The Manifestation of the Manas Grasping the Five Aggregates and Six Consciousnesses as Self

The manas also grasps the mind consciousness as self. If the manas did not grasp the five aggregates and the six consciousnesses as self, where would our view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi) and the eradication of the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi-prahāṇa) come from? Then there would be no need to eradicate the view of self, no need to eradicate self-grasping, and no need to eradicate afflictions. In that case, sentient beings of the Small Vehicle would not need to cultivate at all—how easy and pleasant that would be. But what is the reality?

In studying Buddhism and cultivating practice, one must not die at the tip of another's words, nor merely recite terms and famous sayings over and over. Deep understanding and contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā), along with reasoning in accordance with the Dharma, are the most important. If one cannot do this, one is deficient in some respect; one should find a way to discover where the deficiency lies, and then remedy and perfect it. Examine your own bodhi mind: do you have the vows and mental conduct of a bodhisattva? Is your merit sufficient?

If the manas did not grasp the six consciousnesses as self, then in a state of unconsciousness, why would the manas always try to wake up? When bound up by others, why does the manas always want to break free of the bindings? When blindfolded, why does the manas always try to remove the cloth from the eyes? When muted in a group chat and not allowed to speak, why the displeasure? If the manas has a self, it is displeased; if there is no self, who would be displeased?

Language is the function of the mind consciousness. The manas takes this function as its own function; therefore, when muted and not allowed to speak, it feels constrained. The manas takes the five aggregates and the mind consciousness as self; when muted, it feels it has lost face. The manas takes the seeing nature of the eye consciousness and the mind consciousness as self; when blindfolded and unable to see forms, it feels constrained—He must see forms and grasp at forms.

The manas takes the functions of the five aggregates and the six consciousnesses as self, and takes the aggregate of volitional formations of the six consciousnesses as self. When bound up and unable to move, He feels constrained; being without the aggregate of volitional formations will not do. The manas takes the material body as self; when the body is beaten and damaged, He is displeased and must take revenge on the one who beat Him.

The manas takes the aggregate of feeling as self and craves enjoyment; if not allowed to enjoy, He is displeased. The manas takes the knowing nature of the six consciousnesses as self; if the six consciousnesses are not allowed to see, hear, perceive, and know, and cannot know the six sense objects, He is displeased.

A person chronically ill lies in bed for a long time, unable to move. Let us consider: what does the manas feel? A person in a vegetative state has a weak mind consciousness and does not have much sensation of pain. The one who feels the pain must be the manas, always trying to get out of bed, always trying to know the sense objects, yet always feeling powerless to do so. The mind consciousness does not know these things—why? Because of ignorance and delusion.