The Elimination of Self-View and Self-Grasping in Manas

Since the manas possesses the nature of attachment, clinging to the ego of self and phenomena, does it also possess the nature of self? The manas has inherently possessed the nature of self since beginningless kalpas, known as innate ego-grasping, clinging to the ego of self, regarding the five aggregates as self, taking the six consciousnesses as self, clinging to the discriminative function of the six consciousnesses as one's own discrimination, and viewing the functional nature of the six consciousnesses as self and belonging to self. It also clings to the functional nature of the eighth consciousness as self and belonging to self. Its nature of conceptual grasping determines that it clings to everything, among which the ego-grasping of self is the manas's ego-grasping, constituting the manas's self. After cultivating to the stage of the first-ground Bodhisattva, the manas eradicates a portion of ignorance, such as momentary ignorance, attaining the state of non-leakage, and gradually contemplates the selflessness in all phenomena. For instance, knowing that all phenomena are manifested and transformed by the eighth consciousness, the Bodhisattva begins to contemplate: this form-dust, that form-dust are all transformed from the four great elements delivered by the eighth consciousness through seeds, and moreover, the eighth consciousness continuously delivers the four great elements seed by seed, moment by moment, constantly altering and sustaining the existence of form-phenomena; thus, form-phenomena are not self. Simultaneously, the manas also recognizes that the functional nature enabling me to discriminate form-dust arises from the consciousness-seeds delivered by the eighth consciousness, hence this too is not self, but all functions of the eighth consciousness. Form is transformed by the eighth consciousness; my five sense faculties, six sense faculties are transformed by the eighth consciousness; the six sense objects corresponding to me are manifested by the eighth consciousness; the six consciousnesses I can discriminate, including even this very mind-consciousness, are all transformed by the eighth consciousness; all phenomena I can contact and cognize are instantaneously manifested seed by seed through the eighth consciousness's output—thus, within all phenomena, there is fundamentally no self. The Bodhisattva gradually contemplates the selflessness in all phenomena in this way, and thus the wisdom of non-arising dharma patience increasingly expands, the wisdom-nature of the sixth and seventh consciousnesses grows ever broader, and the great wisdom of the manas realizes that all phenomena are indeed selfless, causing the mind to become equal toward all phenomena. After transforming consciousness into wisdom, the manas gains increasingly profound wisdom of selflessness; when the mind is non-leaking, its wisdom-nature grows ever more expansive. The Bodhisattva continues to reflect: this very phenomenon of my hearing sounds, the ability to hear and the heard, are all transformed by the eighth consciousness; all these functional natures belong to the eighth consciousness; all sounds are manifested and sustained by the eighth consciousness—where is there any self? Thus it contemplates, gradually eliminating its grasping of phenomena-self bit by bit. When smelling scents, when eating, when the six faculties encounter the six objects, in daily life, and in every phenomenon, it contemplates: these phenomena are all manifested by the eighth consciousness; in this, there is nothing pertaining to me, not even myself is transformed by the eighth consciousness—none of it is self. Then, the functional nature enabling me to contact the six sense objects is also not self, but all transformed by the eighth consciousness; nothing is real. In this way, it progressively severs grasping of phenomena-self, wisdom increasingly expands, and when grasping of phenomena-self is completely exhausted, Buddhahood is attained.