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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).

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Title Speaker

Embracing Flow: Zen's Middle Way

Buddha Nature, Soto Zen, Diversity, Composure, American, Chanting, confusion,...
Sep 28 1971

Unveiling Freedom through Renunciation

Precepts, Sangha, Observe, Composure, Buddha Nature, Three Treasures, Suffering,...
Sep 11 1971

Embracing Transience Through Zen Living

Buddha Nature, Birth-and-Death, Pain, Building, Instruction, Discrimination,...
Aug 31 1971

To Attain The Perfection Of Human Practice

Ceremony, First Principle, Mahayana, Buddha Nature, Building, Breath, Evil, Doubt,...
Jul 30 1971
Tassajara

Something Which You Cannot Understand

Buddha Nature, Truth, Happiness, Breath
Jul 21 1971
Tassajara

Why Then Is It Necessary To Accept Precepts

Precepts, Precepts, Big Mind, Buddha Nature, Religion, Observe, Priest, Zazen,...
Jul 17 1971
City Center

Ego's Illusion and Mindful Growth

Monastic Practice, Mindfulness, Buddha Nature, Enthusiasm, Posture, Ego, Meditation,...
Jul 1971

Swirling Waters of Impermanence

Consciousness, Ceremony, Attachment, Buddha Nature, Impermanence, Conversation,...
Jun 24 1971

Embracing Impermanence Through Buddhist Insight

Attachment, Buddha Nature, Nirvana, Lotus Sutra, Commitment, Community, Evil,...
Jun 22 1971

Unveiling Buddha Nature in Daily Life

Lotus Sutra, Happiness, difficulty, Buddha Nature, Oneness, Breath, Lay, Realization...
Jun 17 1971

Precepts as Original Nature

Precepts, Bodhidharma, Precepts, Concentration, Building, Posture, New Year,...
Jun 12 1971
City Center

The Teaching Just for You

Serial: SR-00147

Sesshin Lecture No. 1
Saturday, June 5, 1971
San Francisco

Sesshin, Precepts, Dragons, Bodhidharma, Truth, Buddha Nature, Politics, Transmission...
Jun 05 1971
City Center

Catching Space: Zen's Living Wisdom

Breath, Compassion, Observe, Posture, Buddha Nature, Consciousness, Precepts, Silence...
Apr 27 1971

Zen Symbols: Path to True Self

Birth-and-Death, Ego, Gratitude, Subject-and-Object, Buddha Nature, Evil, Suffering,...
Apr 10 1971

Rooting Zen: Beyond Ego Illusions

Happiness, Consciousness, Don't Know Mind, Buddha Nature, Delusion, Bell,...
Apr 05 1971

Breaking Free: Effort and Mindfulness

Breath, difficulty, Consciousness, Buddha Nature, Obstacles, Posture, Ceremony,...
Apr 04 1971

Breath, Mind, and Zen Harmony

Breath, Posture, Buddha Nature, Evil, Instruction, Meditation
Apr 02 1971

Aligning Breath with True Nature

Breath, Buddha Nature, Delusion, Ego, Building
Apr 02 1971

Advancing Towards Everyday Enlightenment

Bell, Community, Buddha Nature, Discrimination, Dragons, Mahayana, Conversation,...
Jan 19 1971

Enlightenment: A Journey Beyond Attainment

Discrimination, Pain, Beginners, Buddha Nature, Religion, Interdependence, Lineage,...
1971

Unwavering Practice: Path to Awakening

Soto Zen, Birth-and-Death, Buddha Nature, Building, Continuous Practice, Ceremony,...
Nov 20 1970

Silent Acceptance in Zen Practice

Silence, Patience, Buddha Nature, Mahayana, American, Community
Oct 05 1970

Zen Harmony: Beyond Rituals

Ceremony, Chanting, Buddha Nature, Posture, Lay, Bowing, Oneness, Culture, Emotions...
Sep 13 1970

When Someone Receives Transmission

Serial: SR-00071

Tuesday, August 25, 1970
San Francisco

Dharma Transmission, Richard Baker, Japan, Ceremony, Transmission, Priest, Buddha...
Aug 25 1970
City Center

Walk like an Elephant and Sitting like a Frog

Serial: SR-00066

True Practice As Expression Of Buddha-Nature
Sesshin Lecture No. 2
Sunday, August 2, 1970
San Francisco

Sesshin, Sengai, Buddha Nature, Family Practice, War, Bodhidharma, Zazen, Monks...
Aug 02 1970
City Center

Observation of Precepts and Practice of Zazen is Same Thing

Serial: SF-06049

Sesshin Lecture No. 1
Saturday, August 1, 1970
San Francisco

Sesshin, Precepts, Precepts, Doubt, Buddha Nature, Faith, Ceremony, Ordination, Lay,...
Aug 01 1970
City Center

Universal Buddha Nature in All Beings

Emotions, Mindfulness, Observe, Anger, Buddha Nature, Patience, Obstacles, Hindrances...
Aug 01 1970

Harmonizing Mind Through Natural Presence

Bell, Breath, Buddha Nature, Posture, American, Instruction, Building
Jul 30 1970

Ekō Lecture 6

Serial: SR-00230

The Fourth Morning Eko
Wednesday, July 15, 1970
Tassajara

[This is the last in a series of six lectures by Suzuki on the four ekos chanted at the conclusion of...

