Maybe it's just me, but this death of the ego thing is a funny business, isn't it?

Probably as much a function of what I do in the day gig. Working in science/engineering long enough is akin to hanging a giant "Kick Me" sign in the yard and waiting for the universe to take a lick. In my experience, if you're not wrong on occasion, it's because you're working on the easy stuff.

It has its benefits; saying "I've got this thing figured out" is the warning sign, from what I've seen. Most often, sure, you've dug a little farther, made that one crucial next step that opens up new worlds. And then... and then you say "Self, what happens if I do this?"

Or the experiment answers "Ask again later", or "Orange" when you wanted to hear "23". It happens. Pick it up and run on down the road a ways and see what comes next.

Probably after a little time hang-dogging it, because let's face it, getting your nose rubbed in the stuff again is never a pleasant experience. Even if you'd done good work since last time.

Death of the ego may not be the only path to the Buddha nature. But that's the branch of the family tree I most associate it with, just from my particular sequence of early reading. Oh, there's the other branches for sure, the Abrahamic traditions have stories, practices. Go thou into the wilderness and wander, child. Chase Coyote and tell us what he shows you, but don't get too close.

As opposed to the golden children; hang out in any field long enough and they show up. The easy path they seek, as a certain little green dude might have said.

I remind myself that the vast majority of any field of endeavor toils in silence, apurpose absented from spotlights and chattering observers.