There is,of course, no real self or non-self. Those are mere expressions which assist understanding, while the idea of Identity is also just a tool.
There are actually complex memory groups with like associations that permit more efficient recovery and it is these that are accepted as collected associations being with a visceral base, an emotional base, a base of Aversion or a base with a Future Fixation.
For convenience we call these the Identities of Id, Ego, Super-ego and Id-Ego.
These four are unconscious negative association sets and in Buddha Dharma the first three are often refered to as the Daughters of Mara, while the Conscious Identity is known as Mara, the evil one.
The natural question then is whether there is a positive self and positive lesser associations. The answer to the former is yes, although there is no evidence that lesser association groups exist.
For clarity with regard to the relationsship between these two selves examine:
The Chan Complexity of Self and No-self
The conceptualization of different identities did not begin with Freud; the ancient Brahmins had already developed the first three unconscious Identities as factors in behaviour and called them Gunas.
However, with human failing, since they themselves were of Aversive temperament, they classed themselves without negative qualities. Look at these texts from the Bhagavad Gita, written between the fifth and second centuries before the Christian Era.
….This Universe the womb is where I plant the seed of all lives! Thence, Prince of India, comes
Birth to all beings! Whoso, Kunti's Son!
Mothers each mortal form, Brahma conceives,
And I am He that fathers, sending seed!
Sattwan, Rajas, and Tamas, so are named
The qualities of Nature, the qualities of Nature, Soothfastness," Passion," and "Ignorance."
These three bind down the changeless Spirit in the changeful flesh.
Soothfastness is an adherence to Truth, but that Truth is actually not the Buddhist transcendental Truth, the knowledge of the Primordial State, or in the case of the Brahmin way, the Supreme Truth of union with Brahma.
It is the Truth of correct worldly conduct as perceived by the Aryans. The key is Duty, thus we can transform the idea “soothfast” into the idea “Firm in one’s Duty to Brahma.”
Passion is actually a word better associated with those who are Soothfast, for here the concept is rather Emotion.
Ignorance is a state depreciated by the Brahmins and considered clearly inferior. The main reason is the intransigence of the “Dark ones,” who actually neither understand the Passion for Duty nor the Emotional state of Rajas. Thus they are considered almost as alien evil creatures.
Whereof sweet "Soothfastness," by purity
Living unsullied and enlightened, binds
The sinless Soul to happiness and truth;
And Passion, being kin to appetite,
And breeding impulse and propensity,
Binds the embodied Soul, O Kunti's Son!
By tie of works.
But Ignorance, begot
Of Darkness, blinding mortal men, binds down
Their souls to stupor, sloth, and drowsiness.
Yea, Prince of India!
Soothfastness binds souls
In pleasant wise to flesh; and Passion binds
By toilsome strain; but Ignorance, which blots
The beams of wisdom, binds the soul to sloth.
Perhaps you can see that Soothfastness, the firmness of being right according to social law, is essentially the Super Ego in modern psychological terms.
Dominance of the Gunas
Passion and Ignorance, once overcome,
Leave Soothfastness, O Bharata!
Where this
With Ignorance are absent, Passion rules;
And Ignorance (remains) in hearts not good (soothfast) nor quick (passion).
When at all gateways of the Body shines
The Lamp of Knowledge, then may one see well
Soothfastness settled in that city reigns;
Where longing is, and ardour, and unrest,
Impulse to strive and gain, and avarice,
Those spring from Passion -- Prince! -- engrained;
and where
Darkness and dullness, sloth and stupor are,
'Tis Ignorance hath caused them, Kuru Chief!
So we see resident in each person these three Gunas, but in each person one assumes dominance.
We show these so that those who are reluctant to associate Dharma with Freud can see that these concepts have much greater antiquity and were still present in Buddha's time as a guide to psychological Identity.
Bhagavad Gita Chapter XVIII "Mokshasanyasayog"
Deliverance and Renunciation
We can consider the following as the Brahmin idea of the virtue and temperament that nature sets, which is masked by the Gunas:
The Four Natures
The work of Brahmans, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas,
And Sudras, O thou Slayer of thy Foes!
Is fixed by reason of the Qualities
Planted in each:
BRAHMIN NATURE (here we can consider a higher state of freedom from Identity akin to the arahat)
A Brahman's virtues, Prince,
Born of his nature, are serenity,
Self-mastery, religion, purity,
Patience, uprightness, learning, and to know
The truth of things which be.
KRSHATRYA NATURE (Here the Aversive nature is eliminated)
A Kshatriya's pride,
Born of his nature, lives in valour, fire,
Constancy, skilfulness, spirit in fight,
And open-handedness and noble mien,
As of a lord of men.
VAISYA NATURE (here we see Acquisitiveness eliminated)
A Vaisya's task,
Born with his nature, is to till the ground,
Tend cattle, venture trade.
