The Reasons for the Inability to Realize Anātman

We know that this material body is not the self, yet we are unable to sever the view of self. Why is this? This is a matter of wisdom. On one hand, the conscious mind lacks the wisdom of selflessness; it does not understand contemplative observation and reflection, does not know how to gather evidence and data, and does not know how to permeate the manas (the seventh consciousness). On the other hand, the power of meditative concentration is insufficient, making it impossible to focus the mind on contemplation, impossible to enable the manas to accept the concepts of the conscious mind. Consequently, the manas cannot concentrate on evaluating the evidence and data collected by the conscious mind, and thus the view of self cannot be severed.

The deeply ingrained notions held by the manas since beginningless time are the most difficult to overturn. Although sometimes the conscious mind clearly knows that the material body is constantly arising and ceasing, impermanent and unreal, and cannot possibly be the self, the manas simply cannot accept this falsity. The sticking point lies precisely here. Most of the time, the evidence provided by the conscious mind is not conclusive. For example, take the proposition that one plus one equals two. We know this proposition is correct, but why one plus one equals two is correct, we do not know. If even the conscious mind does not know, the manas is even less likely to know.

To contemplate the selflessness of the material body through observation, one can approach it from various angles. For instance, if a hand is cut off, contemplate: Is that hand me? No, because the hand is gone, yet I still exist. If the hand were me, then I would be gone. This shows the hand is not me. After the eyes are gouged out, do I not still exist? Then the eyes are not me. If the ears are cut off, I still exist and have not died, so the ears are not me. If the head is cut off, although I die along with it, if I truly ceased to exist, there would be no future self in subsequent lives. This shows the material body is not me either. Was yesterday's me, me? If it was me, then where did yesterday's me go? Condense these questions into a single thought and keep it suspended in your mind. One day, the manas will finally realize: "Ah, so it is like this! The material body and the five aggregates are not me." Then the view of self will be severed.