Buddha Nature Talks
In Buddhist philosophy, Buddha-nature is the potential for all sentient beings to become a Buddha or the fact that all beings already have a pure buddha-essence within. "Buddha-nature" is the common English translation for several related Mahayana 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 and later 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 kleshas, 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 recognised for what it is.
The Mahāyāna Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra (written 2nd century CE), which was very influential in the Chinese reception of these teachings, linked the concept of tathāgatagarbha with the buddhadhātu. The term buddhadhātu originally referred to buddha relics. In the Mahāparinirvāṇa, it came to be used in place of the concept of tathāgatagārbha, reshaping the worship of physical buddha relics of the Buddha into worship of the inner Buddha as a principle of salvation.
The primordial or undefiled mind, the tathagatagarbha, is also often equated with emptiness; with the alayavijñana ("storehouse-consciousness", a yogacara concept); and with the interpenetration of all dharmas (in East Asian traditions like Huayan). Buddha nature ideas are central to East Asian Buddhism, which relies on key buddha-nature sources like the Mahāparinirvāṇa. In Tibetan Buddhism, buddha-nature ideas are also important, and are often studied through the key Indian treatise on buddha-nature, the Ratnagotravibhāga.
Title | Speaker | |
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RomanceSerial: SF-03244 Sunday Lecture Commitment, Emptiness, Impermanence, Ego, Karma, Intimacy, Birth-and-Death, Buddha... |
Mar 28 1999 Green Gulch |
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1999.03.21-serial.00032Serial: SF-00032 Sunday talk. Buddha Nature, Karma, Monkey Mind, Daily Life, Buddha Mind, causation, Sangha,... |
Mar 21 1999 |
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Eight Characteristics of Suzuki Roshi's TeachingSerial: SF-03243 Sunday Lecture Suzuki Roshi, Zazen, Buddha Nature, Freedom, Posture, Teacher-and-Student,... |
Feb 28 1999 Green Gulch |
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Eight Characteristics of Suzuki Roshi's TeachingSerial: SF-03110 Sunday Lecture - Discussion - duplicate Suzuki Roshi, Zazen, Buddha Nature, Freedom, Posture, Teacher-and-Student,... |
Feb 28 1999 Green Gulch |
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Eight Characteristics of Suzuki Roshi's TeachingSerial: SF-03137 Sunday Lecture - first Sunday of practice period Suzuki Roshi, Impermanence, Commitment, Vows, Lineage, Buddha Nature, Freedom, Faith... |
Feb 21 1999 Green Gulch |
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Eight Characteristics of Suzuki Roshi's TeachingSerial: SF-03111 Sunday Lecture - Questions and Answers - duplicate Suzuki Roshi, Impermanence, Commitment, Lineage, Buddha Nature, Freedom, Faith, Zazen... |
Feb 21 1999 Green Gulch |
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Shuso TalkSerial: SF-01040 Wednesday Lecture #shuso-talk Karma, Priest, Buddha Nature, Practice Period, Tassajara, Suzuki Roshi, Doubt, Bowing... |
Jan 27 1999 City Center |
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Sunday Lecture Constancy, Mindfulness, Cultivation, Daily Life, Doubt, Lay Practice, Buddha Nature,... |
Nov 08 1998 Green Gulch |
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Sunday Lecture Blue Cliff Record, Bodhidharma, Commitment, Priest, Birth-and-Death, Buddha Nature,... |
Aug 30 1998 Green Gulch |
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April 26th, 1998, Serial No. 01895 Bodhidharma, Buddha Nature, Platform Sutra, Doubt, Faith, New Year, Describe,... |
Apr 26 1998 Unknown |
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April 25th, 1998, Serial No. 01894 Bodhidharma, Buddha Nature, Faith, Interview, Bell, Describe, Freedom, Doubt, Nirvana... |
Apr 25 1998 Unknown |
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Sunday Lecture Precepts, Emptiness, Offering, Bodhisattva Precepts, New Year, Observe, Ceremony,... |
Jan 04 1998 Green Gulch |
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Precepts Class Precepts, Confession-and-Repentance, Repentance, Evil, Liberation, Buddha Nature,... |
Nov 17 1997 Green Gulch |
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Precepts ClassSerial: SF-03532 Brief Review of Class 1 - the Three Refuges Precepts, Emptiness, Triple Treasure, Bodhisattva Precepts, Vows, Buddha Nature,... |
Oct 27 1997 Green Gulch |
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Chao Chou's Four GatesSerial: SF-03239 Sunday Lecture: case 9 of the Blue Cliff Record: "What is Chao Chou?" "East gate, west gate, south gate, north gate" Practice Period, Ordinary Mind, Buddha Nature, Blue Cliff Record, Suzuki Roshi,... |
Oct 19 1997 Green Gulch |
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IntroductionSerial: SF-04817 Commercially Produced cassette: Sounds True - - Pain, Love and Happiness with Thich Nhat Hanh - September 1-6 1997 Sponsored by the Community of Mindful Living Happiness, Daily Life, Freedom, Sangha, Doubt, Birth-and-Death, Buddha Nature,... |
Sep 01 1997 Unknown |