SUDRA NATURE (here we see the Confusion eliminated)
A Sudra's state,
Suiting his nature, is to minister.
Whoso performeth -- diligent, content --
The work allotted him, whate'er it be,
Lays hold of perfectness! Hear how a man
Findeth perfection, being so content:
He findeth it through worship -- wrought by work --
Of HIM that is the Source of all which lives,
Of HIM by Whom the universe was stretched.
Better thine own work is, though done with fault,
Than doing others' work, ev'n excellently.
HOW TO ATTAIN THE SUPREME
….. How one, attaining perfect peace, attains
BRAHMA, the supreme, the highest height of all!
Devoted -- with a heart grown pure, restrained
In lordly self-control, forgoing wiles
Of song and senses, freed from love and hate,
Dwelling 'mid solitudes, in diet spare,
With body, speech, and will tamed to obey,
Ever to holy meditation vowed,
From passions liberate, quit of the Self,
Of arrogance, impatience, anger, pride;
Freed from surroundings, quiet, lacking nought --
Such an one grows to oneness with the BRAHMA;
Such an one, growing one with BRAHMA, serene,
Sorrows no more, desires no more; his soul,
Equally loving all that lives, loves well…
Sattwan, Rajas, and Tamas, so are named
The qualities of Nature, "Soothfastness," "Passion," and "Ignorance."
These three bind down the changeless Spirit in the changeful flesh.
SATTWAN nature (soothfastness) KRSHATRYA nature ( (Here Aversion is eliminated)
RAJAS nature (passion) becomes VAISYA nature (Here we see Acquisitiveness eliminated)
TAMAS nature (ignorance) becomes SUDRA nature (Here Confusion is eliminated)
Let us now look closer at these Gunas using Freud's terminology for ease of understanding, although rejecting Freud's interpretations in favor of those of the Dharma and modifying the Sattwan nature of the Brahmins.
IN CONSTRUCTION
To be translated from The Great Compassion Mantra by Shanjian
So even in antique philosophy which is echoed today we find that there is not just one Identity the self that is "I", "me" that produces "mine", but an array of subliminal effects. In fact, there are four if we add the Fixation upon the Future as a possibility.
In the first place, there is the VISCERAL IDENTITY, the TAMAS nature which becomes SUDRA nature upon liberation. The susceptability to mental overstimulation breeding confusion changes and returns to the natural SENSITIVITY with a full range of operation.
This Id Identity has as its object the full satisfaction of its visceral needs, Comfort without overstimulation. You can see the rupture with all that is natural with this blanketing temperament.
Then there is the Identity which we name as Ego, Rajas, the Emotional Identity that shows passion of the negative kind. It develops Acquisitiveness that when countering social rules is termed GREED. Like Id it craves satisfaction, which in this case is the SECURITY that possesion brings.
It is basically a social Identity, which actually shows at times the Domination, which is control over situations that are Ego-oriented (a husband for example or a wife), jealousy and like behaviours.
Then there is the Identity Super-ego that is Sattwan, self proud with the concepts of what is correct social duty. It is the "Should" Identity, and is Aversive to all that is counter to his or her idea of the perfect world. It is of course blind to its own errors and conduct.
Each of the Identities influences Attitudes, Intentions and the Readiness to Respond.
Nevertheless it is the Id, visceral Identity that most influences ATTITUDE, while INTENTIONS suffer more the activity of Ego and the final readiness to respond, the Super-ego. Thse operate without there being a consciousness of their actions and as you can see there is great conflict between them that with final resolution of interrnal conflicts and the solution of Dissonance results in a final ACTION.
One of these Identities which are inherited has always greater strength than the others and is considered dominant, although it can be overruled in certain circumstances. It is this Identity whih exercises control over behaviour, but the complex interactions of these Identities with different demands makes the complex operations of Attitude, Intention, Readiness to respond and the final response often difficult, causing agitation of the mind.
To complicate matters, there is another Identity. It is the Ideal Identity, which is in great measure conscious and is in fact the vision of oneself that one wishes to create for others. It is calculated to bring respect and acceptance.
With these Identities often in competition for the construction of a response to any stimulus, nothing is decided with ease. Decisions are converted into a potpourri of errors.
THE BASIC IDENTITY DEMANDS
THE Id, TAMAS
The Id Identity is then the Identity that is Visceral and has as its original base the homeostatic system to maintain the comfort of the system. This comfort, however, is not he comfort-seeking Identity-related behaviour. It is the impulse to maintain an adequate range of body temperature for body efficiency and the correct metabolism with food and water intake that the natural biological system demands.
This natural Comfort is clearly not the Comfort which Id demands. That original system is still available and would resume its natural task if the ID identity was eliminated.
