The so-called self-view is the self-view of the manas

Saṃyukta Āgama, Volume 5, Sutra 109

What does it mean to see that consciousness is the self? It refers to the six consciousness-bodies — eye consciousness, and the consciousness-bodies of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. Seeing each one of these six consciousness-bodies as the self is called "consciousness is the self." What does it mean to see consciousness as different from the self? It means seeing form as the self and consciousness as what belongs to the self; or seeing feeling, perception, and formations as the self and consciousness as what belongs to the self — this is called "consciousness is different from the self."

First of all, one must clarify the concept of "self" before one can contemplate, in accordance with reality and principle, that the five aggregates and eighteen realms are without self. If one does not know what the self is, how can one engage in contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) to eliminate the self-view (ātma-dṛṣṭi)? For example, when an army is to gear up and set out to destroy the enemy, if it does not know who the enemy is or where the enemy is, how can it set out to destroy the enemy?

Only when one has clarified who the self is can one enable this self to eliminate the self-view. If one does not know who the self is, how can one enable that self to eliminate the self-view? It is just like striking a snake: if one does not know where the snake's vital point is, how can one strike the snake dead?

Let me explain the passage above.

Explanation: How is it that consciousness is taken to be the self? Consciousness refers to the so-called six consciousness-bodies — eye consciousness, ear consciousness, nose consciousness, tongue consciousness, body consciousness, and the mind consciousness-body. Who is it that sees these six consciousness-bodies as the self? It is of course the seventh consciousness, the manas. It is the manas that takes the six consciousness-bodies to be the self (itself).

The Buddha said that with regard to these six consciousness-bodies, one sees the six consciousness-bodies as the self (oneself), and takes the six consciousness-bodies to be the self (oneself). The one who holds this view and perspective is the manas; this is called "consciousness is the self (oneself)."

What does it mean to see the six consciousness-bodies as different from the self (oneself)? It means that the manas takes the aggregate of form to be the self (the manas), and the aggregate of consciousness to be what the self (the manas) possesses; or it takes the aggregates of feeling, perception, and formations to be the self (the manas), and the aggregate of consciousness to be what the self (the manas) possesses. This is called "the aggregate of consciousness is different from the self (the manas)."

In this short passage, the Buddha is indeed saying that the self is the manas, and the manas is the so-called self. The manas takes form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as itself, or as its own functions and operations. Therefore, to eliminate the self-view, one should enable this so-called self, the manas, to eliminate the self-view. As long as the manas no longer takes form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as the self and as belonging to the self, the self-view is eliminated.

It is thus evident that when the Buddha taught the Āgamas, he did not refrain from teaching about the manas, nor did he fail to say that the manas is the self. From beginning to end, the Buddha's intent was precisely to enable the manas to eliminate the self-view — the self-view that takes form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as the self.