Buddha Nature Talks

In Buddhist philosophy and soteriology, Buddha-nature (Chinese: fóxìng 佛性, Japanese: busshō, Vietnamese: Phật tính, 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).
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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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Embracing Impermanence for Inner Peace Equanimity, Don't Know Mind, Daily Life, Buddha Nature, Samadhi, Impermanence,... |
Jan 15 2000 City Center |
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Indra's Net: Embracing Sangha Community 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 |
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Sunday Lecture Right Speech, Freedom, Precepts, Happiness, Buddha Nature, Conversation, Priest,... |
Jul 04 1999 Green Gulch |
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DelusionsSerial: SF-02730 Saturday Lecture Delusion, Letting Go, Buddha Mind, Freedom, Greed, Buddha Nature, Emotions,... |
Jun 26 1999 City Center |