Ponder this......first one is an awakened one, and then one becomes an ego.

A paradox to ponder (suggested by William Hough in his "Infinity in Your Hand: A Guide for the Spiritually Curious"

It is not easy to be enlightened (aware, awake.)


(if it were everyone would already be enlightened.)


At the same time you are already enlightened,
you are just not aware of your enlightenment.



Ken Wilbur puts it this way. It is not that an individual is first an ego (a self conscious self) and then may become a Buddha (enlightened one, one who is awake)-- it is that he was first a Buddha and then became an ego.