The Saṃyuktāgama, Volume 5 (109)

Original text:云何见识即是我？謂六识身——眼识，耳、鼻、舌、身、意识身。于此六识身一一见是我，是名识即是我。云何见识异我？见色是我，识是我所，见受、想、行是我，识是我所，是名识异我。

First, one must clarify the concept of "self" in order to contemplate and practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) the non-self of the five aggregates (pañca-skandha) and the eighteen realms in accordance with reality and principle. If one does not know what the self is, how can one contemplate and practice to eradicate the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi-prahāṇa)? For example, when an army is to be fully equipped and set out to destroy the enemy, if they do not know who the enemy is and where the enemy is, how can they set out to destroy the enemy?

Only by clarifying who the self is can one let this self eradicate the view of self. If one does not know who the self is, how can one let that self eradicate the view of self? For example, if one wants to strike a snake but does not know where the snake's vital point (seven inches) is, how can one kill the snake?

Let me explain the passage above.

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

The Buddha said that regarding 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)? That is to say, the manas regards the aggregate of form as the self (the manas), while consciousness is what the self (the manas) possesses; or it regards the aggregates of feeling, perception, and volitional formations as the self (the manas), while consciousness is what the self (the manas) possesses. This is called "the aggregate of consciousness is 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 what is called the 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 let this so-called self of the manas 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 can be seen that when the Buddha taught the Āgama sūtras, 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 intended for the manas to eradicate the view of self — the view of self that takes form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness as the self.