--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We need to make a very clear distinction…" description: "\"“We need to make a very clear distinction between what is in our ego’s self-interest and what is in our ultimate interest; it is from mistaking one for..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ff/sogyal-rinpoche-2963_identity_we-need-to-make-a-very-clear-distinction_1313876.png" --- # We need to make a very clear distinction between what is… ![“We need to make a very clear distinction between what is in our ego’s self-interest and what is in our ultimate interest; it is from mistaking one for the other that all our suffering comes.” quote by Sogyal Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ff/sogyal-rinpoche-2963_identity_we-need-to-make-a-very-clear-distinction_1313876.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ff/sogyal-rinpoche-2963_identity_we-need-to-make-a-very-clear-distinction_1313876.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ff/sogyal-rinpoche-2963_identity_we-need-to-make-a-very-clear-distinction_1313876.png) > ““We need to make a very clear distinction between what is in our ego’s self-interest and what is in our ultimate interest; it is from mistaking one for the other that all our suffering comes.”” [Sogyal Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sogyal-rinpoche/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suffering arises when we mistake egoic self‑interest for true, higher purpose. **In simple terms:** Misaligned motives cause pain. Key Takeaway Align actions with deeper values. Themes spirituality psychology ethics mindfulness Mood contemplative serene Type philosophical self‑help When to use this quote - meditation practice - value clarification - ethical decision‑making - life coaching Key Concepts ego ultimate interest suffering Questions to Reflect On - What egoic desires mask deeper needs? - How can you discern true versus selfish motives? A Different Perspective Self‑deception can be hard to recognize. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) ## Related quotes > [The boundary line between self and external world bears no relation to reality; the distinction between ego and world is made by spitting out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-o-brown/the-boundary-line-between-self-and-external-world-bears-no-relation/) [Norman O. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-o-brown/) > [“It is impossible to make a clear distinction between Babylonia and Assyria.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-john-courtenay/it-is-impossible-to-make-a-clear-distinction-between-babylonia-and/) [James John Courtenay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-john-courtenay/) > [My father - the late Madhavrao Scindia - was clear about the distinction between being 'loving' and 'strict.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jyotiraditya-madhavrao-scindia/my-father-the-late-madhavrao-scindia-was-clear-about-the-distinction/) [Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jyotiraditya-madhavrao-scindia/) > [I make a clear distinction between the people and the ideology, between Muslims and Islam, recognizing that there are many moderate Muslims.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/i-make-a-clear-distinction-between-the-people-and-the-ideology/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) > [I've always made a clear distinction between making a life and making a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/i-ve-always-made-a-clear-distinction-between-making-a-life-and-making/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [I draw a very clear distinction between populism and democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/i-draw-a-very-clear-distinction-between-populism-and-democracy/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [Rarest of all is the man who can and does reason at all times, quickly, accurately, inclusively, despite hope or fear or bodily distress,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/rarest-of-all-is-the-man-who-can-and-does-reason-at-all-times-quickly/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [ “repression, which “proceeds from the self-respect of the ego … \[the person\] has set up an ideal in himself by which he measures his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sandler/repression-which-proceeds-from-the-self-respect-of-the-ego-the-person/) Joseph Sandler > [In the eyes of the ego, self-esteem and humility are contradictory. In truth, they are one and the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/in-the-eyes-of-the-ego-self-esteem-and-humility-are-contradictory-in/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“Every man has forgotten who he is. One may understand the cosmos, but never the ego; the self is more distant than any star.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/every-man-has-forgotten-who-he-is-one-may-understand-the-cosmos-but/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [“The ego (one’s self-perception) is a very shaky structure, easily undermined by unconscious drives and desires. It is possible to repress those drives for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renata-salecl/the-ego-one-s-self-perception-is-a-very-shaky-structure-easily/) [Renata Salecl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renata-salecl/) > [ALONE But HAPPY¦. No Argument, No Fight, No Noise And No Misbehaving. Value Your Relationship Much More Than Your Ego But Not More Than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-raj/alone-but-happy-no-argument-no-fight-no-noise-and-no-misbehaving/) [Don Raj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-raj/) > [The challenge life presents to each of us is to become truly ourselves--not the self we have imagined or fantasized about, not the self…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/the-challenge-life-presents-to-each-of-us-is-to-become-truly/) [Matthew Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/) > [Like