Equality in the Dharma

The equality in the Buddha-dharma refers to the fact that the essential nature of the tathāgatagarbha, the true-suchness mind, of every living being is equal. The essential nature of the true suchness tathāgatagarbha of every sentient being is identical, without difference, without high or low, large or small, superior or inferior, strong or weak, and so forth; it is also equal and without difference from the true-suchness minds of the Buddhas of the ten directions. Its essential nature is pure, its self-substance is undefiled, and it is untainted by the six sense objects; it can equally manifest all dharmas, without discriminating among marks such as wholesome and unwholesome, right and wrong, good and ugly, male and female. Although the essential nature of true suchness is equal, this does not prevent the manifestations it produces from being unequal, because sentient beings' karmic conditions differ and their karmic seeds differ, so their manifestations differ; if the manifestations also had to be equal, that would itself be unequal, violating the law of cause and effect. That the true-suchness mind-substance of equal mind manifests unequal illusory marks in accordance with conditions—this is precisely equality upon equality, true equality, equality in suchness. All unequal marks are the equal principle-substance of true suchness, equal and without difference, one substance without duality.