Attachment to oneself is present in conceit. It’s only the view that causally arisen phenomena are not present, but self existent minds and bodies, which are present (which then is possible to mistakenly consider as Self). Tilakkhana is a further development of that causal relationship.
Alas, perhaps I’ve gotten a bit over-confident or even bossy here. That’s just one of my charms, so I’m told.
Here’s my source, my teacher Bhante Gunaratana, for whom many years ago I edited the following text with a section on the fetters. Bhante G stated in brief that the 3rd fetter is “belief that one can end suffering merely by following rules and rituals,” and elaborated:
The third fetter is an instinctive movement of the mind to find some source of assistance from outside, rather than from internal purification. It manifests as clinging to belief in the efficacy of rules and rituals to bring enlightenment. You may think that the highest happiness can be attained by performing ceremonies, engaging in celebrations, organizing processions, making offerings to the Buddha or to deities, chanting, praying, and saying mantras rather than meditating and applying the Buddha’s message to your daily life. This clinging wastes your time and blocks your ability to see the truth…
(He speaks here of “bringing enlightenment”, but from long conversations with him over this text, I’m certain that he meant to cover any sort of idea of finding permanent salvation.)
He gave an example:
Perhaps you have a ritual of lighting a candle every morning and praying for relief from suffering. As you get up in the morning, you think, “Ah, I must do my ritual.” You do not try to reduce your psychic irritants cultivating wisdom, concentration, or wholesome states such as loving-friendliness. Instead, you cling to the belief that performing this ritual in the morning will bring happiness. Years later, even if you never miss a day, you will not have moved an inch toward enlightenment.
Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness, Bhante Henepola Gunaratana (2001) Wisdom Pubs p. 152-3, 155, 158.
So returning to the OP’s questions, yes, using the almsbowl is an important external symbol to which some of us may cling, but no, it doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with the rites & rituals fetter.
[Edit to add @anon38204780 ]
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