Saṃyukta Āgama, Volume 5 (109)

How is it that consciousness is regarded as the self? It refers to the six consciousness aggregates—the eye-consciousness, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind-consciousness aggregates. To regard each of these six consciousness aggregates as the self is called "consciousness being the self." How is it that consciousness is regarded as different from the self? It is to regard form as the self while consciousness is what belongs to the self; or to regard feeling, perception, and mental formations as the self while consciousness is what belongs to the self. This is called "consciousness being different from the self."

First, one must clarify the concept of "self" before one can correctly contemplate and practice the selflessness of the five aggregates and eighteen elements. If one does not know what the self is, how can one contemplate to sever the view of self? For example, if an army is to prepare to set out and eliminate the enemy, how can it set out to eliminate the enemy without knowing who or where the enemy is?

Only by clarifying who the self is can this self sever the view of self. If one does not know who the self is, how can that self sever the view of self? It is like trying to strike a snake without knowing where its vital spot is—how can the snake be killed?

An explanation of the above text.

Explanation: How does one regard consciousness as the self? Consciousness refers to the six consciousness aggregates—eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, and mind-consciousness. Who regards these six consciousness aggregates as the self? Naturally, it is the seventh consciousness, the manas (mental faculty). It is the manas that takes the six consciousness aggregates as the self.

The Buddha stated that regarding these six consciousness aggregates as the self, considering the six consciousness aggregates to be the self—the one holding this view is the manas. This is called "consciousness being the self."

What does it mean to regard the six consciousness aggregates as different from the self? It means the manas regards the aggregate of form as the self (the manas itself), while the aggregate of consciousness belongs to the self; or it regards the aggregates of feeling, perception, and mental formations as the self (the manas itself), while the aggregate of consciousness belongs to the self. This is called "the aggregate of consciousness being different from the self."

In this small passage, the Buddha is indeed stating that the self is the manas, and the manas is what is called the self. The manas takes the aggregates of form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness as itself or as its own functions. Therefore, to sever the view of self, this so-called manas-self must sever the view of self. As long as the manas no longer takes the aggregates of form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness as the self or as belonging to the self, the view of self is severed.

It is evident that when the Buddha taught the Agama sutras, he did not omit the manas, nor did he fail to state that the manas is the self. From beginning to end, the Buddha intended for the manas to sever the view of self—the view that takes the aggregates of form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness as the self.