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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April 17th, 1969, Serial No. 00012 New Year, Lotus Sutra, Instruction, Buddha Nature, resistance, Demons, Mindfulness,... |
Apr 17 1969 |
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Jumping Off the 100-Foot PoleSerial: SR-00016 Sunday Lecture Buddha Nature, Evil, Priest, Big Mind, Compassion, Continuous, reality |
Apr 20 1969 |
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Rinzai Zen and Soto ZenSerial: SR-00033 July 1969 Morning. Dogen, Buddha Nature, Evil, Freedom, Priest, Ego, Tassajara, Transmission, Culture,... |
Jul 1969 Sokoji |
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I have nothing in my mind Emptiness, Forms, Zazen, Buddha Nature, Freedom, Passions, Interview, Beginners,... |
Jul 15 1969 Sokoji |
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Question and AnswerQuestion-and-Answer, Buddha Nature, Suffering, Separation, Pain, American, Anger,... |
Aug 25 1969 Tassajara |
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OLD - Question and AnswerSerial: SR-00134 This is another version of 00083, which had been incorrectly dated. This is an incomplete version although the audio has been improved. Question-and-Answer, Buddha Nature, Attachment, Suffering, American, Separation,... |
Aug 25 1969 Tassajara |
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OLD - Questions And AnswersSerial: SR-00082 Set aside as duplicate. Question-and-Answer, Breath, Concentration, Family Practice, Emptiness, Pain, sitting... |
Aug 28 1969 Tassajara |
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Some QuestionsQuestion-and-Answer, Breath, Buddha Nature, Posture, sitting, Tassajara, Offering,... |
Aug 28 1969 Tassajara |
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OLD - Wherever You Are, Enlightenment Is ThereSerial: SF-06103 Summer Sesshin 1969 Suzuki Roshi 1st night lecture ZMC transcribed - duplicate Five Ranks, Buddha Nature, Composure, Oneness, Evil, Hate, Doubt |
Sep 1969 Tassajara |
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Wherever You Are, Enlightenment Is ThereSerial: SF-05184A Sesshin: First Night Lecture, “I Don't Know Zazen” Knowing that we have buddha nature even while we are in the... Dogen, Buddha Nature, Enlightenment, Five Ranks, Buddha Nature, Composure, Emotions,... |
Sep 1969 Tassajara |
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October 7th, 1969, Serial No. 00033 Silence, difficulty, Meditation, Buddha Mind, Enemies, Buddha Nature, Discrimination... |
Oct 07 1969 |
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New Students' QuestionsSerial: SR-00211 Tuesday, October 14, 1969 Question-and-Answer, Bodhisattva Vow, War, Buddha Nature, Addiction, Diversity, Vows... |
Oct 14 1969 |
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Lotus Sutra, Lecture No. III-4Serial: SR-00038 [Third Lotus Sutra Series] Lotus Sutra, First Principle, Wisdom, Buddha Nature, Sutra, Priest, Mahayana,... |
Oct 25 1969 Series 3, Talk 4 Tassajara |
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October 28th, 1969, Serial No. 00419 Buddha Nature, American, Building, Money, zen meditation |
Oct 28 1969 |
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Some QuestionsLotus Sutra, Time, Ego, Wisdom, Passions, Mindfulness, Buddha Nature, Culture,... |
Nov 11 1969 |
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December 28th, 1969, Serial No. 00043 training, New Year, Don't Know Mind, difficulty, Buddha Nature, Meditation,... |
Dec 28 1969 |
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Caring for the SoilSerial: SR-00199 Mahayana and Hinayana Buddhism Emptiness, Mahayana, Buddha Nature, difficulty, Greed, Gratitude, lecture, Hate... |
Jan 25 1970 City Center |
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Brown Rice is Just RightSerial: SR-00247 Morning Sesshin Lecture Sesshin, Emptiness, Discrimination, Buddha Nature, training, Hate, Suffering, Pain,... |
Feb 01 1970 A City Center |
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Selflessness, Being and Non-Being: The Background of ShikantazaSerial: SR-00261 Sesshin Lecture No. 1: Sesshin, Buddha Nature, Emptiness, Evil, Mahayana, Posture, Freedom, Continuous,... |
Feb 23 1970 City Center |
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Lecture To Prof. Lewis R. Lancaster's Visiting ClassSerial: SR-00259 Practice and enlightnment as forgetting and letting go of everything. Even if we don't know what real practice is, continuing and allowing it to reveal itself. Answering... Buddha, Emptiness, Zazen, Don't Know Mind, Emptiness, Building, Suzuki Roshi,... |
Mar 01 1970 Tassajara |
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Sincere PracticeSerial: SR-00140 How To Have Sincere Practice Tatsugami, Dogen, Precepts, Monks, Intuition, Don't Know Mind, Posture, Buddha... |
Apr 28 1970 City Center |
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Sincere Practice and Way-Seeking MindSerial: SR-00043 Sesshin Lecture No. 3, Sunday, May 3, 1970 Sesshin, American, Transmission, stubbornness, Buddha Nature, Hate, realization,... |
May 03 1970 City Center |
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May 12th, 1970, Serial No. 00231 Mahayana, Precepts, Patience, Describe, Meditation, Enemies, Observe, Buddha Nature,... |
May 12 1970 |
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Money And LaborSerial: SR-00046 Sunday Morning, May 24, 1970 Buddha Nature, Discrimination, Monks, Priest, Faith |
May 24 1970 City Center |
