The Self-View of the Manas

The manas is one of the six faculties and one of the eighteen elements (dhātus); the five aggregates and the eighteen elements correspond to each other one by one. When "I, I, I" arises, the "I" of the manas pops its head out; whatever the six consciousnesses manifest are the mental actions of the manas's "me," and what they embody is the mental nature of the manas. A person skilled at observing others' psychology can observe the essential mental actions of another's manas, whereas one who cannot observe people can only observe the false appearances of the six consciousnesses' outward contrivance, and is thus deluded by those false appearances. Seen in this light, if one cannot distinguish the manas from the mind consciousness, it is truly difficult to eliminate the self-view.

When contemplating the six faculties, one can contemplate the manas: it is the faculty that gives rise to the mind consciousness, and it is also the consciousness that decides and governs. As long as one contemplates the constant variability, unfixedness, lack of self-mastery (avaśatā), and perishability of this deciding consciousness, one will know that the manas cannot exist forever; its mental actions are constantly changing and are therefore impermanent, and thus it is also not the self.

To confirm that the functions and roles of the mind consciousness are not the self, first the mind consciousness itself confirms it; then, through deep and subtle contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) in meditation, the manas deliberates and investigates the mind consciousness's contemplation, and finally the manas also confirms that the functions and roles of the mind consciousness are not the self and are non-self.

There is also the manas-self that decides and governs at every moment and in every place; one must also confirm that it is false and without self, that it is empty and impermanent. The manas, upon which the mind consciousness depends to arise, is also non-self: first the mind consciousness confirms it, and finally the manas confirms it. Before this, one must contemplate and confirm that the functions and roles of the five sense consciousnesses are subject to arising and ceasing, impermanent, and without self. In this way, the self-view and the view of what belongs to self (ātma-mamakāra-dṛṣṭi) regarding these several consciousness-minds are eliminated. The view of what belongs to self is also not easy to eliminate.

The contemplation and confirmation of all these dharmas are primarily for the manas to confirm, and only secondarily for the mind consciousness to confirm. Because it is the manas that takes all dharmas as the self and then directs the six consciousnesses to grasp (upādāna), after grasping, the manas takes the six consciousnesses' grasping function as its own function, thinking "I am thus and so." Then this "I" appears and manifests, plainly and conspicuously.

From beginningless kalpas, the manas has always taken the five aggregates as the self. Taking the aggregate of form (rūpa) as the self, it says the body is me (the self-view regarding the body), or "my body" (what belongs to self); then it craves and cherishes the physical body, maintains it, and protects it, and for the sake of the body it drives the six consciousnesses to create all kinds of karmic actions at any cost, including unwholesome karmic actions.

The manas takes the aggregate of feeling (vedanā) as the self, and sometimes as what belongs to self, believing that feeling is me, that I am feeling, that feeling belongs to me, and that I possess the functions of feeling. Thus, for the sake of feeling, it directs the six consciousnesses to create all kinds of karmic actions at any cost, including unwholesome karmic actions.

The manas takes the aggregate of perception (saṃjñā) as the self, or as what belongs to self, believing that perception is me, that I am perception, that I possess the functions of perception, and that the functions of perception are mine. "I can perceive, and the dharmas perceived are mine." Thus it directs and manipulates the six consciousnesses to create all kinds of karmic actions at any cost, including unwholesome karmic actions.

The manas takes the aggregate of formations (saṃskāra) as the self, or as what belongs to self, believing that formations are me, that I am formations, that formations belong to me, and that I possess formations. "I can act, and what I do is my possession." Thus, for the sake of formations, it directs and manipulates the six consciousnesses to create all kinds of karmic actions at any cost, including unwholesome karmic actions.

The manas takes the aggregate of consciousness (vijñāna) as the self, or as what belongs to self, believing that consciousness is me, that I am consciousness, that consciousness belongs to me, and that I possess consciousness. "I can discern, and what is discerned is my possession." Thus, for the sake of consciousness, it creates all kinds of karmic actions at any cost, including unwholesome karmic actions.