Eko, Chanting, Monks, Priest, Offering, Buddha Nature, Wisdom, Observe, Separation,...
Jul 15 1970
Tassajara

Embrace Presence Through Zen Practice

Obstacles, Buddha Nature, Hate, Hindrances, causation, Enemies, Observe, confusion,...
Jul 14 1970

Ekō Lecture 2

Serial: SR-00229

The Second Morning Eko, Part 1 of 3
Friday Evening, July 10, 1970
Tassajara

[This is the second in a series of six lectures by Suzuki on the four ekos chanted...

Eko, Chanting, Chanting, Anger, Buddha Nature, Mahayana, Karma, Meditation, Doubt,...
Jul 10 1970
Tassajara

Mind's Path to Liberation

Attachment, Buddha Nature, Observe, Liberation, Sanctuary, Building, Precepts,...
Jul 07 1970

Integrating Buddha Nature Through Practice

Obstacles, Hindrances, Buddha Nature, Consciousness, Ego, Delusion, Religion,...
Jul 06 1970

Without Any Idea of Attainment

Serial: SR-00061

Sandokai Lecture VIII
Wednesday, June 17, 1970
Tassajara

[The following lines of the Sandokai are discussed in this lecture:

Line 21 Manako wa iro,...

Branching Streams, Sandokai, Precepts, Subject-and-Object, Oneness, Monks, Observe,...
Jun 17 1970
Tassajara

Embracing Liberation Through Zen Robes

Mahayana, Happiness, Buddha Nature, Discrimination, Culture, Anger, Building...
Jun 16 1970

Today We May Be Very Happy

Serial: SR-00057

Sandokai Lecture VI
Wednesday, June 10, 1970
Tassajara

[This lecture is concerned with the following lines of the Sandokai:

Shiki moto shitsuzo wo...

Branching Streams, Sandokai, Happiness, Zazen, Suffering, Pain, Buddha Nature,...
Jun 10 1970
Tassajara

Buddha Is Always Here

Serial: SR-00051

Sandokai Lecture III
Monday, June 1, 1970
Tassajara

[The following lines of the Sandokai are discussed in this lecture:

Line 5 Reigen myoni kokettari...

Branching Streams, Sandokai, Emptiness, Buddha Nature, Suffering, Truth, Compassion,...
Jun 01 1970
Tassajara

Money And Labor

Serial: SR-00046

Sunday Morning, May 24, 1970
City Center, San Francisco

Buddha Nature, Discrimination, Monks, Priest, Faith
May 24 1970
City Center

Zen Wisdom: Path to True Nature

Mahayana, Precepts, Patience, Meditation, Enemies, Observe, Buddha Nature, Building,...
May 12 1970

Sincere Practice and Way-Seeking Mind

Serial: SR-00043

Sesshin Lecture No. 3, Sunday, May 3, 1970
San Francisco

Sesshin, American, Transmission, Buddha Nature, Hate, Realization, Offering, Building...
May 03 1970
City Center

Sincere Practice

Serial: SR-00140

How To Have Sincere Practice
Tuesday, April 28, 1970
San Francisco

Tatsugami, Dogen, Precepts, Monks, Intuition, Don't Know Mind, Posture, Buddha...
Apr 28 1970
City Center

Lecture To Prof. Lewis R. Lancaster's Visiting Class

Serial: SR-00259

Practice and enlightnment as forgetting and letting go of everything. Even if we don't know what real practice is, continuing and allowing it to reveal itself. Answering...

Buddha, Emptiness, Zazen, Don't Know Mind, Emptiness, Building, Suzuki Roshi,...
Mar 01 1970
Tassajara

Selflessness, Being and Non-Being: The Background of Shikantaza

Serial: SR-00261

Sesshin Lecture No. 1:
Monday, February 23, 1970
San Francisco

Sesshin, Buddha Nature, Emptiness, Evil, Mahayana, Posture, Freedom, Continuous...
Feb 23 1970
City Center

Brown Rice is Just Right

Serial: SR-00247

Morning Sesshin Lecture
Sunday, February 1, 1970
City Center

Sesshin, Emptiness, Discrimination, Buddha Nature, Hate, Suffering, Pain, difficulty...
Feb 01 1970
City Center

Caring for the Soil

Serial: SR-00199

Mahayana and Hinayana Buddhism
Sunday, January 25, 1970
San Francisco

Emptiness, Mahayana, Buddha Nature, difficulty, Greed, Gratitude, Hate
Jan 25 1970
City Center

Awakening Within: Embrace Your Buddha Nature

New Year, Don't Know Mind, difficulty, Buddha Nature, Meditation, Chanting,...
Dec 28 1969

Some Questions

Lotus Sutra, Time, Ego, Wisdom, Passions, Mindfulness, Buddha Nature, Culture,...
Nov 11 1969

Lotus Sutra, Lecture No. III-4

Serial: SR-00038

[Third Lotus Sutra Series]
Saturday Evening, October 25, 1969
Zen Mountain Center

Lotus Sutra, First Principle, Wisdom, Buddha Nature, Sutra, Priest, Mahayana,...
Oct 25 1969
Series 3, Talk 4
Tassajara

New Students' Questions

Serial: SR-00211

Tuesday, October 14, 1969
San Francisco

Question-and-Answer, War, Buddha Nature, Addiction, Diversity, Vow, Continuous...
Oct 14 1969

Beyond Words: Living Zen Wisdom

Silence, difficulty, Meditation, Buddha Mind, Enemies, Buddha Nature, Discrimination...
Oct 07 1969

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