Sauron Diminished?

[Boromir88]

I'll finish off the paragraph since it seems to be of some importance now. Tolkien brings up the two ways that this "bond" or "relationship" between Sauron and the Ring could be broken...

But to achieve this he had been obliged to let a great part of his own inherent power pass into the One Ring. While he wore it, his power on earth was actually enhanced. But even if he did not wear it, that power existed and was in "rapport" with himself: he was not "diminished." Unless some other seized it and became possessed of it. If that happened, the new possessor could (if sufficiently strong and heroic by nature) challenge Sauron, become master of all that he had learned or done since the making of the One Ring, and so overthrow him and usurp his place. (Sounds something that Saruman tried to accomplish). This was the essential weakness he had introduced into his siutation in his effort (largely unsuccessful) to enslave the Elves, and in his desire to control the minds and wills of his servants. There was another weakness: if the One Ring was actually unmade, annhiliated, then its power would be dissolved, and he would be reduced to a shadow, a mere memory of malicious will. Italics are things I added in.

I think what Tolkien is saying is what you basically said in your first post Lalwende. I don't take it as saying that "with and without the ring Sauron has enhanced powers." I take it more as "With that ring he has enhanced powers. Without possessing the Ring, the powers are bonded to Sauron."

For example, Frodo has the ring, he doesn't get the enhanced powers the ring gave to Sauron, those powers are bonded to Sauron. However, to break that bond (and become the new "master of the Ring") you could try to pull a Saruman; learn about the Ring, study Sauron, and try to challenge him, and overthrow him. Or you could "unmake" the ring, but that would not give you the "enhanced powers" that would just break the bond between the ring, and Sauron.

Edit: Basically saying the Ring's powers are loyal to Sauron. Just by possessing the Ring, the Ring will not give you the powers it gives Sauron. To get those powers you have to challenge Sauron one-on-one, and overthrow him, taking his place.