The View of Self as Expounded in the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra

Original Text: Mahamati, the view of self is of two kinds: that which is innate and that which arises from false thinking. Such as false thinking based on dependent arising and false thinking based on inherent nature.

Explanation: In the Lankavatara Sutra, the Buddha states that the view of self is of two kinds. One is the innate view of self, which is the view of self inherent in the five aggregates from birth, meaning the view of self held by the manas; this needs to be eradicated. The other is the view of self arising from false thinking. "False" means unreal, not true, not genuine; "thinking" refers to discrimination and grasping at appearances, grasping them as real, grasping them as self and what belongs to self. Therefore, when false thinking occurs, the view of self also arises, and this view of self from false thinking also needs to be eradicated.

False thinking is of many kinds, such as false thinking based on dependent arising. This is failing to regard dharmas born from various causes and conditions as they truly are, instead falsely grasping them as self and what belongs to self, unaware that these dharmas are all born from causes and conditions, all unreal, impermanent, subject to birth and cessation, mutable, and suffering, and are not self or what belongs to self. False thinking based on dependent arising involves not only the false thinking of the consciousness but even more so the false thinking of the manas. The false thinking of both must be eradicated; one must cease falsely thinking that dependently arisen dharmas are self and what belongs to self, for they are fundamentally not.

False thinking based on inherent nature is believing that all dharmas possess an inherent nature, are real, can be relied upon, and can be depended on, and thus grasping them as self and what belongs to self. This kind of false thinking involves both the false thinking of the consciousness and, more importantly, the false thinking of the manas. The false thinking of both must be eradicated for one to be a destroyer of the view of self. Among the various kinds of false thinking, that of the manas is primary, while that of the consciousness is secondary.

Original Text: For example, based on the inherent nature of dependent arising, various kinds of false thinking grasping at inherent nature arise. Because they are neither existent nor non-existent, neither both nor neither, lacking the mark of real false thinking, the foolish common people generate false thinking. Through various kinds of false thinking, they grasp at the marks of inherent nature, like the perception of water by a thirsty deer in the heat-illusion. This is the view of self arising from the false thinking of the Srotapanna. They, through the realization of the non-self of persons, embrace the absence of inherent nature and eradicate the long-standing ignorant grasping.

Explanation: For example, based on the inherent nature of dependent arising, after grasping at dependently arisen dharmas as having inherent nature, various kinds of false thinking arise, universally discriminating and grasping at dependently arisen dharmas, falsely thinking they are non-existent, or non-non-existent, neither existent nor non-existent, or both existent and non-existent. Because these thoughts are all unreal, illusory appearances of false thinking, they are the false thinking of foolish common beings. Foolish common beings generate various kinds of false thinking towards dependently arisen dharmas, grasping at the inherent reality of dependently arisen dharmas, grasping all their appearances as real, as self and what belongs to self.

It is like the illusory mirage water appearing on hot sand, which a thirsty deer falsely perceives as real, drinkable water. Common beings are like the thirsty deer, regarding the unreal, illusory five aggregates body as real self and what belongs to self, and continuously grasping at it, clinging to life and craving rebirth. The Srotapanna, who has eradicated the view of self, truly contemplates that the five aggregates body is devoid of self and what belongs to self, truly perceives that the five aggregates body lacks inherent nature, and eradicates their own beginningless grasping born of ignorance towards the five aggregates body.

The view of self arising from false thinking mentioned above is still primarily the view of self held by the manas, with the view of self held by the consciousness being secondary. This is because the text repeatedly speaks of "various kinds of false thinking grasping at inherent nature," "grasping at the marks of inherent nature," and "long-standing ignorant grasping." These all refer to the view of self arising from false thinking of the manas; it is from the false thinking view of self of the manas that the false thinking view of self of the consciousness arises. The false thinking view of self of the consciousness is not long-standing; it lasts only for one lifetime and then ceases. The manas does not cease, causing the consciousness of the next life to still give rise to the false thinking view of self. Therefore, if practice does not properly address the deeply rooted problem of the manas, the cultivation is merely superficial, will regenerate, and efforts will be wasted.