The Eradication of Self-View and Self-Grasping of the Manas

Since the manas has the nature of grasping, grasping at the self of persons and the self of dharmas, does the manas have a self-nature? From beginningless kalpas, the manas has always possessed a self-nature, called innate self-grasping (sahaja-ātma-grāha), grasping at the self of persons, taking the five-aggregate body as self, taking the six consciousnesses as self, grasping the discernment of the six consciousnesses as its own discernment; the functional natures of the six consciousnesses are also regarded as self and as belonging to self, and it also grasps the functional nature of the eighth consciousness as self and as belonging to self. Its imputed nature (parikalpita-svabhāva) determines that it grasps at everything, among which the self-grasping of persons is the manas's self-grasping — it is the manas's "self." After cultivating to the stage of a first-bhūmi bodhisattva, the manas extinguishes a portion of ignorance, such as the ignorance of one thought, reaching the untainted state; then it gradually contemplates the selflessness of all dharmas. For example, because it knows that all dharmas are manifested and transformed by the eighth consciousness, the bodhisattva begins to contemplate: this material sense-object and that material sense-object are all transformed by the eighth consciousness transmitting the seeds of the four great elements, and the eighth consciousness is constantly transmitting the seeds of the four great elements moment by moment, continuously changing and sustaining the existence of material form; therefore material form is not self. At the same time, the manas can also know that the functional nature of its own discernment of material sense-objects arises from the eighth consciousness transmitting the seeds of consciousness; therefore it is also not self — all are functions of the eighth consciousness. Form is brought forth by the eighth consciousness; my five faculties and six faculties are brought forth by the eighth consciousness; the six sense-objects corresponding to me are manifested by the eighth consciousness; the six consciousnesses with which I discern, and even this very mind-consciousness of mine, are all brought forth by the eighth consciousness; all the dharmas I can contact and know are manifested moment by moment by the eighth consciousness outputting seeds — thus there is fundamentally no self among all dharmas. The bodhisattva will gradually contemplate the selflessness of all dharmas, and in this way the wisdom of patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas will grow ever more expansive, the wisdom-nature of the sixth and seventh consciousnesses will become ever vaster, and the manas's great wisdom will know that all dharmas are indeed without self, and the mind becomes equanimous toward all dharmas. After consciousness is transformed into wisdom, the manas possesses ever deeper wisdom of selflessness; when the mind is untainted, its wisdom-nature becomes ever vaster. The bodhisattva will continue deliberating: the dharma of my hearing sounds — the hearing and the heard — are all transformed by the eighth consciousness; all these functional natures belong to the eighth consciousness; all sounds are being manifested and upheld by the eighth consciousness — where is there a self? He contemplates in this way, and His grasping at the self of dharmas is eradicated bit by bit. When smelling scents, when eating, when the six faculties engage the six sense-objects, in daily life, on every dharma He will deliberate: these dharmas are all manifested by the eighth consciousness, and there is nothing in them that involves a self; even my own self is brought forth by the eighth consciousness and is not self. Then the functional natures by which I can contact the six sense-objects are also not self; they are all brought forth by the eighth consciousness, and not one of them is real. In this way, the grasping at the self of dharmas is eradicated bit by bit, wisdom grows ever more expansive, and when the grasping at the self of dharmas is completely eradicated, Buddhahood is attained.