Two Kinds of the Awakened Nature of Equality

The equalized awakened nature is divided into the innate awakened nature of the tathāgatagarbha and the awakened nature cultivated later. How can they be distinguished?

The innate awakened nature is the awakened nature of the tathāgatagarbha. To understand the awakened nature of the tathāgatagarbha, one must study the intrinsic nature of the tathāgatagarbha, and then investigate Chan and awaken to the tathāgatagarbha; only then will one personally observe the intrinsic nature of the tathāgatagarbha as it manifests before one. Especially after seeing the Buddha-nature, one will realize the marvelous awakened nature of the tathāgatagarbha through all six faculties. Without seeing one's true mind, attaining enlightenment, and seeing the nature—without finding the tathāgatagarbha—one cannot truly understand the awakened nature of the tathāgatagarbha; one only apprehends the awakened nature of the tathāgatagarbha in a similar way, not through personal realization.

The awakened nature cultivated later is the awakened nature of the perceiving mind, the seven consciousnesses. The awakening of the perceiving mind has many contents and levels: the awakening of the Small Vehicle, the awakening of the Middle Vehicle, the awakening of the Great Vehicle; the awakening before enlightenment, and the awakening after enlightenment. All of these are the seven consciousnesses' relatively correct cognition and understanding of all dharmas, which have changed compared with before.

Separate the two intrinsic natures of the true mind and the deluded mind, and distinguish them clearly, and you will know. Especially when the true mind has not yet been found, all awakening, of course, belongs to the deluded mind of the seven consciousnesses. After seeing one's true mind and seeing the nature, the mind consciousness will gradually take refuge in the intrinsic nature of the true suchness tathāgatagarbha, learning from Him and drawing close to Him. The manas is likewise nurtured at the same time: the manas's nature of greed, anger, and delusion will gradually be lightened, its selfishness lightened, its inequality lightened, and its equal nature gradually increased.