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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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Discovering Self Through Zen MindSerial: RB-00906A Sesshin Buddhism, Buddha Nature, Work |
Sep 1994 Roseburg |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #50Serial: BZ-00940A Saturday Lecture BCR-50, Samadhi, Doubt, Platform Sutra, confusion, Lotus Sutra, Birth-and-Death,... |
Jul 16 1994 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Book of Serenity: Shoyoruko (Book of Equanimity)Serial: BZ-00238 Class 5 of 5 First Principle, Buddha Nature, War, Ordinary Mind, Duality, Practice Period,... |
Jun 02 1994 5 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Book of SerenitySerial: BZ-00237 Class 4 of 5 Hate, Discrimination, confusion, Buddha Nature, Precepts, Duality, Non-discrimination... |
May 27 1994 4 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Tozan's PoemSerial: BZ-00962B No Gap; Don't Objectify, Saturday Lecture Tozan, Subject-and-Object, Separation, Practice Period, Subject-and-Object, Book of... |
Apr 16 1994 Berkeley Zen Center |
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This Moment's ActivitySerial: BZ-00108A Sesshin Day 1 Samadhi, Bell, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Offering, Posture, Buddha Nature, Ego,... |
Mar 24 1994 Tassajara |
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Platform Sutra: Monk FaTa; Life and DeathSerial: BZ-00551 Class 9 of 10 Lotus Sutra, Birth-and-Death, Happiness, Soto Zen, Karmic Consciousness, Karma,... |
Mar 22 1994 9 Tassajara |
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Platform SutraSerial: BZ-00557 Class 7 of 10 Evil, Big Mind, Discrimination, Buddha Nature, Hindrances, Five Ranks, Nirvana, Soto... |
Mar 04 1994 7 Tassajara |
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Essence of ZenSerial: BZ-00227 Class 3 of 3 Precepts, Practice Period, Priest, Culture, Dream World, Lay, Ordination, Interview,... |
Mar 02 1994 3 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Parinirvana Sutra and Suzuki Roshi’s LegacySerial: BZ-00980B Lecture Nirvana Sutra, Buddha Nature, Precepts, Nirvana, Impermanence, Daily Life, Tassajara... |
Feb 12 1994 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Mumonkan: Case #10Serial: BZ-00980A Essence of Mind "Alone and Poor", Saturday Lecture MM-10, Attachment, Greed, Practice Period, Buddha Nature, Tassajara Zen Mountain... |
Feb 05 1994 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Platform SutraSerial: BZ-00559 Class 2 of 10 Platform Sutra, Buddha Nature, Dharma Transmission, Transmission, Evil, Lotus Sutra,... |
Jan 19 1994 2 Tassajara |
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Platform SutraSerial: BZ-00558 Class 1 of 10 Sixth Patriarch, Buddha Nature, Evil, Ordination, Platform Sutra, Instruction, Lay,... |
Jan 14 1994 1 Tassajara |
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Zen Vision: Beyond Illusion and FormSerial: RB-00891 Seminar_The_Eye_of_the_Truth Buddha Nature, Nirvana, Koan |
1994 Münster |
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Refining Your LifeSerial: BZ-01497A Rohatsu Day 3 Tenzo Kyokun, Bell, Sanctuary, Emotions, Book of Serenity, Soto Zen, Discrimination,... |
Dec 01 1993 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Saturday Lecture Buddha, Buddha Nature, Time |
Nov 13 1993 City Center |
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Nagarajuna and Dogen on BuddhanatureSerial: BZ-00659B Happiness, Reward, and Love, One-Day Sitting Buddha Nature, Happiness, Love, Buddha Nature, Happiness, Birth-and-Death, Daily Life... |
Nov 07 1993 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #2Serial: BZ-00657A Joshu's "The Way Is Not Difficult", Saturday Lecture Joshu, BCR-2, confusion, Attachment, Hate, Buddha Nature, Daily Life, Emotions,... |
Sep 18 1993 Berkeley Zen Center |
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1993 Parliament of World ReligionsSerial: BZ-00628A Seeking Common Ground, Sesshin Day 1 Religion, Current Events, Religion, American, Politics, Separation, Buddha Nature,... |
Sep 04 1993 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Trusting Relationships in Zen Practice Greed, Passions, Buddha Nature, Desire, Attachment |
Jun 28 1993 |
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Practice and BoredomSerial: BZ-00670A Sesshin Day 5 Zazen, Stillness, Daily Life, Pure Existence, Doubt, Posture, Soto Zen, Separation,... |
Jun 13 1993 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Transmission of LightSerial: BZ-00219 Class 4 of 5 Buddha Nature, Offering, Evil, Eight Awarenesses, Lineage, Buddha Ancestors, Duality... |
May 27 1993 4 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Transmission of the LightSerial: SF-00041 Wednesday night teisho Birth-and-Death, Buddha Nature, Karmic Consequences, Karma, Attachment, Delusion,... |
May 26 1993 |
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Transmission of Light: The 38th Ancestor Seigen Gyoshi; Not Getting Caught in StagesSerial: BZ-00666B Saturday Lecture Seigen Gyoshi, Liberation, Lineage, Buddha Nature, Bodhidharma, Current Events, Don... |
May 22 1993 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Transmission of LightSerial: BZ-00214 Class 3 of 5 Attachment, Passions, Four Noble Truths, Offering, Buddha Nature, Lineage, Don't... |
May 20 1993 3 Berkeley Zen Center |
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A Reworking of the Prajna Paramita Sutra in 8000 LinesSerial: BZ-00666A Lecture Perfect Wisdom, Buddha Nature, Heart Sutra, Buddha Mind, Subject-and-Object,... |
May 17 1993 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Keizan’s Transmitting Light; Tung Shan: the Teaching of Inanimate ThingsSerial: BZ-00665B Lecture Attachment, Discrimination, Lotus Sutra, War, Birth-and-Death, Practice Period,... |
May 15 1993 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Transmission of LightSerial: BZ-00212 Class 1 of 5 Monastic Practice, Transmission, Buddha Nature, Teacher-and-Student, Continuous... |
May 06 1993 1 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Lay Ordination and Priest OrdinationSerial: BZ-00661A Sesshin Day 1 Ordination, Priest-and-Lay, Priest, Ordination, Lay, Lay Practice, Karma, Commitment... |
Mar 13 1993 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Awakening Through Zen's Living Connection Precepts, Thich Nhat Hanh, Heart Sutra, Bell, Buddha Nature |
Mar 10 1993 |
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The Four Modes or Categories of Master RinzaiSerial: BZ-00649B Saturday Lecture Rinzai, Mindfulness, Discrimination, Daily Life, Constancy, Ego, Samadhi, Big Mind,... |
Mar 06 1993 Berkeley Zen Center |
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What is Meant by Saving All Beings?Serial: BZ-00648A Hui Neng, The Platform Sutra, One-Day Sitting Hui Neng, Platform Sutra, Vow, Four Noble Truths, Buddha Nature, Greed, Attachment,... |
Jan 31 1993 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Ten Precepts: Overview and First PreceptSerial: BZ-00616 Class 1 of 6 Precepts, Bodhisattva Precepts, Lineage, Mahayana, Ordination, Bodhidharma, Monastic... |
Jan 14 1993 1 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Shakyamuni BuddhaSerial: BZ-00645B Lecture Concentration, Nirvana, Culture, Buddha Nature, Attachment, Beginners, Posture,... |
Dec 12 1992 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Day Off Class ZazenshinSerial: BZ-01483 Class 6 of 6 Doubt, Commitment, Intuition, Buddha Nature, Discrimination, Big Mind, Darkness-and-... |
Nov 19 1992 6 |
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Day Off ClassSerial: BZ-01484 Class 5 of 6 Precepts, Buddha Ancestors, Transmission, Silent Illumination, Buddha Nature, Current... |
Nov 14 1992 5 |
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Embracing Zen's Messy Truths Priest, Buddha Nature, Silence, Hate, Koan |
Nov 08 1992 |
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Zen in Everyday Life Unveiled Silence, Priest, Buddha Nature, Hate, Koan |
Nov 08 1992 |
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Day Off ClassSerial: BZ-01481 Class 4 of 6 Duality, Birth-and-Death, Non-duality, Buddha Nature, Silence, Subject-and-Object,... |
Oct 24 1992 4 |
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Day Off ClassSerial: BZ-01480 Class 2 of 6 Dragons, Gaining Mind, Sixth Patriarch, Dharma Transmission, Subject-and-Object,... |
Oct 14 1992 2 |
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The Dragon Who Never Sleeps: Taisho on Gathas and their UseSerial: BZ-00640 Lecture Vow, Priest, Bodhisattva Precepts, Right Speech, Lay, Mahayana, Evil, Practice Period... |
Oct 12 1992 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Balance: Relax Your MindSerial: BZ-00639B Lecture Culture, Buddha Nature, Samsara, Gratitude, Bodhidharma, Evil, Concentration, Bell,... |
Oct 10 1992 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Living Mindfully Beyond Emotions Emotions, Buddha Nature, Sanctuary, Equanimity, Desire |
Sep 20 1992 |
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Living Zen: Everyday Enlightenment Emotions, Buddha Nature, Sanctuary, Desire, Equanimity |
Sep 20 1992 |
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Genjokoan: Manifesting Larger Being Through Small BeingSerial: BZ-00635A Lecture Subject-and-Object, Big Mind, Absolute-and-Relative, Duality, Religion, Impermanence... |
Aug 22 1992 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Mumonkan Case #30: Baso’s This Very Mind is BuddhaSerial: BZ-00633B Lecture Buddha Mind, Instruction, Buddha Nature, Transmission, Hate, Posture, American, Ego... |
Aug 01 1992 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Mumonkan, Case #1: Joshu’s Mu and the Importance and Significance of the Lotus SutraSerial: BZ-00633A Lecture Lotus Sutra, Buddha Nature, Four Noble Truths, Three Treasures, Book of Serenity,... |
Jul 25 1992 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Communion and CommunicationSerial: BZ-00631B Saturday Lecture First Principle, Discrimination, Intuition, Duality, Bodhisattva Precepts, Monastic... |
Jul 11 1992 Berkeley Zen Center |
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GenjokoanSerial: BZ-00709B Sesshin Day 2 Genjokoan, Buddha Nature, Duality, Samsara, Birth-and-Death, Nirvana, Non-duality,... |
Jun 25 1992 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Mumonkan Cases #30 & 33: Baso’s Two Responses: Buddha is Mind, Buddha is not MindSerial: BZ-00708B Lecture Intuition, Culture, Transmission, Ordinary Mind, Subject-and-Object, Teacher-and-... |
Jun 20 1992 Berkeley Zen Center |