Although the four aspects of the Mind do not differ in substance, this
does not mean that they are identical. In that event, there would be no dispute between
our author and the pan-realistic school of Hung-chou. Tsung-mi explains that in substance
there is no difference between the deluded and the enlightened, as all of them have the
Mind or Buddha-nature innately. Hence they are capable of enlightenment. However, the
absolute Mind is subject to momentary delusion if it is obscured by ignorance, thus
differentiating itself into various views. Once the Mind is differentiated and involved
with views and responds to worldly affairs, then "there are differences between real
and false, root and branches."(33) When this difference is expressed in terms of
Mind, "the first three aspects of the Mind are appearances (lak.sa.na) while the
fourth is the True Nature (tattva) ."(34) Because of cause and conditions,
appearances arise from the