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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Letter and Spirit of Rules and RegulationSerial: BZ-01427 Dogen's Eihei Shingi, Saturday Lecture Paramitas, Brahmaviharas, Equanimity, Passions, Hate, Religion, Buddha Nature, Ego,... |
Mar 24 2007 Berkeley Zen Center |
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March 17th, 2007, Serial No. 01053, Side A Subject-and-Object, Doubt, Religion, Mahayana, First Principle, Concentration, Buddha... |
Mar 17 2007 |
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March 10th, 2007, Serial No. 01424 Bodhisattva Vow, Vows, Buddha Nature, Berkeley Zen Center, Ego, Attachment, Happiness... |
Mar 10 2007 |
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Enlightenment as Everyday Life; "Nothing Special"Serial: BZ-01421 Koun Ejô and Suzuki-roshi commentaries, Sesshin Day 3 Enlightenment, Koun Ejô, Samadhi, Daily Life, Thoroughness, Continuous, Gaining Mind... |
Feb 19 2007 Berkeley Zen Center |
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January 20th, 2007, Serial No. 01413 Branching Streams, Subject-and-Object, Lotus Sutra, Peace, Dragons, Discrimination,... |
Jan 20 2007 |
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2007.01.19-serial.00117D Practice Period, Silence, training, Buddha Mind, Soto Zen, soto, Dependent... |
Jan 19 2007 |
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2007.01.18-serial.00117C Oneness, Silent Illumination, Buddha Nature, Meditation, soto, Buddha Ancestors,... |
Jan 18 2007 |
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2007.01.15-serial.00116D Buddha Nature, Intention, Repentance, Impermanence, Subject-and-Object, true dharma,... |
Jan 15 2007 |
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2007.01.14-serial.00116B Buddha Nature, Nirvana Sutra, Attachment, Describe, Samadhi, Bodhidharma, Sangha,... |
Jan 14 2007 |
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January 6th, 2007, Serial No. 01410 Culture, Buddha Nature, Aspects of Practice, American, Teacher-and-Student, Chanting... |
Jan 06 2007 |
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Big MindSerial: BZ-01405B Dharmakaya/Sambhogakaya/Nirmanakaya, Rohatsu Day 5 Trikaya, Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya, Nirmanakaya, Monkey Mind, Big Mind, Buddha Nature... |
Dec 01 2006 Berkeley Zen Center |
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November 30th, 2006, Serial No. 01404 Buddha Nature, Composure, Daily Life, Dependent Origination, Nirvana, Concentration,... |
Nov 30 2006 |
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Commentary on talk by Suzuki-rôshi on ConcentrationSerial: BZ-01403 Rohatsu Day 3 Concentration, Suzuki Roshi, Concentration, Posture, Big Mind, resistance, Eight... |
Nov 29 2006 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Right SpeechSerial: SF-00037 The eight-fold path and its relationship to the precepts. Right Speech, Suzuki Roshi, Conversation, Heart Sutra, Zazen, Buddha Nature, Precepts... |
Sep 16 2006 |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #10Serial: BZ-01384 "You Empty-Headed Fool", Sesshin Day 2 BCR-10, Darkness and Light, Buddha Nature, Duality, Rinzai, Birth-and-Death, Daily... |
Sep 03 2006 Berkeley Zen Center |
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August 5th, 2006, Serial No. 01177 zen meditation, Right Effort, Ego, Mindfulness, Beginners, Instruction, Chanting,... |
Aug 05 2006 |
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2006.05.27-serial.00239 Ego, Dharma Transmission, Buddha Mind, Bowing, Buddha Nature |
May 27 2006 |
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Essence and Action of PrajnaSerial: BZ-01235 Saturday Lecture Precepts, Hui Neng, Poetry, Precepts, Bodhisattva Ceremony, Duality, Buddha Nature,... |
May 13 2006 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Prajna Paramita - DanaSerial: BZ-01233 Introduce Practice Period Shuso, One-Day Sitting Prajna Paramita, Dana, Shuso, Daily Life, Happiness, Practice Period, Precepts,... |
May 07 2006 Berkeley Zen Center |
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(I, along with) All Beings, Am the World Honored OneSerial: BZ-01227B Saturday Lecture Buddha's Birthday, Buddha Nature, Buddha's Birthday, Buddha Ancestors,... |
