A Way to Achieve Egolessness

First Posted on 4-January-2011

A way to achieve egolessness is to free the mind of afflictions of I, Mine and Myself.

How does one do that? By overcoming these afflictions by understanding and comprehension through wise consideration.

This teaching is contained in the Sabasava Sutta.

I have briefly mapped out the essence of this teaching. It is a method of practice, of awareness, of examination, of conduct for comprehension and consideration. A diagram I have made is available here under Sabasava Sutta.

Afflictions are the Asavas or those inherent mental cankers or pollutants. They are
1. Sensual Desire
2. Desire for continued existence
3. Ignorance

Cankers are overcome by Understanding & Comprehension through

Wise Consideration Unwise Consideration
* Non-arisen Cankers do NOT arise * Non-arisen Cankers arise
* Arisen Cankers are overcome * Arisen Cankers grow

Whatever destructive or consuming cankers may arise from unwise consideration of below now by wisely reflecting these cankers do not become destructive and consuming

1. Insight  - see below

2. self-control  - wisely reflecting on having control over sense organs

3. Judicious use  - wisely reflecting, ~ uses of robes, ~ alms-food, ~ dwelling, ~ medicaments

4. Endurance – wisely reflecting is an endurer of:    * cold, heat, hunger, thirst   *Gadflies, mosquitoes, wind, sun-burn, contact of creeping creatures  * Modes of speech that are harsh & unpleasant,  * Bodily feelings, which arising are painful, shooting, cutting, sharp, excruciating, miserable & life threatening

5. Avoidance  - wisely reflecting avoids a snake, elephant, etc., tree stump, thorny brake, deep hole, precipice, cesspool, garbage pit, sitting in such unbecoming seats or resorting to such unbecoming resorts, associating with such depraved friends because of which his wise fellow monks would suspect him of depraved conduct

6. Elimination  - wisely reflecting, does not tolerate an arisen thought of but gets rid of it, makes an end of it, liquidates it, of :   *  Sensuality,  *  ill-will   * Cruelty,  * Evil & unwholesome mental conditions

7. Development  - wisely reflecting develops the enlightenment factors which is supported by detachment, dispassion & cessation, and  which culminates in renunciation: factors of * Mindfulness,  * Investigation of Truth,  * Effort,  * Rapture,  * Tranquility,  * Meditative Concentration,  * Equanimity

Insight –

By
1. Not understanding things which should be considered
2. Not understanding things which should not be considered            

A. Non-arisen cankers arise
B. Arisen cankers increase

3. Considering things which should not be considered;  and
4. Not considering things which be should considered

C. Non-arisen cankers do not arise
D. Arisen cankers are overcome

Of
Sensual Desire
Continuation of Becoming
Ignorance

Thus unwisely Considers:

The Past:
1. Was I in the past?
2. Was I not in the past?
3. What was I in the past?
5. How was I in the past?
6. What having being, what then was I in the past?

The Future:
7. Will I be in the future?
8. Will I not be in the future?
9. What will I be in the future?
10. How will I be in the future?

The Present:
11. What having being, what then will I be in the future?
12. Indeed am I?
13. Am I not?
14. What am I?
15. How am I?
16. Whence has this being come?
17. Where will this being be going?

While unwisely considering thus, Wrong views arise, as being true and real

1. There is self in me
2. There is no self in me
3. By myself alone, Do I know the self?
4. By myself alone, Do I know the non-self?
5. By my non-self alone, Do I know the self?
6. Whatever this self is in me, that speaks, that feels, that experiences, now here, now there, the result of the good and evil deed, indeed it is this self in me that is permanent, stable, eternal, beyond the scope of changefulness, and that will last as eternity itself.

Therefore by
Not considering things which should not be considered, and Considering things which should be considered

He wisely considers

This is suffering
This is the cessation of suffering
This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering

While thus wisely considering his 3 fetters are overcome Viz. Illusion, Doubt, Clinging to rules and rituals