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.
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November 23rd, 1985, Serial No. 00867, Side B Buddha Nature, Building, Heart Sutra, Priest, Happiness, Describe, Conversation, Hate... |
Nov 23 1985 |
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December 6th, 1985, Serial No. 00169 Consciousness, Ego, Buddha Nature, Intimacy, Mindfulness, Subject-and-Object,... |
Dec 06 1985 |
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December 6th, 1985, Serial No. 00385 Consciousness, Ego, Buddha Nature, Mindfulness, Subject-and-Object, Delusion, Samadhi... |
Dec 06 1985 |
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Thoughts on Christmas and New Year: Gaining MindSerial: BZ-00870B Saturday Lecture Gaining Mind, Gaining Mind, New Year, Ego, Buddha Nature, Karma, Vows, Chanting,... |
Dec 21 1985 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Buddha, Dharma, SanghaSerial: BZ-00871A Saturday Lecture Triple Treasure, Priest, Lay, Sangha, Ordination, Priest-and-Lay, Buddha Nature,... |
Jan 04 1986 Berkeley Zen Center |
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ConcentrationSerial: BZ-00882B Sesshin Day 1 Concentration, Composure, Samadhi, Continuous, Daily Life, Pure Existence, Buddha... |
Aug 30 1986 Berkeley Zen Center |
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1986.10.05-serial.00318 Community, Forgiveness, Buddha Mind, War, Buddha Nature |
Oct 05 1986 |
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Tenzo Kyokun Pt.IISerial: BZ-01525B Rohatsu Day 2 Tenzo Kyokun, Buddha Nature, Interview, War, Peace |
Dec 02 1986 Berkeley Zen Center |
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March 1987 talk, Serial No. 03986 Study Period, Ceremony, Death-and-Dying, Impermanence, Posture, Buddha Nature,... |
1987 SFZC |
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January 31st, 1987, Serial No. 01495, Side B Bowing, Passions, Karma, Right Effort, Subject-and-Object, Buddha Nature, Demons,... |
Jan 31 1987 |
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February 8th, 1987, Serial No. 00386 Buddha Nature, Intimacy, Anger, Meditation, Separation, Patience, Emotions,... |
Feb 08 1987 |
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February 9th, 1987, Serial No. 01531 Daily Life, Concentration, Don't Know Mind, training, Continuous, Buddha Nature... |
Feb 09 1987 |
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Koun Ejo; Komyozo Zammai Pt. IISerial: BZ-00888B Sesshin Day 2 Koun Ejô, First Principle, Light-and-Darkness, Discrimination, Buddha Nature,... |
Mar 29 1987 Berkeley Zen Center |
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1987.05.03-serial.00031Mantra, Buddha Nature, Lotus Sutra, Soto Zen, Zazen, Bowing, soto, Chanting, Posture... |
May 03 1987 Green Gulch Farm |
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Genjokoan IVSerial: BZ-00907A Sesshin Day 3 Genjokoan, Daily Life, Buddha Nature, Gratitude |
Jun 06 1987 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Genjokoan VSerial: BZ-00907B Sesshin Day 4 Genjokoan, Passions, Offering, Buddha Nature, Attachment, Dragons |
Jun 07 1987 Berkeley Zen Center |
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December 11th, 1987, Serial No. 00306, Side ASerial: BZ-00306A Sesshin Day 4 Ego, Buddha Nature, Peace, resistance, Continuous, Tassajara, Religion, American,... |
Dec 11 1987 |
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December 12th, 1987, Serial No. 00305Serial: BZ-00305 Sesshin Day 5 Buddha Nature, Describe, Lotus Sutra, Karma, Ego, Lay |
Dec 12 1987 |
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Dzögchen Karma, confusion, Duality, Emotions, Anger, Ego, Beginners, Buddha Nature,... |
Feb 14 1988 SFZC |
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Four Levels of Tantra Vinaya, realization, Lineage, Buddha Nature, Mandala, Anger, Beginners, Continuous,... |
Apr 06 1988 SFZC |
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Hevajra Lineage, Aspects of Practice, Right Effort, Emptiness, Balance, Instruction, Don... |
Apr 07 1988 SFZC |
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Guru Yoga Lineage, Buddha Nature, Chanting, Describe, Don't Know Mind, Transmission,... |
Apr 08 1988 SFZC |
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Yontenzot Duality, Lineage, Ordinary Mind, confusion, Don't Know Mind, Discrimination,... |
Apr 17 1988 SFZC |
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April 25th, 1988, Serial No. 01893 Bodhidharma, Monastic Practice, Ordination, Doubt, Religion, Mahayana, Interview,... |
Apr 25 1988 Unknown |
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Yontenzot Passions, Emotions, Duality, Emptiness, Lineage, Vinaya, realization, Buddha Nature,... |
Apr 30 1988 SFZC |
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Yontenzot Samsara, confusion, Karma, Buddha Nature, Nirvana, Don't Know Mind, Emotions,... |