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Buddha Is Always HereSerial: SR-00051 Sandokai Lecture III [The following lines of the Sandokai are discussed in this lecture: Line 5 Reigen myoni kokettari... Branching Streams, Sandokai, Emptiness, Buddha Nature, Suffering, Truth, Compassion,... |
Jun 01 1970 Tassajara |
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Today We May Be Very HappySerial: SR-00057 Sandokai Lecture VI [This lecture is concerned with the following lines of the Sandokai: Shiki moto shitsuzo wo... Branching Streams, Sandokai, Happiness, Zazen, Suffering, Pain, Buddha Nature,... |
Jun 10 1970 Tassajara |
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June 16th, 1970, Serial No. 00234 Describe, Mahayana, Happiness, Buddha Nature, Discrimination, Culture, Anger,... |
Jun 16 1970 |
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Without Any Idea of AttainmentSerial: SR-00061 Sandokai Lecture VIII [The following lines of the Sandokai are discussed in this lecture: Line 21 Manako wa iro,... Branching Streams, Sandokai, Precepts, Subject-and-Object, reality, Oneness, Monks,... |
Jun 17 1970 Tassajara |
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OLD - 1970.06.07-serial.00226Serial: SR-00226 Reel is mislabeled. This is part of the transcript from 70-07-06. Buddha Nature, Wisdom, War |
Jul 06 1970 |
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July 6th, 1970, Serial No. 00307 Obstacles, Hindrances, Buddha Nature, Consciousness, Ego, Delusion, Religion,... |
Jul 06 1970 |
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July 7th, 1970, Serial No. 00236 Attachment, Buddha Nature, Observe, Liberation, Sanctuary, Building, Precepts,... |
Jul 07 1970 |
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Ekō Lecture 2Serial: SR-00229 The Second Morning Eko, Part 1 of 3 [This is the second in a series of six lectures by Suzuki on the four ekos chanted... Eko, Chanting, Chanting, Anger, Buddha Nature, Mahayana, heart, Karma, Meditation,... |
Jul 10 1970 Tassajara |
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July 14th, 1970, Serial No. 00198 Obstacles, Buddha Nature, Hate, Hindrances, causation, Enemies, Observe, confusion,... |
Jul 14 1970 |
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Ekō Lecture 6Serial: SR-00230 The Fourth Morning Eko [This is the last in a series of six lectures by Suzuki on the four ekos chanted at the conclusion of... Eko, Chanting, Monks, Priest, Offering, Buddha Nature, Wisdom, Observe, Separation,... |
Jul 15 1970 Tassajara |
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July 30th, 1970, Serial No. 00299 Bell, Breath, Buddha Nature, Posture, lecture, American, Instruction, Building... |
Jul 30 1970 |
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Observation of Precepts and Practice of Zazen is Same ThingSerial: SF-06049 Sesshin Lecture No. 1 Sesshin, Precepts, Precepts, Doubt, Buddha Nature, Faith, Ceremony, Ordination, Lay,... |
Aug 01 1970 City Center |
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August 1st, 1970, Serial No. 00306 Emotions, Mindfulness, Observe, Anger, Buddha Nature, Patience, lecture, Obstacles,... |
Aug 01 1970 |
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Walk like an Elephant and Sitting like a FrogSerial: SR-00066 True Practice As Expression Of Buddha-Nature Sesshin, Sengai, Buddha Nature, Family Practice, War, Bodhidharma, Zazen, Monks... |
Aug 02 1970 City Center |
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OLD - 1970.08.07-serial.00168 Buddha Nature, American, Breath, Describe, Evil, heart, Building, Death |
Aug 07 1970 |
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When Someone Receives TransmissionSerial: SR-00071 Tuesday, August 25, 1970 Transmission, Priest, Buddha Nature, Culture, Forms, American, Death, Truth |
Aug 25 1970 City Center |
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September 13th, 1970, Serial No. 00308 Ceremony, Chanting, Buddha Nature, Posture, Lay, Bowing, Oneness, Culture, Describe,... |
Sep 13 1970 |
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October 5th, 1970, Serial No. 00221 Silence, Patience, Buddha Nature, Mahayana, American, Community |
Oct 05 1970 |
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November 20th, 1970, Serial No. 00065 Soto Zen, Birth-and-Death, Buddha Nature, Building, Zendo, soto, Continuous, Describe... |
Nov 20 1970 |
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1971, Serial No. 00314 Discrimination, Pain, Beginners, Buddha Nature, Religion, Interdependence, Lineage,... |
1971 |
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January 19th, 1971, Serial No. 00311 lecture, Bell, Community, Buddha Nature, Discrimination, Dragons, Mahayana,... |
Jan 19 1971 |
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April 2nd, 1971, Serial No. 00321 Breath, Posture, Buddha Nature, Evil, Instruction, Meditation, lecture |
Apr 02 1971 |
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April 2nd, 1971, Serial No. 00322 Breath, Buddha Nature, Delusion, Ego, lecture, Building |
Apr 02 1971 |
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April 4th, 1971, Serial No. 00324 Breath, difficulty, Consciousness, Buddha Nature, training, Obstacles, Posture,... |
Apr 04 1971 |
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April 5th, 1971, Serial No. 00325 Happiness, Consciousness, Don't Know Mind, Buddha Nature, Delusion, stubbornness... |
Apr 05 1971 |
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April 10th, 1971, Serial No. 00327 Birth-and-Death, Ego, Gratitude, Zendo, Subject-and-Object, Buddha Nature, Evil,... |
Apr 10 1971 |