“Self importance is our greatest enemy….our self importance requires that we spend most of our lives offended by someone.”
–Carlos Castaneda

Kabir – The couplet
???? ??? ?? ???? ???, ??? ??? ? ???? |
??? ???? ?????? ???, ??? ??? ?? ???? ||

transliterated:
Maya taja to kya hua, maan taja na jaaye |
Maan bade munivar taje, maan saban ko khaye ||

Translation:
Giving up wealth takes little effort , but nigh impossible it is to give up ego |
Ego has reduced the greatest and enlightened to ordinary, no one is immune to it’s charms ||

My understanding:

As a race, one of the greatest facets of being human is our ability to recognize, celebrate and thrive in our diversity.

Ego, on the other hand uses differences to drive separation and distance me from everyone else.

Ego has made a politician of the statesman, a soldier of the general, an ordinary man of the enlightened.

Ego has no redeeming quality for a good life – for it uses our good energy to amplify and feed the negative side.

Give up ego, and stay on watch – for it will always lurk just around the corner, in range and always ready to pounce.