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.
Title | Speaker | |
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The Dharma of Martin Luther King Non-violence, Liberation, Interdependence, Global Warming, Anger, Hate, Buddha Nature... |
Jan 12 2013 |
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The Virtue of the Bodhisattva's Delayed Gratification Buddha Nature, Bowing, Faith, Suzuki Roshi |
Dec 15 2012 Afternoon No Abode Hermitage |
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A Candle in the Dark Practice Position, Darkness and Light, Five Ranks, Lotus Sutra, Gratitude, Commitment... |
Nov 24 2012 |
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Including the Self Ego, Practice Period, Aspects of Practice, Big Mind, Family Practice, Silence, Anger... |
Nov 03 2012 |
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Buddhas and Sentient Beings Silence, Evil, Buddha Nature, Book of Serenity, Five Ranks, Bodhisattva Ceremony,... |
Oct 06 2012 |
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Raihai Tokuzui Vinaya, Buddha Nature, causation, Karma, Precepts, Culture, soto, Soto Zen, Religion... |
Sep 02 2012 3 |
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Mother and Father in Zen Practice Birth-and-Death, Fox, Intuition, Impermanence, Attachment, Teacher-and-Student,... |
Aug 11 2012 |
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Facing Change and Realizing Peace Commitment, Soto Zen, difficulty, Obstacles, Buddha Nature |
Aug 09 2012 The Yoga Room |
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2012.08.02-serial.00146 Offering, Observe, Don't Know Mind, Religion, Buddha Nature, Impermanence,... |
Aug 02 2012 |
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Getting to Yes with Giving In Vows, Heart Sutra, Practice Period, Karma, Bodhisattva Ceremony, Precepts, Culture,... |
Jun 02 2012 |
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Dharma Transmission Transmission, Buddha Nature, Dharma Transmission, Lineage, Dragons, Precepts,... |
Apr 28 2012 |
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Three Stories About Love Karma, Humility, Buddha Mind, Conversation, Big Mind, Separation, Instruction, Buddha... |
Apr 14 2012 |
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Baoche's Fanning Platform Sutra, Birth-and-Death, Soto Zen, soto, Heart Sutra, Passions, uchiyama,... |
Mar 24 2012 |
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Money is PureSerial: BZ-02231 Money and Labor Talk by Suzuki Roshi, Sesshin Day 2 Dogen, Cooking, Dana Paramita, Fox, Culture, Evil, Building, First Principle, Buddha... |
Feb 19 2012 Part 1 of 2 Berkeley Zen Center |
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The Teaching Just For You Dragons, Observe, Culture, Buddha Nature, American, Interdependence, Bodhidharma,... |
Dec 09 2011 |
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The Cosmic Frog Hindrances, Big Mind, Discrimination, confusion, Duality, Posture, Buddha Nature, Non... |
Dec 08 2011 |
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Being Time Beginners, Ordination, Mindfulness, Buddha Nature, Priest, Funeral, Gratitude,... |
Dec 05 2011 |
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Sesshin Practice Monkey Mind, Concentration, Big Mind, Buddha Nature, Aspects of Practice, Describe,... |
Dec 04 2011 |
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The Little Hare and the FruitSerial: BZ-02217 Seeing Things "As It Is", Saturday Lecture Non-discrimination, Birth-and-Death, Impermanence, Bell, Birth-and-Death, Fasting,... |
Dec 03 2011 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Non-Attachment to Buddha Nature Is Buddha Nature Priest-and-Lay, Monastic Practice, Buddha Nature, Priest, Lay, Transmission, Non-... |
Nov 05 2011 |
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Investigating the Heart of our Forms Sanctuary, Aspects of Practice, Instruction, Buddha Nature, Book of Serenity,... |
Oct 22 2011 |
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Anything Is Possible Repentance, Buddha Nature, Anger, Humility, Bodhisattva Ceremony, Ordinary Mind,... |
Aug 13 2011 |
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Zazenshin Class Transmission, Peace, Silence, Beginners, Instruction, Fundraising, Posture, Buddha... |
May 12 2011 1 |
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Denkoroku Class - Ungo Doyo Daiosho Offering, Transmission, Monastic Practice, Evil, Demons, Intuition, Discrimination,... |
Feb 20 2011 |
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DenkorokuSerial: BZ-02158 Kabimora Daiosho -The Thirteenth Ancestor, Sesshin Day 1 Soto Zen, Transmission of Light, Discrimination, Demons, Echo, Six Realms, Buddha... |
Feb 19 2011 Part 2 of 4 Berkeley Zen Center |
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You Can't Make a Date with EnlightenmentSerial: BZ-02149 Not Always So, Rohatsu Day 7 Sangha, Duality, Intuition, Composure, Buddha Nature, Humility, Continuous, Daily... |
