Question: I understand that preparatory to realisation it is necessary for the ego to die.

Sri Chinmoy: You have to know that nothing dies. If the ego is dead, or let us use the term “extinguished”, then we get nothing out of the uniqueness that the Supreme has given us. We have to use the word “transformed”. Only if we transform the ego do we get something out of it. In the spiritual life, if you kill the ego it is like taking the life of some living thing. This is not the right thing to do. You must tame the ego, not kill it. The ego says, “I, mine, my husband, my wife, my children, etc.” That ego is binding. But if you say, “I am everywhere, I am Universal, I am God’s son,” this kind of feeling liberates you. When Christ said, “I and my Father are one,” He said it on the strength of His total Oneness with the Highest. But we do not have that total Oneness with the Highest. If the ego that you are referring to constantly binds you, then you will always remain bound in the ignorance of the world. But if you say, “No, I am all-pervading,” you will be freed from ego. Try to expand yourself, and the more you expand your consciousness, the wider will be your vision. Your limited consciousness is your ego, but when it is expanded it becomes universal. There you are one with the Source totally. Ignorance we have, but if we do not transform it, we remain in ignorance. My advice is this: don’t destroy it, but transform it and use it with your inner wisdom. Now you have a knife. With this knife you can come and stab me, but if you use the same knife and cut a fruit and give me a portion, then you are doing the right thing. Similarly, when you can utilise the ego for a divine purpose, immediately it changes its face into a fulfilling reality. Even when your ego is unlit and impure, use it for the service of God and don’t use it to destroy the world. While you are serving God, your ego will become purified and in its complete purification, your expansion of consciousness will take place. When your consciousness is expanded you will see that the whole world is yours and that you truly belong to the world of aspiration.

From:Sri Chinmoy,Earth’s Cry Meets Heaven’s Smile, part 2, Aum Press, Puerto Rico, 1974
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/ech_2