What Constitutes True Non-Discrimination?

The non-discriminative nature of the Tathāgatagarbha is difficult for the seven consciousnesses to attain. The state approaching the non-discriminative condition of the Tathāgatagarbha, which is the mindless state of the seven consciousnesses, occurs when the seven consciousnesses are without mental activity. In this state, they are indifferent to all dharmas, no longer holding anything in mind. Seeing is as if not seeing; hearing is as if not hearing. There is no opposition between self and others, no disputes over right and wrong; they do not cling to perceptions of good or bad, right or wrong, nor to the realms of the six dusts.

However, even in this state, discrimination still occurs—knowing that this is form, that is sound, this is smell; recognizing you, me, him, her; and having conceptual designations. This differs from the non-discriminative state of the Tathāgatagarbha, which is fundamentally unknowable and free from conceptual designations. After all, since the categories of conscious minds differ, their functions and operations cannot be the same.