I and Mine Are Not Different: Both Are the View of Self

The view of self is hard to eradicate because it is deeply rooted, and the view of what belongs to self (the view of "mine") is also very hard to eradicate, because it too is deeply rooted. When one takes part of the functions and activities of the five aggregates as the self, one then takes the other part of the functions and activities as belonging to the self. This deeply rooted grasping of "this is me, this is mine" is a habitual cognition that is very difficult to change. To eradicate such views that are not in accord with reality, long-term contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) is required—constantly introspecting on one's various views and opinions about the five aggregates, and deliberating in accordance with reality (manasikāra) within meditative concentration (samādhi).

The self and what belongs to the self are not one; what is different is "other." For example, if one holds that the aggregate of feeling is the self, then the aggregate of form is what belongs to the self—thus the self and what belongs to the self are "other" (different). It may seem that the view of self, "the aggregate of form is me," has been eradicated, but the view that takes the aggregate of form as "mine" is also a wrong view (mithyā-dṛṣṭi), deeply rooted. The view of self and the view of what belongs to self are equally the view of self, and both must be eradicated, and both are hard to eradicate. After the view of self is eradicated and one's views are corrected, one will then hold that the self and what belongs to the self are not different: the aggregate of feeling is not the self, the aggregate of form is not "mine," and neither of them is the self.

Before the view of self is eradicated, one takes the aggregate of feeling as the self and the aggregate of form as belonging to the self, believing that the aggregate of feeling exists within the aggregate of form, and the aggregate of form exists within the aggregate of feeling—the two exist mutually, pervading each other's substance. After the view of self is eradicated and one's views are corrected, one holds that the aggregate of feeling is not the self, the aggregate of form is not "mine"; the aggregate of feeling is not within the aggregate of form, and the aggregate of form is not within the aggregate of feeling—the two do not exist within each other, because the five aggregates of form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness are not the self.

This question is difficult to fathom. One needs, within meditative concentration (dhyāna), to suspend the question in the mind, suspend it in the manas; one day there will be a breakthrough and one will penetrate its meaning. Once this knot is untied, the obstacles to eradicating the view of self will be removed, and the resistance to contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) will be reduced.