Buddha Nature Talks
In Buddhist philosophy and soteriology, Buddha-nature (Chinese: fóxìng 佛性, Japanese: busshō, Sanskrit: buddhatā, buddha-svabhāva) is the innate potential for all sentient beings to become a Buddha or the fact that all sentient beings already have a pure Buddha-essence within themselves. "Buddha-nature" is the common English translation for several related Mahāyāna Buddhist terms, most notably tathāgatagarbha and buddhadhātu, but also sugatagarbha, and buddhagarbha. Tathāgatagarbha can mean "the womb" or "embryo" (garbha) of the "thus-gone one" (tathāgata), and can also mean "containing a tathāgata". Buddhadhātu can mean "buddha-element", "buddha-realm", or "buddha-substrate".
Buddha-nature has a wide range of (sometimes conflicting) meanings in Indian Buddhism and later in East Asian and Tibetan Buddhist literature. Broadly speaking, it refers to the belief that the luminous mind, "the natural and true state of the mind", which is pure (visuddhi) mind undefiled by afflictions, is inherently present in every sentient being, and is eternal and unchanging. It will shine forth when it is cleansed of the defilements, that is, when the nature of mind is recognized for what it is.
The Mahāyāna Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra (2nd century CE), which was very influential in the Chinese reception of these teachings, linked the concept of tathāgatagārbha with the buddhadhātu. The term buddhadhātu originally referred to the relics of Gautama Buddha. In the Mahāyāna Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, it came to be used in place of the concept of tathāgatagārbha, reshaping the worship of physical relics of the historical Buddha into worship of the inner Buddha as a principle of salvation.
The primordial or undefiled mind, the tathāgatagārbha, is also often equated with the Buddhist philosophical concept of emptiness (śūnyatā, a Mādhyamaka concept); with the storehouse-consciousness (ālāyavijñāna, a Yogācāra concept); and with the interpenetration of all dharmas (in East Asian traditions like Huayan). The belief in Buddha-nature is central to East Asian Buddhism, which relies on key Buddha-nature sources like the Mahāyāna Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra. In Tibetan Buddhism, the concept of Buddha-nature is equally important and often studied through the key Indian treatise on Buddha-nature, the Ratnagotravibhāga (3rd–5th century CE).
Title | Speaker | |
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Picking and Choosing Suzuki Roshi, Buddha Nature, Big Mind, Bodhisattva Vow, Equanimity, Happiness,... |
Sep 02 2006 Unknown |
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2006.02.02-serial.00123 Lay, Precepts, Funeral, lecture, Sangha, Happiness, Offering, Buddha Nature,... |
Feb 02 2006 |
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2006.01.31-serial.00006 Buddha Ancestors, Buddha Nature, true dharma, Teacher-and-Student, Bodhidharma, Anger... |
Jan 31 2006 |
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NoSerial: SF-00963 Sunday Lecture: Milton's 'Paradise Lost'; myth of Narcissus; Four Noble Truths; Zhaozhou's "No": Marin Organizing Committee/Seniors for Peace ...Perfect Wisdom, Four Noble Truths, Buddha Nature, Peace, Freedom, Mill Valley,... |
Nov 20 2005 Green Gulch |
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Sesshin LectureSerial: SF-01042 Zendo Lecture Day 1 Mindfulness, Four Foundations, Buddha Nature, Practice Period, Enemies, Instruction,... |
Nov 10 2005 Tassajara |
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2005.11.07-serial.00195 Buddha Nature, Sixth Patriarch, Ego, confusion, Dependent Origination, Passions,... |
Nov 07 2005 |
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Find Out For Yourself Precepts, Duality, Suzuki Roshi, Subject-and-Object, Discrimination, Oneness, Heart... |
Jul 17 2005 Tassajara |
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July 16th, 2005, Serial No. 03502 Delusion, Emptiness, Suzuki Roshi, Precepts, Zazen, Obstacles, Buddha Nature,... |
Jul 16 2005 Tassajara |
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May 28th, 2005, Serial No. 01115 Lotus Sutra, Four Noble Truths, Practice Period, Zazen Mind, Karma, Monastic Practice... |
May 28 2005 Unknown |
