Pride

A sense of self as separate from divinity. The sense of "I."

"In thinking, "This is I" and "That is mine," he binds himself with his self, as does a bird with a snare." - Maitri Upanishad 3.2

"Travelling powerless, like a bucket falling in a well: First with the thought "I," misconceiving the self, Then, arising attachment to things with the thought "mine." - Candrakirti, Madhyamakavatara 3

One of the seven capital sins. Must be transmuted into its pure form: humility, faith, which is related to the Sun. Pride has many faces, both "positive" and "negative," such as shame.

“Only the humble one can receive illumination by grace of the Lord. Those who have not annihilated the psychic aggregates of pride cannot in any way reach illumination.” - Samael Aun Weor, The Gnostic Bible: The Pistis Sophia Unveiled

The illuminated psyche is free of pride, and instead displays solar dignity, a form of self-confidence that is completely free of ego or self-grasping.

Pride has seven forms:

Boasting that one is lower than the lowly,
Or equal with the equal, or greater than
Or equal to the lowly
Is called the pride of selfhood.

Boasting that one is equal to those
Who by some quality are better than oneself
Is the pride of being superior. Thinking
That one is higher than the extremely high,

Who fancy themselves to be superior,
Is pride greater than pride;
Like an abscess in a tumor
It is very vicious.

Conceiving an "I" through ignorance
In the five empty [aggregates]
Which are called the appropriation
Is said to be the pride of thinking "I."

Thinking one has won fruits not yet
Attained is pride of conceit.
Praising oneself for faulty deeds
Is known by the wise as wrongful pride.

Deriding oneself, thinking
"I am senseless," is called
The pride of lowliness.
Such briefly are the seven prides.

- Nagarjuna, Precious Garland 406-12