FROM A SITE VISITOR: Like Raja, I’m new to Advaita--but never had any religious training. It is easy enough to know that I am more than a body but why do you say I should not have a personality? Thank you.
F.: The last two reasons to be discussed in this explanation of why Advaitins invite seekers to be rid of personality are these:
A. It is known that when persons are functioning under the auspices of personality and become either (1) stressed, (2) religiously-arrogant, or (3) spiritually-arrogant, they exhibit not only the most negative of the traits of their primary personality type but will undergo what is called “psychic disintegration” and exhibit the worst traits of other personality types as well.
More than six billion persons claim a religious or spiritual affiliation and believe that their religion or program is "the right one." They are all set up for disintegration. Also, being stressed is “the new norm,” so the masses are set up for further disintegration as a result. It should be clear that personality assumption, psychic disintegration, and all of the relative consequences of personality now control persons (the non-Realized) and guarantee self-delusion and widespread turmoil.
B. Finally, at the root of all relative ills is egotism. At the root of egotism is ego (i.e., assumption of the false “I,” of ego-states, of personas, of personality). At the root of all personality is ignorance, namely, ignorance of Self.
It is that ignorance of Self which allows persons to believe that their false identities are real. And it is the belief that false selves are real that inspires the willingness among persons to fight to preserve their images...their false selves.
The result is a planet on which persons might experience occasional flashes of happiness at best but will experience no stability of mood. The result of personality is also a planet with arrogant leaders who guarantee that on any given day, there will be fighting or war or mayhem, bringing with them untold depression and misery and suffering and chaos.
THAT is the result of personality, and THAT is why Advaitins invite seekers to realize and to stop identifying falsely with body and mind and personality. Please enter the silence of contemplation.
(TOMORROW: The Conclusion and Review)
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