Does Tathāgatagarbha Have Self-Validating Cognition?

For ordinary beings, the tathāgatagarbha has no function of introspecting upon itself, and therefore it is said that He has no self-validating cognition (svasaṃvedana). Self-validating cognition is the ability to prove one's own existence, to perceive one's own existence and functioning. A mind that can perceive its own existence is a mind with the nature of self; it is a mind that acknowledges itself, a mind capable of self-validating its own existence.

The mind consciousness can observe the mental sense-objects (dharmas), observe states of circumstance, observe the five consciousnesses and the seventh consciousness, and after seeing the mind, it can observe the tathāgatagarbha. The mind consciousness can also observe itself, so He not only has self-cognition (svasaṃvitti) but also self-validating cognition (svasaṃvedana); He can know that He is knowing the states of the mental sense-objects, know His own state of functioning, and know His own mental activities. But the true awakened tathāgatagarbha has no nature of self; He is a mind without the nature of self, never considering Himself to be real, never perceiving His own existence, never acting as a master, and never observing the six sense-objects. Therefore, within the six sense-objects, the tathāgatagarbha has neither self-cognition (svasaṃvitti) nor self-validating cognition (svasaṃvedana). Because He is not aware of the six sense-objects, He does not give rise to thoughts or mental activity toward states of circumstance; He has no notions, no views and opinions, is pure and undefiled, has no afflictions or habitual tendencies, and has no ignorance.

After seeing the mind and awakening to the Path, as wisdom grows, one will observe that the seventh consciousness and the tathāgatagarbha also have self-validating cognition (svasaṃvedana), yet they do not introspect upon themselves within the states of the six sense-objects. The general principle in studying the Mahāyāna Dharma is that the tathāgatagarbha is not a worldly mind within the five aggregates and eighteen realms; it is a mind without the nature of self, which does not consider that there is a self or what belongs to the self. Whereas the seven consciousnesses all have the nature of self, always saying "how I am this or that," always speaking of "me and mine," all possessing self and what belongs to the self.