The So-Called View of Self Is the View of Self of the Manas

Saṃyuktāgama, Volume 5, Sutra 109

How is it that consciousness is seen as being the self? It refers to the six consciousness-bodies — eye consciousness, and the ear, nose, tongue, and body consciousnesses, and the mind consciousness-body. Seeing each one of these six consciousness-bodies as the self is called "consciousness is the self." How is it that consciousness is seen as being different from the self? Seeing form as the self and consciousness as what belongs to the self; seeing feeling, perception, and volitional formations as the self and consciousness as what belongs to the self — this is called "consciousness is different from the self."

First, one must clarify the concept of "self" before one can contemplate and practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) in accordance with reality and principle that the five aggregates and eighteen realms are without self. If one does not know what the self is, how can one engage in contemplative practice to eradicate the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi-prahāṇa)? For example, if an army is to gear up and set out to destroy the enemy, and does not know who the enemy is or where the enemy is, how can it set out to destroy the enemy?

Only by clarifying who the self is can one enable this self to eradicate the view of self. If one does not know who the self is, how can one enable that self to eradicate the view of self? It is like striking a snake: if one does not know where the snake's vital point is, how can one strike the snake dead?

Let me explain the passage above.

Explanation: How is it that consciousness is regarded as the self? Consciousness refers to the so-called six consciousness-bodies — eye consciousness, ear consciousness, nose consciousness, tongue consciousness, body consciousness, and the mind consciousness-body. Who is it that sees these six consciousness-bodies as the self? It is, of course, the seventh consciousness, the manas; it is the manas that takes the six consciousness-bodies as the self (itself).

The Buddha said that with regard to these six consciousness-bodies, one sees the six consciousness-bodies as the self (oneself), and regards the six consciousness-bodies as the self (oneself). The one who holds this view and perspective is the manas, and this is called "consciousness is the self (oneself)."

What does it mean to see the six consciousness-bodies as different from the self (oneself)? It means that the manas regards the aggregate of form as the self (the manas), while the aggregate of consciousness is what belongs to the self (the manas); or it regards the aggregates of feeling, perception, and volitional formations as the self (the manas), while the aggregate of consciousness is what belongs to the self (the manas). This is called the aggregate of consciousness being different from the self (the manas).

In this small passage, the Buddha is indeed saying that the self is the manas, and the manas is the so-called self. The manas takes form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness as itself, or as its own functions and operations. Therefore, to eradicate the view of self, one should enable this so-called self of the manas to eradicate the view of self. As long as the manas no longer takes form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness as the self and what belongs to the self, the view of self is eradicated.

It is thus evident that when the Buddha taught the Āgama sutras, He did not refrain from speaking of the manas, nor did He fail to say that the manas is the self. From beginning to end, the Buddha's intent was to enable the manas to eradicate the view of self — the view of self that takes form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness as the self.