Overcoming the Self

Many people have very confused and erroneous ideas concerning the terms "the overcoming of self," "the eradication of desire," and "the annihilation of the personality." Some (particularly the intellectual who are prone to theories) regard it as a metaphysical theory altogether apart from life and conduct; while others conclude that it is the crushing out of all life, energy, and action, and the attempt to idealise stagnation and death. These errors and confusions, arising as they do in the minds of individuals, can only be removed by the individuals themselves; but perhaps it may make their removal a little less difficult (for those who are seeking Truth) by presenting the matter in another way.

Many people have confused and mistaken ideas about "the overcoming of self," "the eradication of desire," and "the annihilation of the personality." Some see these as a metaphysical theory entirely separate from life and conduct. Intellectuals who are prone to theories are especially likely to think this. Others conclude that these ideas mean crushing all life, energy, and action, and trying to idealize stagnation and death. These errors and confusions arise in people's minds, and only those people can remove them. But perhaps presenting the matter differently may make that task a little easier for those seeking Truth.

The doctrine of the overcoming or annihilation of self is simplicity itself; indeed, so simple, practical, and close at hand is it that a child of five, whose mind has not yet become clouded with theories, theological schemes, and speculative philosophies, would be far more likely to comprehend it than many older people who have lost their hold upon simple and beautiful truths by the adoption of complicated theories.

The teaching that we must overcome or completely eliminate the self is simplicity itself. It is so simple, practical, and close at hand that a five-year-old child would be far more likely to understand it than many adults. A child's mind has not yet been clouded by theories, theological systems, and speculative philosophies. Many adults, on the other hand, have lost their grasp of simple and beautiful truths by adopting complicated theories.

The annihilation of self consists in weeding out and destroying all those elements in the soul which lead to division, strife, suffering, disease, and sorrow. It does not mean the destruction of any good and beautiful and peace-producing quality. For instance, when a man is tempted to irritability or anger, and by a great effort overcomes the selfish tendency, casts it from him, and acts from the spirit of patience and love, in that moment of self-conquest he practises the annihilation of self. Every noble man practises it in part, though he may deny it in his words, and he who carries out this practice to its completion, eradicating every selfish tendency until only the divinely beautiful qualities remain, he is said to have annihilated the personality (all the personal elements) and to have arrived at Truth.

The annihilation of self means rooting out and destroying everything in the soul that leads to division, conflict, suffering, disease, and sorrow. It does not mean destroying any quality that is good, beautiful, or creates peace. For example, a man may be tempted to become irritable or angry. If he makes a great effort to overcome that selfish tendency, casts it aside, and acts with patience and love, he practises the annihilation of self in that moment of self-conquest. Every noble man practises it in part, even if he denies it in words. A man may carry this practice through to completion, rooting out every selfish tendency until only the divinely beautiful qualities remain. He is then said to have annihilated the personality, meaning all the personal elements, and to have arrived at Truth.

The self which is to be annihilated is composed of the following ten worthless and sorrow-producing elements: lust, hatred, avarice, self-indulgence, self-seeking, vanity, pride, doubt, dark belief, and delusion. It is the total abandonment, the complete annihilation of these ten elements, for they comprise the body of desire. On the other hand, it teaches the cultivation, practice, and preservation of the following ten divine qualities: Purity, Patience, Humility, Self-Sacrifice, Self-Reliance, Fearlessness, Knowledge, Wisdom, Compassion, and Love. These comprise the Body of Truth, and to live entirely in them is to be a doer and knower of the Truth, is to be an embodiment of Truth. The combination of the ten elements is called self or the personality; the combination of the ten qualities produces what is called Truth; the Impersonal; the abiding, real, and immortal Man.

The self that must be destroyed consists of ten worthless elements that cause sorrow: lust, hatred, greed, self-indulgence, selfishness, vanity, pride, doubt, dark belief, and delusion. These ten elements make up the body of desire, and they must be completely abandoned and destroyed. On the other hand, it teaches us to cultivate, practice, and preserve ten divine qualities: Purity, Patience, Humility, Self-Sacrifice, Self-Reliance, Fearlessness, Knowledge, Wisdom, Compassion, and Love. These qualities make up the Body of Truth. To live entirely by them is to practice and know Truth, and to embody it. Together, the ten elements are called self or the personality. Together, the ten qualities produce what is called Truth, the Impersonal, and the lasting, real, and immortal Man.

It will thus be seen that it is not the destruction of any noble, true, and enduring quality that is taught, but only the destruction of those things that are ignoble, false, and evanescent. Neither is this overcoming of self the deprivation of gladness, happiness, and joy, but rather is it the constant possession of these things by living in the joy-begetting qualities. It is the abandonment of the lust for enjoyment, but not of enjoyment itself; the destruction of the thirst for pleasure, but not of pleasure itself; the annihilation of the selfish longing for love, and power, and possessions, but not of love, and power, and possessions themselves. It is the preservation of all those things which draw and bind men together in unity and concord, and, far from idealising stagnation and death, urges men to the practice of those qualities which lead to the highest, noblest, most effective, and enduring action. He whose actions proceed from some or all of the ten elements wastes his energies upon negations, and does not preserve his soul; but he whose actions proceed from some or all of the ten qualities, he truly and wisely acts and so preserves his soul.

We can see, then, that the teaching is not to destroy any noble, true, and lasting quality. It teaches us to destroy only what is base, false, and fleeting. Overcoming self does not deprive us of gladness, happiness, and joy. Instead, it means always possessing these by living with qualities that give rise to joy. It means giving up the lust for enjoyment, but not enjoyment itself. It means destroying the thirst for pleasure, but not pleasure itself. It means wiping out the selfish longing for love, power, and possessions, but not love, power, and possessions themselves. It means preserving everything that draws and binds men together in unity and harmony. Far from idealizing stagnation and death, it urges men to practice the qualities that lead to the highest, noblest, most effective, and most lasting action. A man whose actions spring from some or all of the ten elements wastes his energy on negations. He does not preserve his soul. But a man whose actions spring from some or all of the ten qualities acts truly and wisely. In this way, he preserves his soul.

He who lives largely in the ten earthly elements, and who is blind and deaf to the spiritual verities, will find no attraction in the doctrine of self-surrender, for it will appear to him as the complete extinction of his being; but he who is endeavouring to live in the ten heavenly qualities will see the glory and beauty of the doctrine, and will know it as the foundation of Life Eternal. He will also see that when men apprehend and practise it, industry, commerce, government, and every worldly activity will be purified; and action, purpose, and intelligence, instead of being destroyed, will be intensified and enlarged, but freed from strife and pain.

A person who lives largely in the ten earthly elements and is blind and deaf to spiritual truths will find no appeal in the teaching of self-surrender. It will seem to mean the complete extinction of their being. But a person who is trying to live by the ten heavenly qualities will see the glory and beauty of self-surrender. They will know it as the foundation of Eternal Life. They will also see that when people understand and practice self-surrender, industry, commerce, government, and every worldly activity will be purified. Action, purpose, and intelligence will not be destroyed. Instead, they will grow stronger and broader, but will be free from conflict and pain.