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Sesshin LectureSerial: SF-01931 Sesshin 3 Day 7 Practice Period, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Freedom, Suzuki Roshi, Buddha Nature... |
Mar 29 2005 Tassajara |
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HierarchySerial: SF-03579 Sesshin 3 Day 5 Teacher-student relationship Teacher-and-Student, Precepts, Anger, Intimacy, Buddha Nature, Practice Period,... |
Mar 27 2005 Tassajara |
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Hokyo Zammai Class Five Ranks, Platform Sutra, Discrimination, Ego, Ordinary Mind, Hindrances, Letting... |
Feb 28 2005 Tassajara |
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Sesshin LectureSerial: SF-03503 Sesshin 2 Day 7 Attachment, Non-attachment, Four Noble Truths, Emotions, Freedom, Composure, Dream... |
Feb 26 2005 Tassajara |
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Expressing Yourself CompletelySerial: SF-03594 Sesshin 2 Day 5 Silence, Vow, Practice Period, Suzuki Roshi, Delusion, Teacher-and-Student, confusion... |
Feb 24 2005 Tassajara |
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Shikantaza - Calm MindSerial: SF-03497 Sesshin Lecture Birth-and-Death, Posture, Emptiness, Silent Illumination, Letting Go, Suzuki Roshi,... |
Feb 20 2005 Tassajara |
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Hokyo Zammai Class Buddha Nature, Silent Illumination, Delusion, Nirvana Sutra, Duality, Heart Sutra,... |
Feb 18 2005 Tassajara |
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Hokyo Zammai Class Precepts, Intuition, Forgiveness, Faith, Patience, Buddha Nature, Letting Go, Five... |
Feb 17 2005 Tassajara |
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Zendo Lecture Ego, Buddha Nature, Hate, Precious Mirror, Faith, Instruction, Zoom, Delusion,... |
Feb 02 2005 Tassajara |
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The Direct Experience of RealitySerial: SF-03669 Sesshin 1 Day 5: practice is right where you are - practice is/of sensitivity. Lay Practice, Suzuki Roshi, Practice Period, Lay, Monastic Practice, Delusion,... |
Jan 29 2005 Tassajara |
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Sesshin LectureSerial: SF-03546 Second Sesshin, Zendo Lecture day 6 Lotus Sutra, Buddha Nature, Letting Go, Karma, Karmic Consequences, Buddha's... |
Nov 21 2004 Tassajara |
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Buddha Nature and the Ugly DucklingSerial: SF-00056 Zendo lecture; feeling of not fitting in and not belonging that sends us towards spiritual practice. Lotus Sutra, Buddha Nature, Ego, Delusion, training, Precepts, stubbornness, Posture... |
Nov 06 2004 Tassajara |
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Zendo Lecture Lotus Sutra, Buddha Nature, Ego, Delusion, training, Light-and-Darkness, Passions,... |
Nov 06 2004 Tassajara |
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Lotus Sutra ClassSerial: SF-03549 Dining Room Class Lotus Sutra, Ceremony, Perfect Wisdom, Buddha Nature, Nirvana, Zazen, Practice Period... |
Nov 03 2004 Tassajara |
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Lotus Sutra ClassSerial: SF-03556 Dining Room Class 3 Lotus Sutra, Suzuki Roshi, Mahayana, Big Mind, Practice Period, Heart Sutra, Buddha... |
Oct 20 2004 Tassajara |
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May 30th, 2004, Serial No. 01043 Passions, Ceremony, Ego, Intuition, Zazen, Buddha Nature, Skandas, Delusion,... |
May 30 2004 Tassajara |
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Do Not Resuscitate Emptiness, Delusion, Buddha Nature, Big Mind, Suzuki Roshi, Discrimination, Non-... |
May 08 2004 Tassajara |
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April 18th, 2004, Serial No. 01045 Passions, Buddha Nature, Four Noble Truths, Addiction, Suzuki Roshi, Ego, Zazen,... |
Apr 18 2004 Tassajara |
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2003.11.19-serial.00156Serial: SF-00156 Wednesday talk. Karma, Buddha Nature, Practice Period, Ceremony, Buddha Ancestors, Ego, Precepts,... |
Nov 19 2003 |
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December 9th, 2002, Serial No. 00978 Buddha Nature, Suzuki Roshi, Zazen, Ceremony, Zendo, Ordinary Mind, Bell, Emptiness,... |
Dec 09 2002 City Center |
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December 2nd, 2002, Serial No. 04061 Delusion, Hate, Buddha Mind, Gratitude, Buddha Nature, Commitment, Conversation, Vow... |
