation and Defence of Ego

2. Defence of Ego/I/Self I understand, but Self/I will immediately 'not understand' (unenlightened). At the lecture, I understand 10+n and 10-n. After the lecture, these power stuffs are useless, no application, i.e. no relevance to me (I). Inflation and Defence of Ego

3. Defense of Self/I/Ego (1) I won’t listen (2) No harm in listening. Anyway, I won’t be able to understand 3) I understand but I will immediately forget Inflation and Defence of Ego

4. THOUGHT ….DISTORTED REALITY WITH BIG SELF THOUGHT THOUGHT THOUGHT THOUGHT External Stimuli THOUGHT

5. 5 CARDINAL SINS IGNORANCE HOSTILITY / ANGER GREED CONCEIT DOUBT Inflation and Defence of Ego

6. Overcoming Ego Awareness of the following: • True Consciousness • Life • Source • Being • True Identity Overcoming Ego

7. Overcoming Ego If you can recognize illusion as an illusion, it dissolves. Ego’s survival depends on your perceiving it as reality. Overcoming Ego

8. Overcoming Ego • All Structures are unstable. Structure is the thought process underlying ego’s identification with form such as material possession, beauty, fame etc. Overcoming Ego

9. Overcoming Ego • Renouncing of all possession is an ancient spiritual practice in both East and West religions. Overcoming Ego

10. Overcoming Ego • If there is unhappiness in you, first you need to acknowledge that it is there. The primary cause of unhappiness is not the situation but your thoughts about it. Please don’t say “I am unhappy“. That is a thought. Investigate it. Separate the thought from the situation (which is neutral). You will recognize how the thought makes you unhappy. • Don’t seek happiness. It is a thought. Freedom from unhappiness is attainable. Overcoming Ego

11. 5 ENLIGHTENING TEACHINGS 5 CARDINAL SINS IGNORANCE HOSTILITY / ANGER GREED CONCEIT UNCERTAINTY Overcoming Ego

12. Wisdom “God” grant us courage to change what we can, serenity to accept what we cannot change, & wisdom to know the difference. Overcoming Ego

13. 5 ENLIGHTENING TEACHINGS Wisdom 5 CARDINAL SINS IGNORANCE HOSTILITY / ANGER GREED CONCEIT UNCERTAINTY Overcoming Ego

14. Overcoming Ego

15. Simple way to acquire serenity Where was yesterday? Where IS yesterday? Where IS tomorrow? It is in your mind. You only have NOW, be present, be here Presence = focus = concentration = Zen Overcoming Ego

16. Zen: Concentration & Contemplation Being separate from external forms is contemplation. Not being confused inwardly is concentration. If you become attached to external forms, your mind will be confused inwardly. If you are separated from external forms, inwardly your mind will be unconfused. If the mind remains unconfused when any states is encountered, that is true concentration. The Sixth Patriarch’s Platform Sutra Overcoming Ego

17. 5 ENLIGHTENING TEACHINGS Wisdom Serenity 5 CARDINAL SINS IGNORANCE HOSTILITY / ANGER GREED CONCEIT UNCERTAINTY Overcoming Ego

18. Avoid ten evil actions • Killing of living beings • Stealing • Unlawful sexual misconduct • Lying • Slander and tale-bearing • Harsh speech • Frivolous and meaningless talk • Covetousness, or eagerly desirous especially of things belonging to others • Ill-will • Wrong view. Overcoming Ego

19. 5 ENLIGHTENING TEACHINGS Wisdom Serenity Discipline 5 CARDINAL SINS IGNORANCE HOSTILITY / ANGER GREED CONCEIT UNCERTAINTY Overcoming Ego

20. Generosity/Humility Jesus and the Widow's Offering (Mark 12:41-44) • 41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. • 42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. • 43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: • 44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living. Overcoming Ego

21. Humility Bodhidharma’s first instruction to Emperor Wu of Liang Dynasty Emperor Wu asked Bodhidarma, “All my life I have built temples, given sanction to Sangha, practiced giving, and arranged vegetarian feasts. What merit and virtue have I gained?” “None” was the reply. Why? Overcoming Ego

22. Humility According to Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch. Inner humility is merit. Outer practice of reverence is virtue. Those who slight others, and do not cut off the “me and mine” are without merit. The vain and unreal self-nature is without merit because of the “me and mine” and because of the greatness of the “self”. Overcoming Ego

23. Generosity & Humility How are these two stories different? Overcoming Ego

24. 5 ENLIGHTENING TEACHINGS Wisdom Serenity Discipline Humility 5 CARDINAL SINS IGNORANCE HOSTILITY / ANGER GREED CONCEIT UNCERTAINTY Overcoming Ego

25. Confidence Overcoming Ego