We have shown that the natural attribute of Sensation, to recognize irritations from the apparent external world as having been received before or not, is also debilitated by Identity impediments. This takes place because the Identity, taking quite different criteria for Comfort than the Natural system, generates a tension and stress arising from the conflict of these two. The internal system of "best fit" is therefore contaminated and the level of confidence within the system is reduced, causing greater error in the recognition.
What the Identity Id insists on then today is the construction within the life-setting of a physical and mental "nest" where he or she is comfortable without suffering any disturbing circumstances. It is the Id, of course, that decides what is comfortable and what is acceptable as "seen before".
But, no matter how well that nest is built and no matter how well the Id shields itself from the complications of normal life and work, when the nest is to be shared great problems arise.
THE EGO IDENTITY, RAJAS
When the natural impulses are liberated from the demands of the Ego, the most lauded attribute of the person so liberated is the capacity to resolve interpersonal problems in a way that is useful for the correct living of all concerned. They are able to compromise and adjust to any situation with great powers of discrimination and attention to important details.
This is essential for Security, but with the presence of Ego this discriminating capacity turns the social arena into a battleground of greed, deception and manipulation -all covered, of course, with veneer of social virtue.
This Security has its base in the original necessity for the security of life as a natural defense against the elements of nature and predators.
Naturally, the Ego blankets the natural attributes to serve its own demands.
There arises a desire for the security of possesions, both material and of one's partner, and as a result there is a great fear of losing what one can gain. Thus there is a clinging which is debilitating.
With good fortune, they are able to create for themselves a world of security, for which they require laws and a system of justice that is able to be blind to the natural human demands. There arises the false Happiness that we know in place of the Gladness for others, which is other-directed.
There is however the fear which exists under the surface. One of the great problems is the automatic competition which must exist to gain the optimal survival so at the same time as there exists a lauding of the stars of success in the world of fame and wealth there is a jealousy which is well hidden and covered by the dreams of what could be.
They also praise the emotions to which they are slaves and the words that build their security, but with a mask of happiness in place they are quite insecure and when the mask drops fury breaks loose in depression and despair.
But this type of temperament is the motor of Identity civilization and it is a pity that this quality cannot be directed at a true union of all sentient beings. The Compassion and benevolence presented is cognitive, fragile and tinted with bias.
THE SUPER EGO IDENTITY, SATTVA
Now we come to the Super Ego identity, whose basic natural impulse is to lead. Way back in time he bacame the great warrior, the leader, the leading hunter.
One can imagine what happened when Identity arrived on the scene about 14 thousand years ago: pride, arrogance and a desire to dominate all with his own ideas and standards. He bacame a person with a strong aversion for all human creatures who thwarted his plans for a perfect existence. Fortunately he continued to be closely connected with the natural world.
His Aversion is strong then to almost all civilization if he is not the leader with his perfect plans... When revolutions or war arise they are sought and then cast aside when peace comes again if they cannot hang on to control.
Eventually, like the Tamas personality, whose main task was to aid the chief as advisor or magician or even jester of sorts, his powers were taken over by the Acquisitive temperament, with greater personal sway. Today they both stay in the background, the Aversive with frustration and the Confused with sadness.
THE NEGATIVE
Now there is one thing that must be understood, one must be careful of these labels. A much closer observation is necessary not only of the person to be judged, but of oneself.
Anger, hate, and hostility may be quite different, each having a different Identity base. One has in each case to judge the source. Is it emotion or aversion that generates these experiences? One cannot judge using one's own criteria and experience as a base.
These negative aspects of the three temperaments are named within Buddha Dharma as: Id Confusion; Ego Acquisitiveness; Super Ego Aversion.
The fourth is called Fixation and is a special case of overemphasis upon the indeterminable Future, which becomes in part a fixation. This the Fixation character who is normally only judged in extreme conditions and is considered as Paranoid.
Within much of religious Buddhim they use the terms Demons of Confusion, Hungry Ghosts, and Savage Beasts, all of which are quite appropriate. The fourth Identity is never considered as a possible person for salvation.
THE POSITIVE
When the positive labels are given we can say that the three major Identities are Truly Sensitive, Discriminating and Naturally intelligent.
But remember that every person who is not liberated has all four components present.
We may ask now whether Gladness, Compassion, Benevolent Affect and Equanimity have specific connections to the Natural Attributes or the Identities.
As far as the Natural Attributes are concerned we can reply, "No, they do not".
As far as the narural attributes are concerned Compassion and Benevolent Affect may be considered as one, being simply two aspects of one attribute. (The wish that none suffer + the wish that all be happy).
The three then Gladness, Compassion-Benevolent Affect, Equanimity are the vehicle of the Uncarved Wood that pervades all positive operations.
However, understanding that Identity invents nothing new and only distorts information and experiences, we find that these three are colored by Identities.
Compassion-Benevolent affect becomes a tool for acquisitiveness, Gladness is distorted as a false sensitivity for the confused and Equanimity, actually becoming an intellectual indifference is a great tool of the Aversive person.