Dec 02 2002 City Center |
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Not Always So Class Buddha Nature, Emptiness, Bodhidharma, Zazen, Suzuki Roshi, realization, Religion,... |
Nov 18 2002 Tassajara |
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2002.10.19-serial.00059 Suzuki Roshi, Buddha Nature, Zazen, Manjushri, Practice Period, Buddha Ancestors,... |
Oct 19 2002 City Center |
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August 10th, 2002, Serial No. 04012 Instruction, Buddha Nature, Separation, Oneness, Nirvana Sutra, realization, Birth-... |
Aug 10 2002 City Center |
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VasubandhuSerial: SF-04018 Summer intensive Delusion, Letting Go, Emptiness, Zazen, Separation, New Year, Karma, Discrimination,... |
Jul 22 2002 City Center |
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Transmission of the Light ClassSerial: SF-01090 What enlightenment meant to the ancestors might be different than what it means to us, it's important to come to everyday events with a new outlook or view, Daitaka, we can... Buddha Nature, Birth-and-Death, true dharma, Transmission, Buddha Mind, Demons,... |
Jun 04 2002 Green Gulch |
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Transmission of the Light ClassSerial: SF-01086 Tuesday: Breaking through the conceptual veil, Kasyapa, nothing to be transmitted, investigate the conventional world to the limit, Kukkutapada Transmission, realization, Sixth Patriarch, Book of Serenity, Ceremony, Monastic... |
May 07 2002 Green Gulch |
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Transmission of the Light ClassSerial: SF-01085 Tuesday: Keizan Jokin, legitimate lineage, mind seal, hagiography, Keizan brought zen to the people, Shakyamuni's story Lineage, Transmission, Buddha Nature, Lotus Sutra, Blue Cliff Record, Faith, Monastic... |
Apr 30 2002 Green Gulch |
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Wednesday Lecture Silence, Buddha Nature, Practice Period, Non-duality, resistance, Gratitude, Lineage... |
Mar 21 2001 Green Gulch |
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Sunday Lecture Freedom, training, Bell, Beginners, Discrimination, Nirvana, Buddha Nature, confusion... |
Mar 04 2001 Green Gulch |
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Sunday Lecture Buddha Nature, New Year, Right Effort, Conversation, Vow, Practice Period, Suzuki... |
Dec 31 2000 Green Gulch |
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Sunday Lecture Mill Valley, Buddha Nature, Delusion, true dharma, Buddha Ancestors, Teacher-and-... |
Dec 03 2000 Green Gulch |
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Saturday Lecture Letting Go, Karma, Gratitude, Faith, Happiness, Buddha Nature, Tassajara Zen Mountain... |
Nov 25 2000 City Center |
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Surangama Sutra Class Emptiness, confusion, Cultivation, Silent Illumination, Light-and-Darkness, Subject-... |
Sep 18 2000 Unknown |
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Surangama Sutra Class Emptiness, Light-and-Darkness, Skandas, true dharma, Emotions, Doubt, Buddha Nature,... |
Jun 06 2000 Green Gulch |
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Wednesday Lecture Precepts, Bodhisattva Precepts, Ordination, Suzuki Roshi, Patience, Liberation, Zazen... |
May 03 2000 Green Gulch |
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Wednesday Lecture Six Realms, Suzuki Roshi, Right Effort, Enemies, Equanimity, Right Speech, Happiness... |
Mar 15 2000 Green Gulch |
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Fukanzazengi ClassSerial: SF-03517 Monday Class Hsin Hsin Ming, Buddha Nature, confusion, Platform Sutra, realization, Bodhisattva... |
Feb 28 2000 Green Gulch |
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January 15th, 2000, Serial No. 03934 Equanimity, Don't Know Mind, Daily Life, Buddha Nature, Samadhi, Impermanence,... |
Jan 15 2000 City Center |
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October 23rd, 1999, Serial No. 01114 realization, Blue Cliff Record, Faith, Soto Zen, Religion, Peace, Sangha, resistance... |
Oct 23 1999 Unknown |
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One-day Sitting Lecture Faith, Buddha Nature, Suzuki Roshi, Zazen, Ceremony, Non-duality, Equanimity, Six... |
Jul 17 1999 Green Gulch |