Who Is the "I" That Identifies the Body as the Self?

The body is neither I nor mine; I dwell within this body. Once the body perishes, one must seek another body to dwell in. Who is this "I" referred to here? The one who regards the body as "I" and "mine" is the one referred to as "I". First, the tathāgatagarbha certainly does not regard the body as "I" or "mine". It has no intention to utilize the body for doing or not doing anything; it is unmindful in the operation of worldly dharmas. Therefore, this "I" does not refer to the tathāgatagarbha.

Then this "I" refers to the seven consciousnesses. Among them, the five consciousnesses are extremely coarse in thought and lack the notion of "I". The sixth consciousness (mano-vijñāna) possesses the idea and concept of "I", yet it lacks the power to seek a body for rebirth and dwelling. The sixth consciousness is neither continuous upon the body nor does it have mastery over the body; it cannot bear primary responsibility. Therefore, this "I" refers to the seventh consciousness, the manas.

Having something to rely upon and utilize is what the manas is most concerned with and attached to. Taking rebirth and possessing a material body is what the manas cares about and clings to most. The functional activities of the five aggregates are what the manas most desires to grasp. Consequently, the manas's view of "I" is deeply rooted and most obstinate. Once the manas realizes that the material body and the five aggregates are neither "I" nor "mine", its obstinate attachment to the material body and the five aggregates will gradually be exhausted, liberating one from all sufferings within the world of the five aggregates. 

Because the Chinese language lacks sufficient vocabulary, the terminology of the Buddha Dharma cannot be separated from that of the mundane world, resulting in many Dharma principles being inaccurately expressed and causing numerous misunderstandings. For example, the word "true" (zhen 真) is used in both mundane teachings and the Buddha Dharma. What does "true" mean in the mundane context? What does "true" mean in the Buddha Dharma? People fundamentally cannot distinguish them and often confuse them. Especially those who have studied the Mahāyāna tathāgatagarbha teachings, whenever "true" is mentioned, they assume it refers to the true mind like tathāgatagarbha and its true nature. In the mundane world, people also use the term "true mind" (zhenxin 真心) and "true reality" (zhenshi 真实), but these have no connection to tathāgatagarbha. For instance, person A asks person B: "Are you truly sincere in wanting to do this?" "Are you sincerely willing?" "What is your true intention?" "Is this matter real?" "Is this thing genuine?" Not a single sentence relates to tathāgatagarbha. Yet, those studying the tathāgatagarbha section attach everything to tathāgatagarbha. Tathāgatagarbha has no head; how can anything be attached to it?

There is an "I" in the mundane world, and there is also an "I" in the Buddha Dharma. The meanings of these two "I"s differ immensely. However, after studying tathāgatagarbha, one becomes confused and cannot distinguish which "I" is being referred to. Whenever encountering the word "I", one assumes it refers to tathāgatagarbha. Does severing the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi) then mean severing the view of tathāgatagarbha? When it is said "the five aggregates are I", does it mean the five aggregates are tathāgatagarbha? When it is said "the five aggregates are not I", does it necessarily mean the five aggregates are not tathāgatagarbha?