These are basic Dharma Ideas that may at a later date, or by your
request, be elaborated into a complete teaching.
AN OVERVIEW OF THE IDENTITY DOMINANCE
AN OVERVIEW of COMMON SUFFERING
You have seen a brief outline of the three character types. Are you DELUDED, GREEDY, or HOSTILE? Some readers may say, "I'm GREEDY, but not really all that bad." The situation is similar to that of childbirth. One cannot be half-pregnant. Similarly, others may declare, "I'm a little bit of everything." That is evading the question.
It is foolish to evade the issue. You are either DELUDED, GREEDY, HOSTILE, or are without SUFFERING. Look at the list of your potential for SUFFERING as a victim of the DEMANDS. Do you have any of this SUFFERING in yourself? Do you see the probability that one of these DEMANDS may actually GOVERN most of your behaviour? If you can, then you will already have come a long way.
We have used many words to describe various EXPERIENCES of SUFFERING. On inspecting all these and others which you no doubt have experienced, you will wonder about some of them. What is the difference, for example, between the MIND STATES of PUZZLEMENT and BAFFLEMENT? Why is the former an EGO-initiated state and the latter a SUPER EGO state?
The experiences of BAFFLEMENT are sharp, like a well-honed knife. It evokes PASSIONS which do not look at anything else except that BAFFLEMENT. It is like a cold fire that consumes itself without moving in any direction. Can you see the idea? This is in no way the same as the PUZZLEMENT of the EGO IDENTITY, which, in failure, cannot understand what exactly has gone wrong. When there is PUZZLEMENT, the victim searches about in a word-filled consciousness for reasons, and clear EMOTIONAL experiences are evoked.
Let's look at SUPER EGO FRUSTRATION for a moment. It has its EGO DEMAND counterpart in the EMOTION of FUTILITY, which is often felt after the failure to satisfy a DEMAND for EGO SATISFACTION. The difference between the two is the PASSION which is attached to FRUSTRATION. This PASSION has a base which is also cognitive, but its mental states are far removed from those which rule the EMOTIONAL turmoil of FUTILITY, which is quite enmeshed with a mass of associations and a HOPELESSNESS which does not accompany FRUSTRATION.
The key to understanding the subtle differences between the EMOTIONS of EGO SATISFACTION and the MENTAL PASSION of the SUPER EGO lies in discernment of the ice-like PASSION which is completely uncomplicated by chains of thought. This cold piercing PASSION is the hallmark of this DEMAND for DOMINANCE.
If you look at REMORSE, you will see the same thing. PASSIONATE REMORSE is quite different from the EMOTIONAL and wistful REGRETS and the RECRIMINATIONS manufactured by EGO. The EGO IDENTITY beats its breast and cries out its woes. In its sorrow it wants to be noticed: it wants the SECURITY which it has lost by non-satiation of the DEMAND. The SUPER EGO, on the other hand, dwells upon the more general "SHOULD not have happened" idea without dwelling on the reasons. The passionate SUPER EGO laments, but it does so silently.
ENVY too, as a state of SUFFERING under the DEMAND for DOMINANCE, is different from the EMOTIONAL state of COVETOUSNESS which is ruled by the DEMAND for EGO SATIATION. When EGO is involved, there are almost always chains of thought involved, for the EGO structure has an overactive imagination prompted by ideas. The EGO mind in those moments actually searches for ways and means to secure the elusive prize.
The SUPER EGO, on the other hand, when it is in command, is simply envious of the position, influence, and power that others may have or in the way they have obtained their apparent reward. Others have it. Others SHOULD not have it. There are no mental gyrations. There is simply injustice at work as far as SUPER EGO is concerned. Do you see the SUPER EGO at work?
We can then separate the experiences related to the DEMAND for EGO SATISFACTION from those of the DEMAND for DOMINATION quite easily. You don't have to worry too much about the meanings of the words. If the experience of SUFFERING is EGO-dominated there will be EMOTIONS and chains of thought running through CONSCIOUS AWARENESS like a train completely out of control.
If the experience is that connected to a dominating SUPER EGO then there will be a cold COGNITIVE PASSION unconnected to chains of thought.
ID-ruled behavior is easier to recognize. ID, as we have mentioned before, sends out clear VISCERAL signals which we call SENSATIONS. Sometimes SENSATIONS and EMOTIONS may be present at the same time when ID and EGO are working together with mutual DEMANDS. Watch out for them and you will detect the subtle differences.
We can also look at the distinction between VISCERAL DISAPPOINTMENT and COGNITIVE DISILLUSIONMENT. The latter experiences are completely different from the brooding VISCERAL SENSATIONS of DISAPPOINTMENT derived from ID.
You can see the difference if you really are mindful, for the former is woeful and you can sense the physiological response of the body to that DISAPPOINTMENT. On the other hand, DISILLUSIONMENT is clear and concise. The MIND, COGNITIVE and PASSIONATE, can define the problem in a single strong statement. The DISILLUSIONED person may say fiercely, "You can't trust anyone", while the ID will be more concerned about its loss.