Apr 08 2006 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Fukanzazengi Part IISerial: BZ-01218 Zazen Anecdotes, Sesshin Day 3 Fukanzazengi, Sojun Mel Weitsman, Meditation, Posture, Don't Know Mind,... |
Feb 20 2006 Berkeley Zen Center |
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FukanzazengiSerial: BZ-01217 Part I, Sesshin Day 2 Fukanzazengi, Silent Illumination, Lineage, Discrimination, Daily Life, Sanctuary,... |
Feb 19 2006 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Buddha's ParanirvanaSerial: BZ-01216B Birth, Death, Nirvana, Sesshin Day 1 Parinirvana, Birth-and-Death, Nirvana, Birth-and-Death, Nirvana, Big Mind, Four Noble... |
Feb 18 2006 Berkeley Zen Center |
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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, Describe, true dharma, Teacher-and-Student,... |
Jan 31 2006 |
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BellsSerial: BZ-01211 Saturday Lecture Bell, Bell, Chanting, Subject-and-Object, Separation, Buddha Nature, Bodhisattva... |
Jan 21 2006 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Buddha's Pointing at the GroundSerial: BZ-01207 Indra's Planting a Blade of Grass, Saturday Lecture SER-4, Sanctuary, Book of Serenity, Lotus Sutra, Sangha, Buddha's Birthday,... |
Dec 10 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Buddhanature Is LightSerial: BZ-01206 Komyozo Zammai; Dogen and Keizan, Rohatsu Day 6 Buddha Nature, Dogen, Keizan, Buddha Ancestors, Buddha Nature, Continuous, Karma,... |
Dec 03 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #86: "Everyone Has Their Light"Serial: BZ-01205 Temple Storehouse, Temple Gate, Rohatsu Day 5 Ummon, BCR-86, Doubt, Buddha Nature, Darkness and Light, Buddha Ancestors, Hindrances... |
Dec 02 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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December 1st, 2005, Serial No. 01204, Side B Lotus Sutra, Buddha Nature, Two Truths, Four Noble Truths, Ego, Lay, Practice Period... |
Dec 01 2005 |
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Faith and Doubt TypesSerial: BZ-01203B Rohatsu Day 3 Faith, Doubt, Doubt, Soto Zen, Rinzai, Karma, soto, Sixth Patriarch, Platform Sutra,... |
Nov 30 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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From "Not Always So"Serial: BZ-01201B "Enlightenment Is Right Where You Are", Rohatsu Day 1 Buddha Nature, Practice, Enlightenment, Buddha Nature, Doubt, Composure, Two Truths,... |
Nov 28 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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From "Not Always So"Serial: BZ-01198 "Find Out For Yourself", Saturday Lecture Instruction, Monastic Practice, Aspects of Practice, Ego, Intuition, Big Mind,... |
Nov 12 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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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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Saving Sentient Beings of Your Own MindSerial: BZ-01191 Review of Sojun's List of Mental Formations, Saturday Lecture Gaining Mind, Anger, Buddha Nature, Bodhisattva Vow, Vows, Forgiveness, Intuition,... |
Oct 01 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Hui Neng, Sixth AncestorSerial: BZ-01189 Gatha of the Platform Sutra, Saturday Lecture Hui Neng, Platform Sutra, Composure, training, Platform Sutra, Attachment, Hate,... |
Sep 24 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Breathing OutSerial: BZ-01186 Sesshin Day 2 Breath, Pure Existence, Renunciation, Buddha Nature, Karma, Don't Know Mind, Big... |
Sep 04 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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2005.08.18-serial.00270 Evil, training, Buddha Nature, Book of Serenity, Desire |
Aug 18 2005 |
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2005.08.18-serial.00042 training, Buddha Nature, Book of Serenity, Evil, Desire |
Aug 18 2005 |
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July 23rd, 2005, Serial No. 01338 Continuous, Intuition, Big Mind, Heart Sutra, Bodhisattva Way, soto, Rinzai, Buddha... |
Jul 23 2005 |