all other lonely or hungry things, ego loves the light. It sees light, and the possibility of being close to the soul, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-pinkola-estes/like-all-other-lonely-or-hungry-things-ego-loves-the-light-it-sees/) [Clarissa Pinkola Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/) > [When the pain that the little me creates for itself becomes intense enough, the ego will self-destruct. It has a self-destruct mechanism built in,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/when-the-pain-that-the-little-me-creates-for-itself-becomes-intense/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) ## More by Sogyal Rinpoche > [That goodness is what survives death, a fundamental goodness that is in each and every one of us. The whole of our life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sogyal-rinpoche/that-goodness-is-what-survives-death-a-fundamental-goodness-that-is/) [Sogyal Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sogyal-rinpoche/) > [Why exactly are we so frightened of death that we avoid looking at it altogether? Somewhere, deep down, we know we cannot avoid facing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sogyal-rinpoche/why-exactly-are-we-so-frightened-of-death-that-we-avoid-looking-at-it/) [Sogyal Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sogyal-rinpoche/) > [The masters say if you create an auspicious condition in your body and your environment then meditation and realization will automatically arise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sogyal-rinpoche/the-masters-say-if-you-create-an-auspicious-condition-in-your-body/) [Sogyal Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sogyal-rinpoche/) > [At every moment in our lives we need compassion, but what more urgent moment could there be than when we are dying? What more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sogyal-rinpoche/at-every-moment-in-our-lives-we-need-compassion-but-what-more-urgent/) [Sogyal Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sogyal-rinpoche/) > [Theories are like patches on a coat, one day they just wear off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sogyal-rinpoche/theories-are-like-patches-on-a-coat-one-day-they-just-wear-off/) [Sogyal Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sogyal-rinpoche/) > [{While meditating} I sit quietly and rest in the nature of mind; I don't question or doubt whether I am in the "correct" state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sogyal-rinpoche/while-meditating-i-sit-quietly-and-rest-in-the-nature-of-mind-i-don-t/) [Sogyal Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sogyal-rinpoche/) > [The most essential thing in life is to establish an unafraid, heartfelt communication with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sogyal-rinpoche/the-most-essential-thing-in-life-is-to-establish-an-unafraid/) [Sogyal Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sogyal-rinpoche/) > [The definition of mantra is "that which protects the mind." That which protects the mind from negativity, or that which protects you from your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sogyal-rinpoche/the-definition-of-mantra-is-that-which-protects-the-mind-that-which/) [Sogyal Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sogyal-rinpoche/) > [If all we know of mind is the aspect of mind that dissolves when we die, we will be left with no idea of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sogyal-rinpoche/if-all-we-know-of-mind-is-the-aspect-of-mind-that-dissolves-when-we/) [Sogyal Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sogyal-rinpoche/) > [Western laziness consists of cramming our lives with compulsive activity, so that there is no time at all to confront the real issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sogyal-rinpoche/western-laziness-consists-of-cramming-our-lives-with-compulsive/) [Sogyal Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sogyal-rinpoche/) > [The key to finding a happy balance in modern lives is simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sogyal-rinpoche/the-key-to-finding-a-happy-balance-in-modern-lives-is-simplicity/) [Sogyal Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sogyal-rinpoche/) > [The purpose of meditation is to awaken in us the sky-like nature of mind, and to introduce us to that which we really are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sogyal-rinpoche/the-purpose-of-meditation-is-to-awaken-in-us-the-sky-like-nature-of/) [Sogyal Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sogyal-rinpoche/) > [The real glory of meditation lies not in any method but in its continual living experience of presence, in its bliss, clarity, peace, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sogyal-rinpoche/the-real-glory-of-meditation-lies-not-in-any-method-but-in-its/) [Sogyal Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sogyal-rinpoche/) > [Samsara is the mind turned outwardly, lost in its projections. Nirvana is the mind turned inwardly, recognizing its true nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sogyal-rinpoche/samsara-is-the-mind-turned-outwardly-lost-in-its-projections-nirvana/) [Sogyal Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sogyal-rinpoche/) > [“The simplicity of total trust is one of the most powerful forces in the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sogyal-rinpoche/the-simplicity-of-total-trust-is-one-of-the-most-powerful-forces-in/) [Sogyal Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sogyal-rinpoche/) [Explore all 144 Sogyal Rinpoche quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sogyal-rinpoche/) ## More Identity quotes > [I don't doubt that straight white men have identity issues and identity complexes and struggle with defining themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-simien/i-don-t-doubt-that-straight-white-men-have-identity-issues-and/) [Justin