Dec 11 2010 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Resuming Big Mind Part TwoSerial: BZ-02144 Trikaya, Rohatsu Day 2 Trikaya, Sambhogakaya, Dharmakaya, Nirmanakaya, Monkey Mind, Pure Existence, Buddha... |
Dec 06 2010 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Living Authentically Buddha Nature, Dream World, Passions, training, Mindfulness, Separation, Sanctuary,... |
Dec 04 2010 |
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Vitakkarasanthana Sutra Happiness, Instruction, Aspects of Practice, Mindfulness, Hindrances, Evil,... |
Oct 16 2010 |
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I Love Zazen and Zazen Loves Me Mindfulness, Anger, Bodhisattva Ceremony, Manjushri, Karma, Ego, Concentration,... |
Sep 25 2010 |
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2010.08.13-serial.00136 Buddha Nature, Subject-and-Object, Fox, Breath, Enemies, Dragons, Continuous,... |
Aug 13 2010 |
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2010.08.11-serial.00133 Passions, Buddha Nature, Fundraising, Breath, Interview, Emotions, Instruction,... |
Aug 11 2010 |
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2010.08.08-serial.00126 Interview, Posture, Meditation, Family Practice, Don't Know Mind, Buddha... |
Aug 08 2010 |
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Mumonkan Case 12Serial: BZ-02117 Zuigan Calls "Master", Saturday Lecture Birth-and-Death, Buddha Nature, MM-12, Birth-and-Death, Fox, Ego, Concentration,... |
Jul 24 2010 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Taking, Giving, and Receiving Precepts, Buddha Nature, resistance, Conversation, Hate, Vows, Karma, Attachment... |
Jul 17 2010 |
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Case 43 - Tozan's No Heat No ColdSerial: BZ-02114 Absolute and Relative or Essence and Function, Saturday Lecture Five Ranks, Birth-and-Death, Suffering, Precepts, Five Ranks, training, Birth-and-... |
Jul 10 2010 Berkeley Zen Center |
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The Bird and the Fish - GenjokoanSerial: BZ-02107 Sesshin Day 1 Subject-and-Object, Repentance, Separation, Happiness, Birth-and-Death, Buddha Nature... |
Jun 23 2010 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Composure and Composition Composure, Four Noble Truths, Tassajara, Mindfulness, Practice Period, Instruction,... |
Jun 05 2010 |
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Sanctuary Sanctuary, Book of Serenity, Five Ranks, Silence, Buddha Nature, Interdependence,... |
May 01 2010 |
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Continuous Compassion for Karmic Consciousness Karmic Consciousness, true dharma, Perfect Wisdom, Buddha Nature, Hindrances... |
Feb 06 2010 Morning No Abode Hermitage |
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Commemorating Buddha's EnlightenmentSerial: BZ-02074 Seven Factors of Enlightenment, Rohatsu Day 7 Abhidharma, Genjokoan, Vasubandhu, Ego, Birth-and-Death, Five Ranks, Anger, Nirvana,... |
Dec 12 2009 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Breath in ZazenSerial: BZ-02073 Universal Activity, Rohatsu Day 6 confusion, Posture, Teacher-and-Student, Ego, Daily Life, Duality, Buddha Nature,... |
Dec 11 2009 Berkeley Zen Center |
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The Seven Factors of RealizationSerial: BZ-02069 Mindfulness, Rohatsu Day 2 Tozan, Guishan, Yunyen, Seven Factors of Enlightenment, Bell, Subject-and-Object,... |
Dec 07 2009 Berkeley Zen Center |
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On Enlightenment and Delusion Bowing, Zazen, Gratitude, American, Buddha Nature |
Dec 02 2009 The Yoga Room |
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You Have Just Enough ProblemsSerial: BZ-02066 from 'Not Always So', Saturday Lecture Intuition, Pure Existence, Buddha Nature, Attachment, Discrimination, Beginners,... |
Nov 28 2009 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Tao Wu's Condolence CallSerial: BZ-02064 Shuso talk
Practice Period, Teacher-and-Student, Impermanence, Blue Cliff Record, Intimacy,... |
Nov 07 2009 2 |
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2009.10.23-serial.00228ACSerial: EB-00228AC Being free to make our own choices, following recipes or not; trying to make a difference in a world full of violence. Evil, Passions, Buddha Nature, Don't Know Mind, Liberation |
Oct 23 2009 |
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Wind Of The House Practice Period, Aspects of Practice, Buddha Nature, Commitment, confusion,... |
Oct 10 2009 |
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Hokyo Zammai IISerial: BZ-02055 Song of the Precious Mirror Samadhi, Sesshin Day 1 Five Ranks, Tozan, Jewel Mirror Samadhi, Precious Mirror, Book of Serenity,... |
Sep 06 2009 Part 2 of Berkeley Zen Center |
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Hongzhi's Guidepost for the Hall of Pure BlissSerial: BZ-02042 Silent Illumination, Sesshin Day 1 Jijuyu Zanmai, Pain, Silent Illumination, Constancy, Silent Illumination, Continuous... |
Jun 17 2009 Berkeley Zen Center |