The Manas and the Five Aggregates: The Composition of the Self

After consciousness ceases, what remains is the self that sentient beings perceive. This self is the true root of the cycle of birth and death, replete with all ignorance and all afflictions. Due to this self, there arise the suffering, retribution, and painful experiences throughout countless kalpas in future lives, as well as all good and evil karmic actions, karmic seeds, and various causes, conditions, and effects.

Whatever this self is like, I am like that. If this self has no ignorance, then I have no ignorance. If this self has no afflictions, then I have no afflictions. If I take rebirth with a self free from ignorance, I am a Buddha. If I take rebirth with a self free from afflictions, I am an Arhat or a bodhisattva on the bhumi paths. If I take rebirth with a self replete with all afflictions, I am a complete ordinary being. If I take rebirth with a self in which wholesome dharmas predominate, I am a virtuous person.

Whatever the original state of this self is, I am like that. May this self be free from all afflictions, thus saving many kalpas of cultivation time. May this self have more good and less evil, so that I may receive more good retribution and less evil retribution. I do not wish for this self to lack wholesome dharmas or to be incompatible with wholesome dharmas; I hope this self is endowed with all wholesome dharmas.

I hope this self has no self-view. I hope this self has no self-attachment. I hope this self has no self-conceit. I hope this self has no greed, hatred, or delusion. I hope this self does not consider itself always right. I hope this self eradicates all ignorance. I hope this self is endowed with all wholesome dharmas. I hope this self is replete with merit and virtue. I hope this self possesses vast wisdom. I hope this self completely transforms consciousness into wisdom. I hope this self is utterly selfless. I hope this self is endowed with compassion, loving-kindness, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. I hope this self has vast vows. I hope this self has compassion for all beings, forsaking none. I hope this self is endowed with immeasurable virtues and abilities. I hope this self becomes the refuge for all sentient beings.

In summary, I wish this self to be as I hope: to eradicate all evils and perfect all virtues.