It is on account of the ego that one is not able to see God. In front of the door of God’s mansion lies the stamp of Ego. One cannot enter the mansion without jumping over the stamp.
There was once a man who had acquired the power to tame ghosts. One day, at his summons, a ghost appeared. The ghost said, “Now tell me what you want me to do. The moment you cannot give me any work I shall break your neck.” The man had many things to accomplish and he had the ghost to do them all, one by one. At last he could find nothing more for the ghost to do. “Now”, said the ghost, “I am going to break your neck.” “Wait a minute”, said the man. “I shall return presently.” He ran to his teacher and said, “Revered sir, I am in great danger. This is my trouble.” And he told his teacher his trouble and asked, “What shall I do now?” The teacher said, “Do this. Tell the ghost to straighten this kinky hair.” The ghost devoted itself day and night to straightening the hair. But how could it make a kinky hair straight? The hair remained kinky.
Likewise, the ego seems to vanish this moment, but it reappears the next. Unless one renounces the ego, one does not receive the grace of God. (200)