East 5

Larchfire: Photography from India, Nepal and Tibet, plus quotations primarily from traditions in Yoga and Buddhism

We normally fall into the trap of either trying to get rid of the ego—which is virtually impossible because we need an ego to function—or denying the ego and believing we are selfless or egoless. And still it is ego. The key is to recognize and be aware because it is only by recognizing and through awareness that we can truly transcend the ego, which means embracing and yet moving beyond ego-centeredness.
From the perspective of our True Self, we hold no preference for our own self-centeredness or selflessness. This is what it means to include and go beyond the self. As soon as we hold a preference for one over the other, it is the ego that is at work. —Dennis Genpo Merzel (Genpo Roshi)
<i> L2480 Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhgaya</i>

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We normally fall into the trap of either trying to get rid of the ego—which is virtually impossible because we need an ego to function—or denying the ego and believing we are selfless or egoless. And still it is ego. The key is to recognize and be aware because it is only by recognizing and through awareness that we can truly transcend the ego, which means embracing and yet moving beyond ego-centeredness. From the perspective of our True Self, we hold no preference for our own self-centeredness or selflessness. This is what it means to include and go beyond the self. As soon as we hold a preference for one over the other, it is the ego that is at work. —Dennis Genpo Merzel (Genpo Roshi) L2480 Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhgaya

Buddha Bodhgaya Buddhism Mahabodhi temple Dennis Genpo Merzel Genpo Roshi