The Discriminating Mind Transcends the Distinction Between Internal and External Appearances

When a doctor treats a patient and restores the patient's physical health, is it altering the doctor's external perceived aspect or internal perceived aspect? The patient's physical body is the external perceived aspect for the doctor. When the patient's health is restored, it is the doctor's external perceived aspect that has changed, while the internal perceived aspect changes in accordance with the alteration of the external perceived aspect.

However, altering another person's mind belongs to changing another's mind, causing shifts in their understanding, thoughts, concepts, attitudes, and so forth. The discerning mind belongs only to a specific sentient being; it is not divided into internal and external aspects. The discerning mind is formless and immaterial; it does not enter another's superior sense faculties through transmission. Therefore, unlike material phenomena, it is not categorized into internal and external perceived aspects. The discerning mind is not jointly manifested by multiple Tathagatagarbhas; it is individually produced by the Tathagatagarbha of an individual sentient being and is not communal. Consequently, there is no distinction between internal and external. For the discerning mind to undergo change, it involves alterations in its cognition, perception, intentions, attitudes, thoughts, decisions, mental states, mental factors, and so forth.