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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May 24th, 1997, Serial No. 00364, Side B Buddha Nature, Pure Existence, Anger, Practice Period, Karma, Renewal, Bodhisattva... |
May 24 1997 |
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Nansen Cuts the CatSerial: BZ-00363B Saturday Lecture Nansen, Book of Serenity, Don't Know Mind, Subject-and-Object, Duality, Precepts... |
May 17 1997 Berkeley Zen Center |
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May 15th, 1997, Serial No. 00539 Precepts, Offering, Evil, Buddha Nature, Anger, Sixth Patriarch, Emotions, Addiction... |
May 15 1997 |
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May 15th, 1997, Serial No. 01457 Precepts, Offering, Evil, Anger, Buddha Nature, Emotions, Addiction, Sixth Patriarch... |
May 15 1997 |
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May 8th, 1997, Serial No. 01455 Precepts, Buddha Nature, Perfect Wisdom, Sangha, Buddha Mind, Birth-and-Death,... |
May 08 1997 |
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May 8th, 1997, Serial No. 00672 Precepts, Buddha Nature, Buddha Mind, Sangha, Perfect Wisdom, Evil, Mahayana, Birth-... |
May 08 1997 |
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1997.05.07-serial.00003 Ceremony, Thich Nhat Hanh, Concentration, Balance, Buddha Nature |
May 07 1997 |
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1997.05.07-serial.00124 Ceremony, Thich Nhat Hanh, Concentration, Balance, Buddha Nature |
May 07 1997 |
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April 5th, 1997, Serial No. 00361, Side B Buddha's Birthday, Lay, Buddha Nature, Peace |
Apr 05 1997 |
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Mumonkan: Case #12Serial: BZ-00782B Zuigan Checks Himself, Saturday Lecture Zuigan, MM-12, Ego, Big Mind, Buddha Nature, Peace, training, Birth-and-Death,... |
Feb 08 1997 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Title UnknownSerial: BZ-00808A Rohatsu Day 4 Instruction, Concentration, Buddha Nature, Sixth Patriarch, Continuous, Teacher-and-... |
Dec 05 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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October 26th, 1996, Serial No. 00789, Side B Buddha Nature, Bodhisattva Vow, Precepts, Vows, Enemies, Bodhisattva Precepts, Lay,... |
Oct 26 1996 |
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Mumonkan: Case #46Serial: BZ-00789A 100 Foot Pole, Barriers in Practice, Saturday Lecture MM-46, Beginners, Sixth Patriarch, Lotus Sutra, Non-duality, Birth-and-Death, Buddha... |
Oct 19 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #41Serial: BZ-00790B Ashes in the Students' Eyes., Saturday Lecture BCR-41, Ego, true dharma, Monastic Practice, Priest, Buddha Nature, Lay, Bodhidharma... |
Oct 12 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Five Lords or PowersSerial: BZ-00792A Saturday Lecture Concentration, Mindfulness, Buddha Nature, Offering, Bowing, Ego, Samadhi, Daily Life... |
Sep 06 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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More Hongzhi: Oriyoki, Birth & DeathSerial: BZ-00793B Sesshin Day 3 Hongzhi, Birth-and-Death, Oryoki, Birth-and-Death, Posture, Buddha Nature, Emotions,... |
Sep 02 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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1996.09.DD-serial.00259 Practice Period, Dharma Transmission, Buddha Nature, Zendo, Building |
Sep 1996 |
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Hongzhi: Can't Find Oneness; Finding Our True PersonalitySerial: BZ-00793A Sesshin Day 2 Hongzhi, Oneness, Buddha Nature, Constancy, Emotions, Posture, Don't Know Mind,... |
Sep 01 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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August 29th, 1996, Serial No. 00256 Ego, Buddha Nature, Discrimination, Attachment, Karmic Consciousness, Big Mind,... |
Aug 29 1996 |
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August 22nd, 1996, Serial No. 00257 Lotus Sutra, Ego, Buddha Nature, Aspects of Practice, Heart Sutra, Bodhidharma,... |
Aug 22 1996 |
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August 8th, 1996, Serial No. 00255 Lotus Sutra, Buddha Nature, Heart Sutra, Mahayana, Sixth Patriarch, Samsara, Building... |
Aug 08 1996 |
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Bodhisattva CeremonySerial: BZ-00799B Saturday Lecture Bodhisattva Ceremony, Karma, Four Noble Truths, Teacher-and-Student, Buddha Nature,... |
