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Buddha Nature Talks

In Buddhist philosophy and soteriology, Buddha-nature (Chinese: fóxìng 佛性, Japanese: busshō, Vietnamese: Phật tính, Sanskrit: buddhatā, buddha-svabhāva) is the innate potential for all sentient beings to become a Buddha or the fact that all sentient beings already have a pure Buddha-essence within themselves. "Buddha-nature" is the common English translation for several related Mahāyāna 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 Buddhism and later in 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 afflictions, 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 recognized for what it is.
The Mahāyāna Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra (2nd century CE), which was very influential in the Chinese reception of these teachings, linked the concept of tathāgatagārbha with the buddhadhātu. The term buddhadhātu originally referred to the relics of Gautama Buddha. In the Mahāyāna Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, it came to be used in place of the concept of tathāgatagārbha, reshaping the worship of physical relics of the historical Buddha into worship of the inner Buddha as a principle of salvation.
The primordial or undefiled mind, the tathāgatagārbha, is also often equated with the Buddhist philosophical concept of emptiness (śūnyatā, a Mādhyamaka concept); with the storehouse-consciousness (ālāyavijñāna, a Yogācāra concept); and with the interpenetration of all dharmas (in East Asian traditions like Huayan). The belief in Buddha-nature is central to East Asian Buddhism, which relies on key Buddha-nature sources like the Mahāyāna Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra. In Tibetan Buddhism, the concept of Buddha-nature is equally important and often studied through the key Indian treatise on Buddha-nature, the Ratnagotravibhāga (3rd–5th century CE).
Title | Speaker | |
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Tozan’s Enlightenment Buddha Nature, Practice Period, Oneness, Discrimination, Bell, Nirvana, Separation,... |
Jun 08 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Platform SutraSerial: BZ-00252 Class 4 of 9 Buddha Nature, Big Mind, Nirvana, Enemies, Samsara, Ego, Attachment, Intimacy, Doubt... |
Jun 06 1996 4 Berkeley Zen Center |
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June 4th, 1996, Serial No. 02829 Buddha Nature, Karma, Delusion |
Jun 04 1996 |
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Platform SutraSerial: BZ-00251 Class 3 of 9 Buddha Nature, Repentance, Nirvana Sutra, Evil, Duality, Karma, Confession-and-... |
May 30 1996 3 Berkeley Zen Center |
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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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Platform SutraSerial: BZ-00250 Class 2 of 9 Attachment, Buddha Nature, Dharma Transmission, Don't Know Mind, Sixth Patriarch... |
May 24 1996 2 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Lotus Sutra Class Lotus Sutra, Nirvana, Evil, Manjushri, Dragons, Vow, Buddha Nature, Emptiness,... |
May 23 1996 Green Gulch Farm |
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Taking Care of Oneself, Others and Objects of the WorldSerial: SF-02752 One-day sitting - Buddhist practice is just taking care of people, objects, spaces, body and mind. Priest, Buddha Nature, Precepts, Nirvana Sutra, Bowing, Transmission, Buddha Mind,... |
May 18 1996 Green Gulch Farm |
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Hongzhi's Practice InstructionsSerial: BZ-00810B Emptying Out, Transfer Merit, Saturday Lecture Hongzhi, Practice, Merit, Silent Illumination, Instruction, Book of Serenity, Samadhi... |
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. 00785Serial: BZ-00785 Evening lecture 3 found in rohatsu tapes 1996 Big Mind, First Principle, Ego, Evil, Light-and-Darkness, Buddha Nature, Attachment,... |
1996 |
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Serial 00786, Side B Intuition, Karmic Consequences, Attachment, Buddha Nature, Continuous Practice, Big... |
1996 |
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Desert Spirituality / Cassian and DiadochusSerial: NC-00005 Session 1 & 2 of "Continual Prayer in Eastern and Western Christianity" Talk 1: The Pursuit of Continual Prayer in Desert Spirituality Talk 2: The... OSB Cam, Buddha Nature, Buddha, Posture, Buddhism, Instruction |
1996 1 of 2 New Camaldoli Hermitage |
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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, Repentance,... |
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, Posture, Religion, Repentance, Enemies, Passions,... |
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 Buddhism Class Lotus Sutra, Mahayana, Buddha Nature, Six Realms, Instruction, Lay, Religion, Balance... |
Nov 13 1995 Unknown |
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Women in BuddhismSerial: SF-00153 Class Religion, Discrimination, Priest, Ceremony, Buddha Nature, Ego, Fundraising, Balance... |
Oct 23 1995 1 of 6 Green Gulch Farm |
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Fukanzazengi confusion, Four Noble Truths, Buddha Nature, Religion, Happiness, Duality, Non-... |
Oct 14 1995 |
