The Ego: A Driving Force and a Dead End – Lessons from Five Hundred Lives as a Fox

Have you ever asked yourself why we are born only to die again and again? Why do we remain trapped in the swirling vortex of suffering (dukkha)? The Buddha taught that it is precisely because of the "self" – the ego – that sentient beings drift endlessly through samsara (cycle of rebirth), unable to escape. Yet, this same ego is also the only vehicle that can carry us to enlightenment, provided we know how to use it correctly.

## What Is the Ego? Why Is It Both a Driving Force and a Dead End?

In his dharma talk on the first day of the new year, Venerable Thich Chan Quang explained:

"The ego is what imprisons us, restrains us, binds us, subjects us to samsara (cycle of rebirth) and suffering… But this very same ego opens a path for us toward enlightenment. We cannot walk using someone else’s feet; we must walk with our own feet, which means walking with our own ego."

The teacher emphasized that the ego has two characteristics: one is a dead end, and the other is a driving force. It is like a knife that can both cut and stab. If we use the ego for greed, selfishness, anger, or competition, we sink deeper into suffering (dukkha). However, if we use that same ego to strive diligently in practice, to let go of what binds us, then we can transcend it.

## The Story of the Old Man Fox and the Answer "Not Deluded by Cause and Effect"

To illustrate this point, the teacher recounted the story of Zen Master Baizhang Huaihai. In his assembly, there was an old man who faintly listened to the teachings. The master recognized that he was not human, but a fox. He had been a great high monk during the time of Buddha Kashyapa. Once, a monk asked him: "Does an enlightened being still fall under the law of cause and effect (karmic law)?" He answered: "No" – meaning he did not fall into cause and effect. That incorrect answer caused him to be reborn as a fox for five hundred lifetimes, without understanding where he had gone wrong.

Master Baizhang told the old man to ask the question again. When the master answered: "Not deluded by cause and effect," the old man attained great awakening and escaped his fox body. This teaching is profound: An enlightened person is not free from cause and effect in the sense that "whatever they do has no karmic result." Rather, they clearly understand cause and effect, seeing that every action, word, and thought has its corresponding fruit.

## Why Can Great Merit Become Wrong View?

The teacher pointed out a subtle trap: when we have great merit, we may act wrongly without immediately seeing the consequences, because our blessings shield us. This leads to wrong view, causing us to believe that cause and effect does not exist. The teacher said:

"Precisely because having too much merit can create such terrifying wrong views. When our merit is small, any mistake we make shows up immediately. Then we know there is a law of cause and effect governing everything in life. But when our merit is too large, it blocks the results completely. We can do bad things and think nothing will happen."

This is why the teacher urged practitioners to maintain a humble mind, seeing themselves as mere dust. When fruits of merit arrive, whether in the form of wealth or spiritual attainment, humility can be lost, leading us back into a dead end.

## Understanding Cause and Effect Correctly – A Pure Mind Does Not Exempt One from Karmic Retribution

The teacher clarified: achieving a pure mind does not mean escaping karmic retribution. The results must still come, but the person does not suffer. He stated:

"If the mind is pure, let it be pure, but what happens next? Karma does not disappear. The difference is that if we are not yet pure, we suffer when karma arrives. If we are already pure, we do not suffer when karma arrives. But the karma itself still must come."

Therefore, "not deluded by cause and effect" does not mean ignoring it, but deeply understanding it and living every second with mindfulness. Conversely, if we think we are pure enough to act recklessly—such as burning Buddha statues or overturning offering plates—the karmic results, though delayed, will surely arrive. They may cause us to fall into lower realms for many lifetimes.

## Living Each Day with Humility and Responsibility

At the end of the talk, the teacher shared the practice of Master Baizhang: "A day without work is a day without eating." Even as an enlightened Zen master, he worked with his own hands. To enjoy the world’s provisions for a day without benefiting others means that cause and effect will never overlook it. The teacher advised each of us to ask before eating a meal: "Did I do anything good for the world today?"

In the eyes of an enlightened being, the teacher saw not resignation, but "full of concern, full of struggle, full of worry for sentient beings and the world." This is the expression of a heart of compassion and wisdom that clearly sees cause and effect.

The ego is not something to hate, but a companion that needs training. When we maintain humility, reverence for the Buddha, and love for all beings, we walk boldly forward. Yet, we always remember that cause and effect is a universal law; no one stands outside it. Only by understanding this correctly can we transform the ego from a dead end into a driving force on the path to enlightenment.