May 01 1988 SFZC |
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June 4th, 1988, Serial No. 00896, Side A Samadhi, Offering, Platform Sutra, Concentration, Daily Life, Buddha Nature,... |
Jun 04 1988 |
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June 5th, 1988, Serial No. 00896, Side B Ordinary Mind, confusion, Don't Know Mind, Doubt, Daily Life, Fundraising,... |
Jun 05 1988 |
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June 17th, 1988, Serial No. 00891, Side A Gratitude, Posture, Daily Life, Conversation, Nirvana, Concentration, Tassajara, Hate... |
Jun 17 1988 |
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June 18th, 1988, Serial No. 00891, Side B Posture, cognitive process, Instruction, Lineage, Monkey Mind, Bowing, Buddha Nature... |
Jun 18 1988 |
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The Six RealmsSerial: BZ-00831A Saturday Lecture Six Realms, Six Realms, Vows, Buddha Nature, Demons, Karma, Karmic Consequences,... |
Jun 25 1988 Berkeley Zen Center |
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June 29th, 1988, Serial No. 01509 Pure Existence, Skandas, Subject-and-Object, Karma, Ego, Buddha Nature, Bodhisattva... |
Jun 29 1988 |
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The Five HindrancesSerial: BZ-00832A Saturday Lecture Hindrances, Attachment, Anger, Hindrances, Doubt, Platform Sutra, Bodhisattva Vow,... |
Aug 06 1988 Berkeley Zen Center |
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The Eyes of PracticeSerial: BZ-00832B Saturday Lecture Practice, stubbornness, Instruction, Harmonizing, Buddha Mind, Oneness, Renewal,... |
Aug 20 1988 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Teacher and StudentSerial: BZ-00893A Saturday Lecture Teacher-and-Student, Teacher-and-Student, Dharma Transmission, Transmission, Buddha... |
Aug 27 1988 Berkeley Zen Center |
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IlluminationSerial: BZ-00892B Sesshin Day 3 Discrimination, Ego, Duality, Non-discrimination, Oneness, Daily Life, Darkness and... |
Sep 05 1988 Berkeley Zen Center |
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September 10th, 1988, Serial No. 00366, Side A confusion, Dragons, Big Mind, Instruction, Buddha Nature, Priest, Rinzai, Bowing,... |
Sep 10 1988 |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #51Serial: BZ-01498A Seppo's "What Is It?", Saturday Lecture Issan, confusion, Dragons, Big Mind, Instruction, Buddha Nature, Priest, Rinzai,... |
Sep 10 1988 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Bodhisattva PracticeSerial: BZ-00367B Saturday Lecture Bodhisattva, Bodhisattva Way, Anger, Lotus Sutra, Platform Sutra, Emotions,... |
Oct 01 1988 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Visualization and Mantra in Buddhist Meditation Serial 00035 Buddha Nature, Commitment, Mahayana, Daily Life, Bodhisattva Vow, Duality, Ceremony,... |
Nov 11 1988 Tape 1? |
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Emptiness and Compassion: Retreat Serial 00026 Buddha Nature, Commitment, Lineage, Demons, Beginners, Nirvana, Equanimity,... |
Nov 12 1988 Tape 2 |
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Emptiness and Compassion Retreat Serial 00027 Breath, Buddha Nature, Composure, Daily Life, Nirvana, Bell, Gratitude, Observe,... |
Nov 13 1988 Tape 3 |
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November 26th, 1988, Serial No. 01910Serial: SF-01910 Retreat - Description of Vajra Liberation, Instruction, Doubt, Continuous, Obstacles, Buddha Nature, Attachment,... |
Nov 26 1988 SFZC |
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December 10th, 1988, Serial No. 01056 Buddha Nature, Nirvana Sutra, Concentration, Intimacy, Posture, Fundraising, Faith,... |
Dec 10 1988 SFZC |
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December 10th, 1988, Serial No. 01493 Buddha Nature, Concentration, Ego, Attachment, Humility, Beginners, Samadhi,... |
Dec 10 1988 |
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December 11th, 1988, Serial No. 00329Serial: BZ-00329 Rohatsu Day 4 Birth-and-Death, Posture, Buddha Nature, Observe, Bowing, resistance, Continuous,... |
Dec 11 1988 |
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December 18th, 1988, Serial No. 01472 Duality, Obstacles, Nirvana, Judgement, Posture, Buddha Nature, resistance,... |
Dec 18 1988 |
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NgondroSerial: SF-01878 Ngondro Class - Guru Yoga Lineage, Samsara, Emotions, Emptiness, Transmission, Attachment, Describe,... |
Dec 20 1988 SFZC |
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Lion's Roar Don't Know Mind, Emptiness, Diversity, Buddha Nature, Letting Go, Liberation,... |
Dec 27 1988 SFZC |
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Lion's Roar Lineage, Liberation, Letting Go, realization, Teacher-and-Student, Buddha Nature,... |
Dec 29 1988 SFZC |