Simien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-simien/) > [In the hearing world, I'm constantly having to lip-read and trying to understand what's going on. Sign language is so beautiful. It gives you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-ayling-ellis/in-the-hearing-world-i-m-constantly-having-to-lip-read-and-trying-to/) [Rose Ayling-Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-ayling-ellis/) > [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [You have expressive nationalism, I mean very identity driven, which shaped each other a lot of that in the Middle East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/you-have-expressive-nationalism-i-mean-very-identity-driven-which/) [Subrahmanyam Jaishankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/) > [Family over friends, because real friends are family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/family-over-friends-because-real-friends-are-family/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think everybody, or the great majority of human beings, have this aspiration to become other: to live a different identity, at least for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/i-think-everybody-or-the-great-majority-of-human-beings-have-this/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) > [The language we share is at the core of our identity as citizens, and our ticket to full participation in American political life. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-i-hayakawa/the-language-we-share-is-at-the-core-of-our-identity-as-citizens-and/) [S. I. Hayakawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-i-hayakawa/) > [Tell me how much a nation knows about its own language, and I will tell you how much that nation knows about its own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ciardi/tell-me-how-much-a-nation-knows-about-its-own-language-and-i-will/) [John Ciardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ciardi/) > [I think that most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not "true" because we're hungry for another kind of truth:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-think-that-most-of-us-anyway-read-these-stories-that-we-know-are/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [“In the worldly life, due to maadakta (intoxication of the ego of ‘I am Chandubhai’), one has completely lost awareness of everything about one’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/in-the-worldly-life-due-to-maadakta-intoxication-of-the-ego-of-i-am/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“At the moment, then, of Man’s victory over Nature, we find the whole human race subjected to some individual men, and those individuals subjected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/at-the-moment-then-of-man-s-victory-over-nature-we-find-the-whole/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [She might be without country, without nation, but inside her there was still a being that could exist and be free, that could simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-maas/she-might-be-without-country-without-nation-but-inside-her-there-was/) [Sharon Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-maas/) > [“Self-realization or self-knowing or awakening is about knowing/ becoming conscious of our true nature and living in harmony with the universe in an ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-vazhakunnathu/self-realization-or-self-knowing-or-awakening-is-about-knowing/) [Thomas Vazhakunnathu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-vazhakunnathu/) > [“There are some things that one individual can do for another, and there are some things that one race can do for another. But,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t-washington/there-are-some-things-that-one-individual-can-do-for-another-and/) [Booker T. Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t-washington/) > [“Why were there no words that spoke positively about being concerned about the self? Why was there only negative connotation in terms like "selfish",…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-dalton/why-were-there-no-words-that-spoke-positively-about-being-concerned/) A.J. Dalton [Browse all 11,949 Identity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We need to make a very clear distinction between what is in our ego’s self-interest and what is in our ultimate interest; it is from mistaking one for the other that all our suffering comes.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sogyal Rinpoche" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sogyal-rinpoche/we-need-to-make-a-very-clear-distinction-between-what-is-in-our-ego-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Identity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sogyal-rinpoche/we-need-to-make-a-very-clear-distinction-between-what-is-in-our-ego-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ff/sogyal-rinpoche-2963_identity_we-need-to-make-a-very-clear-distinction_1313876.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ff/sogyal-rinpoche-2963_identity_we-need-to-make-a-very-clear-distinction_1313876.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ff/sogyal-rinpoche-2963_identity_we-need-to-make-a-very-clear-distinction_1313876.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We need to make a very clear distinction between what is in our ego’s self-interest and what is in our…” — Sogyal Rinpoche", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Sogyal Rinpoche", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sogyal-rinpoche/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“We need to make a very...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sogyal-rinpoche/we-need-to-make-a-very-clear-distinction-between-what-is-in-our-ego-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sogyal-rinpoche/we-need-to-make-a-very-clear-distinction-between-what-is-in-our-ego-s/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```