The View of Self in Manas

The mental faculty (manas) is one of the six sense faculties and one of the eighteen elements (dhātus). The five aggregates (skandhas) and the eighteen elements have a one-to-one correspondence. When "I, I, and I" are emphasized, the "I" of the mental faculty arises. What the six consciousnesses manifest are the mental activities of the mental faculty's "I," reflecting the mental nature of the mental faculty. Those skilled in observing others' psychology can perceive the essential mental activities of a person's mental faculty, while those unskilled can only observe the superficial, artificial appearances created by the six consciousnesses, becoming deluded by these false appearances. It now seems that failing to distinguish between the mental faculty (manas) and the mental consciousness (mano-vijñāna) indeed makes it difficult to eradicate the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi).

When contemplating the six sense faculties, one can contemplate the mental faculty. It is the root from which mental consciousness arises and is also the sovereign consciousness. By contemplating the constant variability, instability, non-autonomy, and perishable nature of this sovereign consciousness, one realizes that the mental faculty cannot exist forever. Its mental activities are constantly changing, impermanent (anitya), and therefore also not the self.

Confirming that the functions of mental consciousness are not the self begins with mental consciousness confirming it. Then, through deep and subtle contemplation in meditative concentration (dhyāna), the mental faculty contemplates mental consciousness, followed by pondering and investigating. Finally, the mental faculty also confirms that the functions of mental consciousness are not the self, are non-self.

There is also the "I" of the mental faculty, which acts as the sovereign constantly and everywhere. One must also confirm its falsity and selflessness (anātman), that it is empty (śūnya) and impermanent. The mental faculty, which is the basis for the arising of mental consciousness, is also non-self. Mental consciousness confirms this first, and finally the mental faculty confirms it. Before this, one must contemplate and confirm the functions of the five sense consciousnesses as arising and ceasing, impermanent, and not-self. In this way, the view of self (ātma-dṛṣṭi) and the view of mine (ātmiya-dṛṣṭi) regarding these several consciousnesses are eradicated. The view of mine is also not easy to eradicate.

The contemplation and confirmation of all these dharmas is primarily for the mental faculty to confirm, and secondarily for mental consciousness to confirm. This is because it is the mental faculty that takes all dharmas as the self, which then directs the six consciousnesses to grasp (upādāna). After grasping, the mental faculty takes the grasping function of the six consciousnesses as its own function, thinking "I am like this" or "I did that." This "I" then appears, becomes present, clearly visible.

Since beginningless time (anādi-kālika), the mental faculty has always taken the five aggregates as the self. It takes the aggregate of form (rūpa-skandha) as the self, saying the body is the self (view of the body as self), or as "my" body (the mine). It then becomes attached to the form body, nurtures it, protects it, and drives the six consciousnesses to create all karmic actions (karma), including unwholesome actions, at any cost for the sake of the form body.

The mental faculty takes the aggregate of feeling (vedanā-skandha) as the self, sometimes as the mine, considering feeling to be the self, the self to be feeling, feeling to be what it possesses, or that it has the function of feeling. Thus, for the sake of feeling, it directs the six consciousnesses to create all karmic actions, including unwholesome actions, at any cost.

The mental faculty takes the aggregate of perception (saṃjñā-skandha) as the self, or as the mine, considering perception to be the self, the self to be perception, that it possesses perception, that it has the function of perception, that the function of perception belongs to it. "I can perceive," and "what is perceived is mine." It then directs and manipulates the six consciousnesses to create all karmic actions, including unwholesome actions, at any cost.

The mental faculty takes the aggregate of mental formations (saṃskāra-skandha) as the self, or as the mine, considering mental formations to be the self, the self to be mental formations, that mental formations are what it possesses, that it has mental formations. "I can act," and "what I act upon is mine." Thus, for the sake of mental formations, it directs and manipulates the six consciousnesses to create all karmic actions, including unwholesome actions, at any cost.

The mental faculty takes the aggregate of consciousness (vijñāna-skandha) as the self, or as the mine, considering consciousness to be the self, the self to be consciousness, that consciousness is what it possesses, that it has consciousness. "I can cognize," and "what is cognized is mine." Thus, for the sake of consciousness, it creates all karmic actions, including unwholesome actions, at any cost.