The So-Called View of Self Is the View of Self of Manas

Saṃyukta Āgama, Volume 5, Sutra 109

How is it that consciousness is seen as identical with the self? It refers to the six consciousness bodies: the eye-consciousness body, the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness body. Seeing each and every one of these six consciousness bodies as the self is called 'consciousness is identical with the self'. How is it that consciousness is seen as different from the self? Seeing form as the self and consciousness as belonging to the self; or seeing feeling, perception, and mental formations as the self and consciousness as belonging to the self—this is called 'consciousness is different from the self'.

First, one must clearly understand this concept of 'I' in order to truly and correctly contemplate and practice the selflessness of the five aggregates and the eighteen elements. If one does not know what the 'I' is, how can one contemplate and practice to sever the view of self? For example, if an army is to prepare and set out to eliminate the enemy, but does not know who or where the enemy is, how can they set out to eliminate the enemy?

Only by clarifying who this 'I' is can one enable this 'I' to sever the view of self. If one does not know who this 'I' is, how can one cause that 'I' to sever the view of self? It is like wanting to strike a snake; if one does not know where the snake's vital spot (seven inches) is, how can one kill the snake?

Explain the above text.

Explanation: How is it considered that consciousness is the self? Consciousness is the so-called six consciousness bodies—eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, and mind-consciousness body. Who sees these six consciousness bodies as the self? Naturally, it is the seventh consciousness, the mind faculty (manas). It is the mind faculty that regards the six consciousness bodies as the self (oneself).

The Buddha said that regarding these six consciousness bodies, seeing the six consciousness bodies as the self (oneself), considering the six consciousness bodies to be the self (oneself)—the one who holds this view and perspective is the mind faculty. This is called 'consciousness is identical with the self (oneself)'.

What is meant by seeing the six consciousness bodies as different from the self (oneself)? That is to say, the mind faculty considers the aggregate of form to be the self (the mind faculty), while the aggregate of consciousness belongs to the self (the mind faculty); or it considers the aggregates of feeling, perception, and mental formations to be the self (the mind faculty), while the aggregate of consciousness belongs to the self (the mind faculty). This is called 'the aggregate of consciousness is different from the self (the mind faculty)'.

In this small passage, the Buddha is indeed stating that the 'I' is the mind faculty, and the mind faculty is the so-called 'I'. The mind faculty regards form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness as itself, or as its own functions and effects. Therefore, to sever the view of self, one should enable this so-called mind faculty 'I' to sever the view of self. As long as the mind faculty no longer regards form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness as the self or as belonging to the self, the view of self is severed.

Thus it is evident that when the Buddha taught the Āgamas, he did not fail to speak of the mind faculty; he did not fail to say that the mind faculty is the 'I'. From beginning to end, the Buddha intended for the mind faculty to eradicate the view of self, to eradicate the view that form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are the self.