The Equal Enlightenment of True Enlightenment and Deluded Enlightenment

Consciousness is of two kinds: true consciousness and deluded consciousness. Deluded consciousness is the mind of the seventh consciousness, while true consciousness is the Tathagatagarbha. The mind of the seventh consciousness constantly perceives the mundane dharmas of the six dusts (sense objects). It may become aware of its own deluded thoughts, greed, hatred, and ignorance, or violations of precepts, and upon realizing this, it corrects itself, mistaking this correction for enlightenment. In reality, this enlightenment is still the enlightenment of the seventh consciousness, which is naturally deluded consciousness, not true consciousness. True consciousness is the true suchness of the Tathagatagarbha. It never perceives the realms of the six dusts, does not know whether the five aggregates currently have deluded thoughts, have committed errors, or harbor greed, hatred, and ignorance, nor does it attempt to correct them. True consciousness does none of these things; it eternally does not discriminate among the various dharmas of the six dusts. Therefore, when the six dusts are present, true consciousness remains forever pure and non-active, while only deluded consciousness is active or impure. We should carefully distinguish between these two types of consciousness to practice correctly.

Equal enlightenment is also of two kinds. One refers to the inherent enlightenment nature of the eighth consciousness, the Tathagatagarbha. The other is the equal enlightenment of the conscious mind that arises later through cultivation. True equal enlightenment is innate, eternally unchanging, and will never disappear or perish. No matter how much sentient beings indulge in greed, hatred, and ignorance, the enlightenment nature of the Tathagatagarbha does not vanish or conceal itself. If an unenlightened sentient being believes in an "I" and creates defiled karma, his equal enlightenment nature still does not disappear, because the Tathagatagarbha fundamentally never disappears or perishes.

It is only because sentient beings mistake the false for the real, or overlook the true, that they temporarily fail to discover the existence of an equal enlightenment nature that is constantly functioning. This is the ignorance of sentient beings. Due to this ignorance, their Tathagatagarbha appears to be concealed. In reality, it is not concealed, much less non-existent; it is simply that sentient beings themselves have ignorance and obscurations preventing them from seeing it. For those who have realized the truth, the Tathagatagarbha does not manifest spontaneously. Rather, because sentient beings have broken through beginningless ignorance and their minds are no longer deluded, they can constantly observe the functioning and utilization of the Tathagatagarbha. Therefore, the concealment or manifestation of the Tathagatagarbha's equal enlightenment nature varies according to the individual.

The equal enlightenment of the conscious mind cultivated later is the enlightenment nature of the seventh consciousness after removing a portion of its defilements. It is subject to birth, death, and change; sometimes it exists, and sometimes it disappears and perishes, because where there is birth, there must inevitably be death. The realization of no-self is also an experience attained by the consciousness through observation, perceiving that the five aggregates are without self. This is the realization of the conscious mind, not the inherent no-self realization of the Tathagatagarbha mind.

The realization of no-self by the conscious mind or the mental faculty must be attained through deep cultivation of meditation and contemplative investigation. The sixth and seventh consciousnesses, through contemplating the absence of self within the five aggregates, the absence of self within the eighteen dhatus (realms), and the absence of self in all dharmas derived from the combination of the aggregates, bases, and elements, confirm the absence of self within these dharmas. Thereby, they attain the fruits of the Mahayana and Hinayana paths, enabling future liberation and the ultimate attainment of Buddhahood. The innate equal enlightenment nature and the later-cultivated equal enlightenment nature are both extremely precious. Without the first kind, the second kind cannot exist. With the attainment of the second kind of realization, one can achieve liberation and the fruit of Buddhahood.