The Difference Between Innate Self-View and Self-Conceit

Some people fail to understand the distinction between conceit (asmi-māna) and the innate view of self (sahaja-satkāya-dṛṣṭi), mistaking conceit for the innate view of self. They claim that the innate view of self is severed only at the fourth fruition (arhatship). This misunderstanding is extremely serious, preventing genuine severance of the view of self. The innate view of self is the view of self pertaining to the mental faculty (manas). It is one of the two types of views of self and must be severed at the first fruition (Sotāpanna). If it is not severed, one is not a first fruition practitioner, not one who has severed the view of self. Conceit is the heaviest affliction of the mental faculty, belonging to the innate clinging to self (sahaja-ātma-grāha) of the mental faculty, not to the innate view of self. Innate clinging to self can only be severed at the fourth fruition; hence, only fourth fruition Arhats are free from the manifest affliction of conceit.

Conceit and innate clinging to self exist dependent upon the view of self. Only after the view of self is severed can conceit and innate clinging to self gradually diminish and ultimately be eradicated. When the view of self is completely eradicated, conceit ceases to exist. Therefore, the innate view of self and conceit cannot be equated; their concepts must not be confused.

The subconscious sense of "I," present without need for thought, analysis, or comparison, is conceit. It is the cognition of the mental faculty, like something ingrained in the marrow. The conceit of the mental faculty is difficult to detect and even harder to uproot, encompassing inferiority complex (māna), arrogance (atimāna), and overestimation (mānātimāna). As long as there is a sense of "I" in the mind, conceit is inevitably present. Everyone knows there is an "I," whether through self-importance or self-abasement; both are based on the view of self and are extremely difficult to sever, being deeply entrenched. For example, when an infant, upon seeing someone wanting to hold them, turns their head away unhappily, this is the innate conceit present from birth, accompanying the mental faculty. It exists without conscious comparison, regardless of whether consciousness (mano-vijñāna) is present; the mental faculty inherently possesses both the innate view of self and innate conceit. Those who enjoy showing off or standing out have strong conceit. Those who become displeased when their faults are pointed out exhibit conceit. Those who always consider themselves quite good possess conceit. The tendency to compare oneself with others is a manifestation of conceit. Any form of self-cognition is conceit.

The innate view of self of the mental faculty is a deeply ingrained view that regards the five aggregates (pañca-skandha) as the self. This mentality is subtle and difficult to perceive, very concealed. Therefore, many people, unable to subdue and sever the innate view of self, claim that merely severing the discriminative view of self of the conscious mind (mano-vijñāna) constitutes severing the view of self and attaining the first fruition. However, if the innate view of self of the mental faculty remains unsevered, even if the discriminative view of self of the conscious mind is genuinely severed, the view of self will continuously re-arise dependent on the mental faculty. It will arise anytime, anywhere, without conscious awareness, causing great trouble. Because the innate view of self is not the view of self of the conscious mind, it is not a mere feeling. Feelings are relatively superficial; they are the perception of the conscious mind, constituting the discriminative view of self of consciousness. They exist through discrimination and cease without discrimination, making them easier to detect and subdue than the view of self of the mental faculty. Yet, even after being subdued, they reappear and cannot be fully severed. This is because the conscious mind, whose proximate condition (samanantara-pratyaya) is the mental faculty, depends on the mental faculty's unsevered view of self. How could consciousness, revolving according to the mental faculty, truly sever the view of self? Consequently, the view of self inevitably arises anytime, anywhere, necessitating constant suppression. Often, suppression is fundamentally impossible. At the time of death, one will naturally continue to revolve in the ocean of birth, death, and suffering, following the innate view of self and afflictions of the mental faculty, inevitably falling into the three lower realms.

First fruition practitioners (Sotāpanna) who have severed the three fetters (trīṇi saṃyojanāni) still possess conceit. Even second fruition practitioners (Sakṛdāgāmin), whose greed, hatred, and delusion have weakened, still retain the mental factor (caitta) of conceit. It is only at the third fruition (Anāgāmin) that conceit is subdued or partially severed, but not yet eradicated completely. Only upon complete eradication does one attain the fourth fruition (Arhat). The innate clinging to self of the mental faculty is harder to sever than the innate view of self. In terms of sequence: first, sever the innate view of self and the discriminative view of self to attain the first fruition; next, further deepen the contemplative observation (vipassanā) of both types of views of self, weakening greed, hatred, and delusion to attain the second fruition; then, further deepen the contemplative observation of both types of views of self, cultivate the first dhyāna (meditative absorption), and sever afflictions to attain the third fruition. When the innate view of self of the mental faculty is utterly eradicated, the innate clinging to self is also utterly eradicated. Conceit vanishes completely, and one attains the fourth fruition of Arhatship.