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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SF SeminarSerial: SF-00022 Myths and legends in religious traditions; natural and supernatural language. Attachment, Heart Sutra, Religion, Emptiness, Buddha Nature, Transmission, Enemies,... |
Feb 22 1973 |
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December 3rd, 1972, Serial No. 00356 Birth-and-Death, Hate, lecture, Nirvana, Buddha Nature, Interview, Patience,... |
Dec 03 1972 |
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October 1972 talk, Serial No. 00341 Birth-and-Death, Oneness, Echo, American, Culture, Buddha Nature, Hate, Funeral,... |
Oct 1972 |
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August 12th, 1972, Serial No. 00335 Nirvana, Triple Treasure, Posture, Discrimination, Bowing, causation, Greed, Patience... |
Aug 12 1972 |
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August 6th, 1972, Serial No. 00243 realization, confusion, Buddha Nature, lecture, Pain, Silence |
Aug 06 1972 |
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August 5th, 1972, Serial No. 00242 Buddha Nature, lecture, Ceremony, Building, Rinzai, confusion |
Aug 05 1972 |
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April 4th, 1972, Serial No. 00269 Buddha Nature, Gratitude, Funeral, Hate, Silence, Building, Interdependence,... |
Apr 04 1972 |
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April 1972 talk, Serial No. 00240 Buddha Nature, Samadhi, Greed, Liberation, Community, Religion, realization, lecture... |
Apr 1972 |
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March 17th, 1972, Serial No. 00179 New Year, Monastic Practice, Buddha Nature, Triple Treasure, Delusion, Posture,... |
Mar 17 1972 |
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March 15th, 1972, Serial No. 00178 Offering, Patience, Discrimination, Nirvana, Community, training, Lotus Sutra,... |
Mar 15 1972 |
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1972, Serial No. 00238 Consciousness, Greed, Discrimination, Building, Nirvana, Describe, Community, Buddha... |
Mar 1972 |
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February 25th, 1972, Serial No. 00183 Emotions, Buddha Mind, training, Buddha Nature, realization, soto, Mahayana, Chanting... |
Feb 25 1972 |
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February 25th, 1972, Serial No. 00184 Birth-and-Death, Buddha Nature, Community, Attachment, realization, Hate, Building... |
Feb 25 1972 |
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December 4th, 1971, Serial No. 00288 Big Mind, Patience, Buddha Mind, Buddha Nature, Funeral, Compassion, Suffering... |
Dec 04 1971 |
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December 1st, 1971, Serial No. 00285 Interview, Buddha Nature, Balance, Observe, Evil, Building |
Dec 01 1971 |
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November 27th, 1971, Serial No. 00282 Consciousness, Describe, Separation, Buddha Nature, Monastic Practice, Bell,... |
Nov 27 1971 |
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November 25th, 1971, Serial No. 00281 realization, Consciousness, Buddha Nature, Describe, Nirvana |
Nov 25 1971 |
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September 28th, 1971, Serial No. 00058 Buddha Nature, Soto Zen, Diversity, Composure, American, soto, Chanting, confusion,... |
Sep 28 1971 |
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September 11th, 1971, Serial No. 00056 Precepts, Sangha, Observe, Composure, Buddha Nature, Triple Treasure, Suffering,... |
Sep 11 1971 |
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August 31st, 1971, Serial No. 00055 Buddha Nature, Birth-and-Death, Pain, Building, Instruction, Discrimination,... |
Aug 31 1971 |
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To Attain The Perfection Of Human PracticeCeremony, First Principle, Mahayana, Buddha Nature, Building, Breath, Evil, Doubt,... |
Jul 30 1971 Tassajara |
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Something Which You Cannot Understand sitting, reality, Buddha Nature, Truth, Happiness, Breath, lecture |
Jul 21 1971 Tassajara |
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Why Then Is It Necessary To Accept PreceptsPrecepts, Precepts, Big Mind, Buddha Nature, training, Religion, Observe, Priest,... |
Jul 17 1971 City Center |
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July 1971 talk, Serial No. 00254 Monastic Practice, Mindfulness, Buddha Nature, Enthusiasm, Posture, Ego, training,... |
Jul 1971 |
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June 24th, 1971, Serial No. 00255 Consciousness, Ceremony, Attachment, Buddha Nature, Impermanence, Conversation,... |
Jun 24 1971 |
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June 22nd, 1971, Serial No. 00250 Attachment, Buddha Nature, Nirvana, Lotus Sutra, Commitment, Describe, Community,... |
Jun 22 1971 |
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June 17th, 1971, Serial No. 00251 Lotus Sutra, Happiness, difficulty, Buddha Nature, Oneness, Breath, Lay, realization... |
Jun 17 1971 |
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Precepts as Original NaturePrecepts, Bodhidharma, Precepts, Concentration, Building, Posture, New Year,... |
Jun 12 1971 City Center |