SIGNIFICANCE OF CONCEIT (MĀNA)
Conceit (māna)
The literal meaning of the Pali word “Māna” is measuring, but generally, it refers to conceit, self-pride or arrogance. It is one’s tendency to arrive at valued judgments about oneself by comparing with others. In the Buddha’s higher teaching (Abhidhamma), conceit has been described as one of the fourteen unwholesome mental factors (akusala cetasika) as they are associated with one or more of the three unwholesome roots of greed (lobha), hatred (dosa) and delusion (moha). The fourteen unwholesome mental factors (Kilesa) are:
1. Delusion (moha)
2. shamelessness of wrongdoing (ahirika)
3. fearlessness of wrongdoing (anotappa)
4. restlessness (uddacca)
5. greed (lobha)
6. wrong view (Micchādiṭṭhi)
7. conceit (mana)
8. ill-will (dosa)
9. envy (issa)
10. avarice (macchariya)
11. worry (kukkucca)
12. sloth (thīna)
13. torpor (middha)
14. doubt (vicikiccā)
In the Anusaya sutta of the Anguttara Nikāya (collection of the Buddha’s numerical discourses), the Buddha has described a group of mental defilements called the latent tendencies (anusaya) as they tend to remain dormant in the mind life after life until they are completely eradicated by attaining the state of Nibbāna. The Buddha named conceit as one of the seven latent tendencies:
1. Latent tendency of desire for sense pleasures (kāmarāganusaya)
2. Latent tendency of aversion (patighanusaya)
3. Latent tendency of conceit (mānanusaya)
4. Latent tendency of wrong view (ditthanusaya)
5. Latent tendency of doubt (vicikiccānusaya)
6. Latent tendency of desire for existence (bhava-rāganusaya)
7. Latent tendency of ignorance (avijjānusaya)
Conceit (māna), along with the two mental defilements of craving (tanhā) and wrong view (ditthi), is responsible for the development of a self-identification view in an unenlightened person.
Craving, conceit and wrong views lead us to develop that false identification as follows:
1 .“This is mine” is due to craving (tanhā)
2. “This I am” is due to conceit (māna)
3. “This is me” is due to the wrong view (Micchādiṭṭhi)
Identification with a self has been described as responsible for the development of mental defilements such as egoism, attachment, selfishness, ill-will, hatred etc. These mental defilements can lead one to engage in unwholesome and unskilful behaviour which can result in suffering to oneself as well as others. Unwholesome and immoral actions performed due to the self-identification view will lead one to inevitable rebirth in the four planes of suffering: the plane of immense suffering (niraya), the plane of animals (tiracchāna yoni), the plane of hungry ghosts (peta loka) and the plane of demons and titans (asura loka).
When one reflects on the word conceit in general, one may think that through conceit one is always likely to consider oneself superior or more important than others. However according to Buddhist teaching, the feeling of equality as well as inferiority in comparison to others can also be manifestations of the defilement of conceit.
In the Vattha sutta of the Majjhima Nikāya, the Buddha has described sixteen unwholesome qualities that can defile the mind. The Buddha described conceit (māna) and arrogance (athimāna) as two of those sixteen unwholesome qualities which can lead to a bad destiny.
There are so many factors based on which one is likely to develop conceit comparing oneself with others. One can develop conceit based on: one’s race, one’s country, one’s nationality, one’s religion, one’s birth, one’s family name, one’s good health, one’s youth, one’s age, one’s honour and respect, one’s politeness and respect for others, one’s followers, one’s wealth, one’s beauty, one’s physical build, one’s education, one’s earning ability, one’s effort, one’s mental cleverness, one’s seniority, one’s possessions, one’s blameless character, one’s good manners, one’s success, one’s popularity, one’s ethics, one’s ability to develop concentration (samadhi) during meditation and mental absorptions (Jhana) etc.
Three justified types of conceit (yathāva māna):
1. The conceit of I am superior to others when one is superior to others.
2. The conceit of I am equal to others when one is equal to others.
3. The conceit of I am inferior to others when one is inferior to others.
Six unjustified types of conceit (ayathāva māna):
1. The conceit of I am superior to others when one is equal to others.
2. The conceit of I am superior to others when one is inferior to others.
3. The conceit of I am equal to others when one is superior to others.
3. The conceit of I am equal to others when one is inferior to others.
5. The conceit of I am inferior to others when one is equal to others.
6. The conceit of I am inferior to others when one is superior to others.
- This subject is very interesting but often misunderstood by me and others. In the arahant stage, mana is eliminated. Even an anagami still possesses this taint. However, when an arahant describes their qualities and achievements, it is not considered pride. In the suttas, we see Lord Buddha and other venerable arahants talking about their abilities in various fields. Why would this not be considered pride in this case?