Jul 06 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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June 21st, 1996, Serial No. 00801, Side B Practice Period, Platform Sutra, Intimacy, Attachment, Buddha Nature, Composure,... |
Jun 21 1996 |
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June 8th, 1996, Serial No. 00802, Side B Buddha Nature, Practice Period, Oneness, resistance, Discrimination, Bell, Nirvana,... |
Jun 08 1996 |
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June 6th, 1996, Serial No. 00252 Buddha Nature, Big Mind, Nirvana, Enemies, Samsara, Ego, Attachment, Intimacy, Doubt... |
Jun 06 1996 |
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May 30th, 1996, Serial No. 00251 Buddha Nature, Repentance, Nirvana Sutra, Evil, Duality, Karma, Confession-and-... |
May 30 1996 |
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Mumonkan: Case #25Serial: BZ-00803B Hui Neng Bed & Bowl, Saturday Lecture Hui Neng, MM-25, Evil, Lay, Sixth Patriarch, Platform Sutra, Dharma Transmission,... |
May 25 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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May 24th, 1996, Serial No. 00250 Attachment, Buddha Nature, Dharma Transmission, Don't Know Mind, Sixth Patriarch... |
May 24 1996 |
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Hongzhi's Practice InstructionsSerial: BZ-00810B Emptying Out, Transfer Merit, Saturday Lecture Hongzhi, Practice, Merit, Silent Illumination, Echo, Instruction, Book of Serenity,... |
Feb 25 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Meal ChantSerial: BZ-00810A Saturday Lecture Chanting, Nirvana, Perfect Wisdom, Lotus Sutra, Offering, Buddha Nature, Precepts,... |
Feb 18 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Eight Awarenesses of an Enlightened BeingSerial: BZ-00811B Saturday Lecture Eight Awarenesses, Parinirvana, Eight Awarenesses, Nirvana, Samadhi, Nirvana Sutra,... |
Feb 11 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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ial No. 00785 Big Mind, First Principle, Ego, Evil, Light-and-Darkness, Buddha Nature, Attachment,... |
1996 |
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Dogen's Four Methods of GuidanceSerial: BZ-00814A Saturday Lecture Four Methods of Guidance, New Year, Offering, Greed, Precepts, Renunciation, Anger,... |
Dec 14 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Gratitude, Constant Practice and the ConsciousnessesSerial: BZ-00815A Rohatsu Day 7 Gratitude, Consciousness, Gratitude, Big Mind, Ego, Buddha Nature, Aspects of... |
Dec 09 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Title UnknownSerial: BZ-00816B Rohatsu Day 5 Repentance, Precepts, Evil, Buddha Nature, Anger, Practice Period, Ordination, Vinaya... |
Dec 07 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Title UnknownSerial: BZ-00816A Rohatsu Day 4 Thoroughness, Buddha Nature, Ego, resistance, Posture, Religion, Repentance, Enemies... |
Dec 06 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Title UnknownSerial: BZ-00817B Rohatsu Day 3 Posture, Discrimination, Building, War, Daily Life, Buddha Nature, Harmonizing,... |
Dec 05 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Title UnknownSerial: BZ-00817A Rohatsu Day 2 Birth-and-Death, Buddha Nature, Karma, Evil, Nirvana, Impermanence, Family Practice,... |
Dec 04 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Women in BuddhismSerial: SF-00153 Class Religion, Discrimination, Priest, Ceremony, Bodhisattva Vow, Buddha Nature, Ego,... |
Oct 23 1995 1 of 6 Green Gulch Farm |
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October 14th, 1995, Serial No. 00820, Side A confusion, Four Noble Truths, Buddha Nature, Religion, Happiness, Describe, Duality,... |
Oct 14 1995 |
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Enlightenment to Faith in PracticeSerial: BZ-00821A Saturday Lecture Enlightenment, Faith, Practice, Buddha Nature, Intuition, Lotus Sutra, Vows, Aspects... |
Sep 30 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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September 23rd, 1995, Serial No. 00822, Side B Buddha Nature, Soto Zen, Priest, Birth-and-Death, Anger, Karma, Gratitude, soto,... |
Sep 23 1995 |
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Enmei Jukku Kannon Gyo #1Serial: BZ-00824A Sesshin Day 1 Enmei Jukku Kannon Gyo, Buddha Nature, Bell, Religion, Sangha, Anger, Nirvana Sutra,... |
Sep 02 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |