The Ego or Self is nothing but a construct of the mind, to give you a sense of a unity, of a Self, of being different from others, something that makes you feel separate from others.

It does not even exist, it is an idea, a concept, a label in which you believe. The most you can say about an Ego is that it is the sum of all your personal characteristics.

The Ego by itself does not exist, nor does the idea of a Self.

This is one of those paradoxes that have to be experienced because the intellect by itself might not be able to grasp or understand it.

The fact that you see yourself as separate from others makes you believe you must have a Self, a Self that is unique and different. But when you look for this Self, it cannot be found.

Buddhism is strongly based on meditation and experience, and this has revealed, and everyone can experience that for himself, that there is no Ego, no Self to be found in oneself.

It is just not there. Not even a higher Self.

The biggest obstacles are your thoughts. They come and go and distract you continuously. When you break through the habit of following the thoughts you experience mind directly.

The mind is the basis of your manifestation. It is not your mind as the Ego or Self does not exist and thus cannot be experienced. So what you experience within yourself is not your mind but just mind.

When thoughts no longer hinder you, then you experience empty mind.

When you have attained this state of Consciousness in which you experience the emptiness of mind, and when you are able to continuously dwell in it while continuing your daily life, one is called enlightened.

An enlightened being does not float around on clouds, but is still an ordinary being living an ordinary life.

However, he has found the inner peace and tranquility that goes with the attainment of the inner emptiness of mind.

The experience of emptiness goes together with clarity of Awareness and the feeling of unlimited inner space.