The View of Self as Expounded in the Āgama Sūtras

Taking the functions of the six consciousnesses as one's own functions is the view of self. Grasping the seeing of the six consciousnesses as one's own seeing is the view of self. Taking the information acquired by the six consciousnesses at the six sense doors as discriminated by oneself is the view of self. Taking the feelings experienced by the six consciousnesses at the six sense bases as one's own feelings is the view of self. Taking the thoughts and concepts of the six consciousnesses regarding the six dusts as one's own is the view of self. Taking the bodily, verbal, and mental actions created by the six consciousnesses as created by oneself is the view of self. Who is this 'I'? It is solely the mental faculty.

The view of self spoken of by the Buddha in the Āgama sūtras is the view of the mental faculty. Severing the view of self means causing the mental faculty to sever the view of self. So, did the Buddha mention the mental faculty in the Āgama sūtras? Of course, it is pointed to everywhere.

The view of self of the mental faculty is essentially the view of self in phenomena, taking all dharmas as self and what belongs to self, not knowing they are all of the eighth consciousness. This includes the mental faculty's view of self regarding the five aggregates, which is taking the five aggregates as self and what belongs to self.

The mental faculty has self-attachment and attachment to self in phenomena; correspondingly, there is the view of self and the view of self in phenomena. Actually, the view of self in phenomena includes the view of self regarding the five aggregates. The mental faculty only has the view of self in phenomena, taking all dharmas as self and what belongs to self. Therefore, the mental faculty's attachment to self in phenomena includes self-attachment. The mental faculty only has attachment to self in phenomena, clinging to all dharmas as self and what belongs to self. When the view of self in phenomena and attachment to self in phenomena are completely severed, ignorance is completely severed, and one becomes a Buddha. Cultivation is nothing but this matter, yet it takes as long as three great asaṃkhyeya kalpas. If one can resolve fiercely, leaving none of what should be eradicated, leaving none of what should be severed, then it would not require three great asaṃkhyeya kalpas, and suffering would be much, much less.

The mental faculty has the view of self due to the ignorance within one's own mind. Studying Buddhism and cultivating is precisely to dispel this ignorance of the mental faculty, to let it know that all dharmas are not of the mental faculty itself, but are all of the eighth consciousness, including the five aggregates and the eighteen elements. Thus, the mental faculty will gradually sever self-attachment and attachment to self in phenomena. When ignorance is completely severed, the Buddha Way is attained.

The ignorance of sentient beings is entirely the ignorance of the mental faculty. The ignorance of the six consciousnesses arises from the ignorance of the mental faculty and is tainted by the ignorance of the mental faculty. When the mental faculty is free from ignorance, there is no view of self or self-attachment, nor is there the view of self in phenomena or attachment to self in phenomena. The entire small, false self is the mental faculty, corresponding to the great true self, the eighth consciousness. These two combine to manifest all dharmas in the world; one is willful and possesses self-nature, the other is compliant and selfless. Cultivation means cultivating the mental faculty; there is nothing else to cultivate. All dharmas serve it.

Understanding this principle, one will understand the origin and course of all dharmas in the world, understand why and how to cultivate the Buddha Way. The mind will then be clear and bright, without obstruction.

If anyone has a fierce resolve, they can form a dare-to-die team, mutually supervising and cooperating, to let all sense of self die. What use is the 'I'? The root of birth and death, with the 'I', one cannot attain great freedom or great liberation. The entire process of cultivation and realization in the Buddha Dharma is also the process of seeing through and letting go. Seeing through is already extremely difficult; letting go is even harder. Letting go completely means becoming a Buddha.