The Mahāyāna and Śrāvakayāna Implications of Saṃskāra Being Neither the Self nor Different from the Self nor Inherently Existing

What is meant by regarding volitional formations as the self? It refers to the six volitional bodies—volition arising from eye-contact, volition arising from ear-contact, volition arising from nose-contact, volition arising from tongue-contact, volition arising from body-contact, and volition arising from mind-contact. Regarding each of these six volitional bodies as the self is called "volitional formations being the self." What is meant by regarding volitional formations as different from the self? It means regarding material form as the self, while volitional formations are what is possessed by the self. Regarding feeling, perception, and consciousness as the self, while volitional formations are what is possessed by the self—this is called "volitional formations being different from the self."

What is meant by regarding volitional formations as existing within the self? It means regarding material form as the self, with volitional formations abiding within it. Regarding feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness as the self, with volitional formations abiding within them—this is called "volitional formations within the self." What is meant by regarding the self as existing within volitional formations? It means regarding material form as the self, abiding within volitional formations, pervading the entire body. Regarding feeling, perception, and consciousness as the self, abiding within volitional formations, pervading the entire body—this is called "the self within volitional formations."

Explanation: How is it to regard the volitional formation aggregate as the self? The volitional formation aggregate refers to the six volitional bodies: when the eye faculty contacts visual objects, eye consciousness arises with volition; when the ear faculty contacts sounds, ear consciousness arises with volition; when the nose faculty contacts odors, nose consciousness arises with volition; when the tongue faculty contacts flavors, tongue consciousness arises with volition; when the body faculty contacts tangible objects, body consciousness arises with volition; when the mental faculty contacts mental objects, mental consciousness arises with volition. The mental faculty regards these six volitional bodies as the self, considering itself (the mental faculty) to be these six volitional bodies. This is called "volitional formations being the self" (the mental faculty).

In reality, volitional formations are not the self; the six volitional bodies are not the self. When one realizes that the six volitional bodies are not the self, the view that the six volitional bodies are the self is eradicated. Thereafter, the mental faculty no longer regards the six volitional bodies as the self. It no longer considers the volitional formation of eye consciousness perceiving forms (arising from eye faculty contacting visual objects) to be the self (mental faculty). It no longer considers the volitional formation of ear consciousness hearing sounds (arising from ear faculty contacting sounds) to be the self (mental faculty). It no longer considers the volitional formation arising from nose faculty contacting odors to be the self (mental faculty). It no longer considers the volitional formation of tongue consciousness tasting flavors (arising from tongue faculty contacting flavors) to be the self (mental faculty). It no longer considers the volitional formation of body consciousness sensing contact (arising from body faculty contacting tangible objects) to be the self (mental faculty). It no longer considers the volitional formation of mental consciousness cognizing dharmas (arising from mental faculty contacting mental objects) to be the self (mental faculty). The mental faculty no longer regards these functions and activities as the self; the five aggregates lack a self. When mental consciousness contemplates and investigates the six faculties, mental consciousness and the mental faculty will realize that the mental faculty is also not the self—it is also impermanent, subject to arising and ceasing, change and variation, empty and suffering. Only then does the mental faculty truly eradicate the view of self, eliminating the self of the five aggregates and seven consciousnesses. From the perspective of the Hinayana path, there is no self.

However, from the Mahayana perspective, there remains the true self, the eighth consciousness, which cannot be eradicated and exists eternally without perishing—that is the true self. Nevertheless, during actual contemplation practice, this is realized when practicing Mahayana meditation and attaining the eighth consciousness. For example, the Heart Sutra specifically describes that upon realizing the eighth consciousness, one clearly perceives that the five aggregates are all empty (the eighth consciousness), form is not different from emptiness (the eighth consciousness), emptiness (the eighth consciousness) is not different from form, and so on. This is the profound state of wisdom attained after breakthrough (破参) from the Mahayana perspective; shallow realization cannot observe this.

How is it to regard volitional formations as different from the self? It means the mental faculty regards the material aggregate as the self (mental faculty), then the volitional formation aggregate is what is possessed by the self (mental faculty). If the mental faculty regards the feeling aggregate, perception aggregate, and consciousness aggregate as the self, it will regard the volitional formation aggregate as what is possessed by the self. This is called "volitional formations being different from the self" (mental faculty).

In reality, volitional formations are not different from the self (mental faculty). The volitional formation aggregate is not possessed by the self (mental faculty). The functions and activities of the volitional formation aggregate are not the self; they are impermanent, subject to arising and ceasing, change and variation, empty, suffering, and ungraspable. Therefore, the mental faculty eradicates the view of self regarding volitional formations being the self or different from the self.

This is explained from the perspective of Hinayana contemplation practice. From the Mahayana perspective, after a bodhisattva practices meditation and attains the eighth consciousness, they will observe that the five aggregates are not different from the eighth consciousness. The five aggregates as a whole are all born from the eighth consciousness, belong to the eighth consciousness, and are the functional activities of the eighth consciousness, maintaining a relationship of neither identity nor difference with the eighth consciousness. This cannot be realized during the Hinayana stage of practice.

What is meant by regarding volitional formations as existing within the self (mental faculty)? It means the mental faculty regards the material aggregate as the self, and the volitional formation aggregate abides within the material aggregate. The mental faculty regards the feeling aggregate, perception aggregate, and consciousness aggregate as the self, and the volitional formation aggregate abides within the feeling aggregate, perception aggregate, and consciousness aggregate. This refers to volitional formations being within the self.

In reality, the self does not exist within volitional formations because the self of the material aggregate, feeling aggregate, perception aggregate, and consciousness aggregate are all subject to arising and ceasing—they are not the self. The volitional formation aggregate is also subject to arising and ceasing; it is not possessed by the self. There is no self, nor anything belonging to a self. This is explained from the perspective and result of Hinayana contemplation practice. If explained from the perspective and result of Mahayana prajñā (wisdom) contemplation, the volitional formation aggregate does not abide within the eighth consciousness because the eighth consciousness is formless and without characteristics, while volitional formations are empty; the two cannot abide within each other.

What is meant by the self existing within volitional formations? It means the mental faculty regards the material aggregate as the self, the material aggregate abides within the volitional formation aggregate, the self abides within the volitional formation aggregate, and the volitional formation aggregate pervades the entire body. The mental faculty regards the feeling, perception, and consciousness aggregates as the self, the feeling, perception, and consciousness aggregates abide within the volitional formation aggregate, the self abides within the volitional formation aggregate, and the self pervades the entire body. This is called "the self existing within volitional formations."

In reality, there is no self within volitional formations because volitional formations are empty and subject to arising and ceasing, and the material, feeling, perception, and consciousness aggregates are also empty and subject to arising and ceasing. Emptiness is non-existence; nothing exists within non-existence. Therefore, the self and volitional formations do not abide within each other.

This is explained purely from the perspective of Hinayana contemplation practice. From the perspective and result of Mahayana contemplation practice, the eighth consciousness and volitional formations also cannot abide within each other because the eighth consciousness is formless and without characteristics, while volitional formations are empty; the two cannot abide within each other.