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Causes and ConditionsSerial: SF-03660 One-day sitting Emptiness, Posture, Book of Serenity, Subject-and-Object, Realization, Buddha Nature... |
Oct 14 1995 Green Gulch Farm |
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Wholehearted Zen: Living Your Faith Hsin Hsin Ming, Faith, Enthusiasm, Soto Zen, Nirvana Sutra, Gratitude, Vow, Birth-and... |
Oct 11 1995 Unknown |
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Enlightenment to Faith in PracticeSerial: BZ-00821A Saturday Lecture Enlightenment, Faith, Practice, Buddha Nature, Intuition, Lotus Sutra, Vow, Ego,... |
Sep 30 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Jodo Shinshu Practice Buddha Nature, Soto Zen, Priest, Birth-and-Death, Anger, Karma, Gratitude, Chanting,... |
Sep 23 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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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 |
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Cultural Differences/Family Practice Soto Zen, Culture, First Principle, Lay Practice, Demons, Gratitude, Lay, Lineage,... |
Jul 22 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Heart SutraSerial: BZ-00745B Lecture Nirvana, Samsara, Duality, Precepts, Dependent Origination, Bodhisattva Precepts, Non... |
Jul 12 1995 2 of 4 Tassajara |
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Zen Wisdom in Everyday Tasks Ordinary Mind, Dragons, Buddha Nature, Bowing, Offering |
Jul 10 1995 |
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KarmaSerial: BZ-00829A Saturday Lecture Karma, Fox, Karma, Buddha Nature, Funeral, Birth-and-Death, Continuous Practice,... |
Jul 08 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Metta SuttaSerial: BZ-00830B Saturday Lecture Metta Sutta, Anger, Birth-and-Death, Buddha Nature, Peace, Nirvana, Gratitude,... |
Jul 01 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Master Hongzhi/Three Bodies Practice Period, Buddha Nature, Big Mind, Peace, Lay Practice, Buddha Mind, Subject-... |
May 06 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Integrating Zen into Daily Work Buddha Nature, Community, Sangha, Balance, Money |
Apr 18 1995 |
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Zen Harmony: Embracing Impermanence TogetherSerial: RB-00935A Sesshin Practice, Buddha Nature, Sandokai |
Apr 05 1995 Crestone Zen Mountain Center |
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Chiji Shingi and Metta Sutta: Transformative States of ConsciousnessSerial: BZ-00762 Class 7 of 10 Discrimination, Absolute-and-Relative, Soto Zen, Practice Period, Buddha Nature,... |
Mar 09 1995 7 Tassajara |
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Memories of Suzuki Roshi Buddha Nature, Transmission, Buddha Mind, Patience, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center,... |
Mar 04 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Chiji Shinji and Metta Sutta: Work PracticeSerial: BZ-00761 Class 6 of 10 Intuition, Emotions, Buddha Nature, Book of Serenity, Absolute-and-Relative, Duality... |
Mar 04 1995 6 Tassajara |
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Mumonkan Case #35 Happiness, Blue Cliff Record, Separation, Interview, Buddha Nature, Attachment,... |
Feb 25 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Embrace Present Awareness Authentically Buddha Nature, Buddha Mind, Money |
Feb 12 1995 |
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Sandokai and Soto PracticeSerial: BZ-00947A Lecture Big Mind, Branching Streams, Practice Period, Light-and-Darkness, Oneness, Ordinary... |
Jan 14 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Ceremonies, Intention and GratitudeSerial: BZ-00948A Lecture Bodhisattva Ceremony, Vow, Gratitude, Precepts, Buddha Nature, Karma, Demons,... |
Dec 17 1994 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Heart Sutra, Last SectionSerial: BZ-00949 Rohatsu Day 7 Heart Sutra, Hindrances, Heart Sutra, Daily Life, Nirvana, Buddha Nature, Ego,... |
Dec 10 1994 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Heart Sutra: Setting the SceneSerial: BZ-00952B Skandas and Emptiness, Rohatsu Day 4 Heart Sutra, Skandas, Emptiness, Heart Sutra, Four Noble Truths, Non-duality, Samadhi... |
Dec 07 1994 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #44Serial: BZ-00954A Becoming One with the Drum, Saturday Lecture Oneness, BCR-44, Subject-and-Object, Daily Life, Concentration, Buddha Mind,... |
Nov 19 1994 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Stanford Practice, GenjokoanSerial: BZ-00955A Lecture Buddha Nature, Religion, Don't Know Mind, Impermanence, Mindfulness, Daily Life... |
Nov 12 1994 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #86Serial: BZ-00957A Saturday Lecture BCR-86, Doubt, Buddha Nature, Gaining Mind, Light-and-Darkness, Duality, Blue Cliff... |
Oct 15 1994 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Mumonkan: Case #12Serial: BZ-00934B Zuigan Calls Himself, Saturday Lecture Zuigan, MM-12, Demons, Big Mind, Continuous Practice, Buddha Nature, Birth-and-Death... |
Sep 24 1994 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Working with the PreceptsSerial: BZ-00934A Lecture Precepts, Repentance, Vow, Interdependence, Buddha Nature, Enemies, Right Speech,... |
Sep 17 1994 Berkeley Zen Center |