What Is Non-Discrimination?

The non-discriminative nature of the tathāgatagarbha is very difficult for the seven consciousnesses to achieve. Approaching the non-discriminative state of the tathāgatagarbha—that is, the state of the seven consciousnesses being without mind. When the seven consciousnesses are without mind, one is indifferent to all dharmas and no longer takes them to heart. Seeing is as if one had not seen; hearing is as if one had not heard. There is no opposition between self and others, no disputes or conflicts; regardless of good or bad, right or wrong, one does not attach to the six sense-object realms. 

However, even in this state, discrimination has still occurred—one knows that this is form, that is sound or scent; one recognizes you, me, him, her; names and concepts have arisen. This still differs from the non-discriminative state of the tathāgatagarbha, which knows nothing of such things and has no names or concepts. After all, since the types of consciousness-mind are different, their functions and roles cannot be the same.