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

Since the manas possesses the nature of attachment, clinging to the selfhood of persons and phenomena, does it then possess self-nature? Since beginningless kalpas, manas has indeed possessed self-nature, known as congenital self-attachment. It clings to the selfhood of persons, taking the five aggregates as the self and the six consciousnesses as the self. It regards the discerning function of the six consciousnesses as its own discerning, and the functional nature of the six consciousnesses as belonging to the self. It also clings to the functional nature of the eighth consciousness as the self and as belonging to the self. Its nature of conceptual attachment determines that it clings to everything, and within this, the attachment to the selfhood of persons is the self-attachment of manas, constituting the self of manas.

After cultivating to the stage of the First Ground Bodhisattva, manas eradicates a portion of ignorance, such as fundamental ignorance, attaining the state of non-outflow. It then gradually contemplates the selfless nature 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—all are produced by the eighth consciousness projecting seeds of the four great elements. Moreover, the eighth consciousness continuously projects these seeds moment by moment, constantly altering and sustaining the existence of form-dharmas. Therefore, form-dharmas are not the self." Simultaneously, manas also recognizes that the functional nature enabling it to discern form-dust arises from the eighth consciousness projecting seeds of consciousness; thus, this too is not the self, but merely the function of the eighth consciousness. Form is produced by the eighth consciousness; my five sense faculties, the six sense faculties, are produced by the eighth consciousness; the six sense objects corresponding to me are produced by the eighth consciousness; the six consciousnesses I discern, including this very mind-consciousness itself, are all produced by the eighth consciousness. All phenomena I can contact and cognize are instantaneously manifested moment by moment through the seeds projected by the eighth consciousness. Therefore, within all phenomena, there is fundamentally no self.

The Bodhisattva thus gradually contemplates the selfless nature in all phenomena. In this way, the wisdom of patience with the non-arising of phenomena (anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti) increasingly expands. The wisdom-nature of the sixth and seventh consciousnesses grows ever more profound. The great wisdom of manas realizes that all phenomena are indeed devoid of self, and the mind thus becomes equal toward all phenomena. After the transformation of consciousness into wisdom, manas possesses increasingly profound wisdom of selflessness. When the mind is free from outflows, its wisdom-nature expands ever more extensively.

The Bodhisattva continues to contemplate: "This phenomenon of my hearing sound, the hearing and the heard—all are 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 a self?" Thus contemplating, the Bodhisattva eradicates attachment to the selfhood of phenomena bit by bit. When smelling scents, when eating, when the six sense faculties contact the six sense objects, in daily life, and in every phenomenon, it contemplates: "All these phenomena are manifested by the eighth consciousness. Within this, there is nothing pertaining to me. Even I myself am produced by the eighth consciousness; none of it is truly me. Therefore, the functional nature enabling me to contact the six sense objects is also not me; all are produced by the eighth consciousness. Nothing is real." In this way, attachment to the selfhood of phenomena is gradually eradicated, wisdom expands increasingly, and when attachment to the selfhood of phenomena is completely severed, Buddhahood is attained.