[316] How does one regard self in form?
Here someone regards feeling (vedanā), perception, volitional formations, and consciousness as self. He thinks thus: 'This indeed is my self; but this self of mine is in this form,' and so he regards self in form. Suppose a gem were placed in a casket, and a man were to speak of it thus: 'This is the gem, this is the casket; the gem is one thing, the casket another; but this gem is in this casket,' and so he regards the gem as in the casket. Even so, here someone regards feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness as self. He thinks thus: 'This indeed is my self; but this self of mine is in this form,' and so he regards self in form.
The misapprehension through adherence (abhinivesa-parāmāsa) is a view (diṭṭhi). The view is not the basis (vatthu); the basis is not the view; the view is one thing, the basis another. The view together with the basis — this is the fourth view of self (attānudiṭṭhi) having form as its basis. The view of self is wrong view (micchādiṭṭhi), a failure in view … These are fetters, but not views. Thus one regards self in form.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.