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 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 |
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2009.06.16-serial.00228I Heart Sutra, Sutra, Buddha Nature, Bodhidharma, uchiyama |
Jun 16 2009 |
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Threading the Eye of the NeedleSerial: BZ-02029 Shuso talk Practice Period, Conversation, Buddha Nature, American, Funeral, Patience, Passions,... |
May 11 2009 |
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Zazen to Become a BuddhaSerial: BZ-02022 Sitting for 10 Kalpas and Not Attaining Buddha, Saturday Lecture Bodhisattva, MM-9, Karma, Bodhisattva Way, Lotus Sutra, Peace, Bodhidharma, Big Mind... |
Mar 28 2009 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Bodhisattva Vows Vows, Liberation, Evil, Precepts, Passions, Buddha Nature, Samsara, Oneness, Bell,... |
Mar 14 2009 |
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Tao Wu's Condolence Call Blue Cliff Record, Birth-and-Death, Offering, Echo, Duality, Buddha Nature, Funeral,... |
Feb 15 2009 |
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Platform Sutra: Irritation with Sesshin, helping vs. criticizing: Serial No. 01078Serial: BZ-01078 Rohatsu Day 2, Side B Nirvana Sutra, Transmission, Dharma Transmission, Birth-and-Death, Buddha Nature, Don... |
Dec 08 2008 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Platform Sutra: Irritation with Sesshin, helping vs. criticizing: Serial No. 01183Serial: BZ-01183 Rohatsu Day 2, Side A Transmission, Birth-and-Death, Nirvana Sutra, Dharma Transmission, Buddha Nature, Don... |
Dec 08 2008 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Platform Sutra of 6th Ancestor Hui NengSerial: BZ-02005 Irritation during sesshin/helping versus Criticizing, Rohatsu Day 2 Hui Neng, Transmission, Buddha Nature, Birth-and-Death, Nirvana Sutra, Dharma... |
Dec 08 2008 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Platform Sutra: Serial No. 01077Serial: BZ-01077 Rohatsu Day 1, side B Buddha Nature, Platform Sutra, Don't Know Mind, Lay, Buddha Ancestors, Evil,... |
Dec 07 2008 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Platform Sutra of 6th Ancestor Hui Neng: Serial No. 01453Serial: BZ-01453 Rohatsu Day 1, side A Buddha Nature, Buddha Ancestors, Don't Know Mind, Ordination, Big Mind,... |
Dec 07 2008 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Platform Sutra of 6th Ancestor Hui NengSerial: BZ-02004 Rohatsu Day 1 Hui Neng, Buddha Nature, Buddha Ancestors, Platform Sutra, Don't Know Mind,... |
Dec 07 2008 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind: themes: Serial No. 01073Serial: BZ-01073 One-Day Sitting Big Mind, Composure, Emotions, Zen Mind Beginner's Mind, Big Mind, Posture,... |
Nov 15 2008 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Traditional Zen Spirit: Zen Mind Beginner's Mind: Serial No. 01071Zen Mind Beginner's Mind, Right Effort, Monkey Mind, Posture, Buddha Nature,... |
Nov 01 2008 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Traditional Zen Spirit Right Effort, Monkey Mind, Posture, Buddha Nature, Karma, Practice Period, Teacher-... |
Nov 01 2008 |
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Beginner's Sitting; Serial No. 01163Serial: BZ-01163 Beginners' Sesshin Zazen, Monastic Practice, Soto Zen, Religion, Don't Know Mind, Priest, soto,... |
Oct 05 2008 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Just This - Dogen's FukanzazengiSerial: BZ-01161C Have Know Kidzendo, Saturday Lecture Fukanzazengi, Dogen, Duality, Dragons, Posture, Non-duality, Instruction, Buddha... |
Sep 27 2008 Berkeley Zen Center |
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September 27th, 2008, Serial No. 01564 Non-duality, Duality, Dragons, Posture, Buddha Nature, confusion, Instruction, Lay,... |
Sep 27 2008 |
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Being with the conditions we find ourselves in: Meeting the Tassajara fire: Serial No. 01159Serial: BZ-01159 Saturday talk Tassajara, Enemies, Building, Anger, Impermanence, Practice Period, Buddha Nature,... |
Sep 20 2008 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Precepts and ZazenSerial: BZ-01158 Harmonizing Buddha Nature, Instincts, and Desires, Saturday Lecture Precepts, Zazen, Desires, Buddha Nature, Precepts, Concentration, Buddha Nature,... |
Sep 13 2008 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #53Serial: BZ-01143 Hyakujo's Wild Duck, Sesshin Day 5 Hyakujo, BCR-53, Absolute-and-Relative, Buddha Nature, Ordinary Mind, Daily Life,... |
Jun 22 2008 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #3: Introduction to Kôan StudySerial: BZ-01128 Baso's Sun-face Buddha, Moon-face Buddha, Saturday Lecture Buddha, Baso, BCR-3, First Principle, Duality, Non-duality, Buddha Nature, Non-... |
May 03 2008 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Embodying the Lotus Sutra Lotus Sutra, Buddha Nature, Manjushri, Heart Sutra, Book of Serenity |
Apr 24 2008 The Yoga Room |
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Embodying the Lotus Sutra Lotus Sutra, Buddha Nature, Intimacy, Emptiness |
Apr 17 2008 The Yoga Room |
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Embodying the Lotus Sutra Lotus Sutra, Buddha Nature, Emptiness, Religion, Manjushri |
Mar 13 2008 The Yoga Room |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #63Serial: BZ-01113 Nansen Kills the Cat, Saturday Lecture Nansen, BCR-63, Karmic Consequences, Karma, Buddha Nature, Silence, Forgiveness,... |
Feb 09 2008 Berkeley Zen Center |
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2008.01.25-serial.00113E Silence, Buddha Nature, Non-duality, Big Mind, Oneness, Duality, Teacher-and-Student... |
Jan 25 2008 |
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2008.01.24-serial.00113D Dharma Transmission, Big Mind, Heart Sutra, Family Practice, Greed, Offering, Vows,... |
Jan 24 2008 |
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2008.01.22-serial.00112H Daily Life, Buddha Nature, Oneness, Buddha Ancestors, difficulty, Impermanence,... |
Jan 22 2008 |
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2008.01.20-serial.00112D training, Buddha Nature, Impermanence, Daily Life, soto, Repentance, Meditation, Vows... |
Jan 20 2008 |
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2008.01.19-serial.00112B Buddha Nature, Heart Sutra, Vows, true dharma, Daily Life, Culture, Subject-and-... |
Jan 19 2008 |
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Buddha's EnlightenmentSerial: BZ-01105 Rohatsu Day 7 Enlightenment, Buddha, Buddha Nature, Daily Life, Duality, Interdependence,... |
Dec 08 2007 Berkeley Zen Center |
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The Shape of Buddhanature: Essence in FormSerial: BZ-01100 Clarifying Illumination of Enlightenment, Rohatsu Day 2 Practice, Enlightenment, Humility, Buddha Nature, Buddha Mind, Don't Know Mind,... |
Dec 03 2007 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Three Bodies of BuddhaSerial: BZ-01098 Saturday Lecture Trikaya, Buddha Mind, Buddha Nature, Dogen, Manjushri, Continuous, Dragons, Samadhi,... |
Dec 01 2007 Berkeley Zen Center |
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November 10th, 2007, Serial No. 01095 Manjushri, Mindfulness, Four Noble Truths, Buddha Nature, Doubt, Subject-and-Object,... |
Nov 10 2007 |
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2007.10.14-serial.00232 Death, Addiction, Sutra, Karma, Buddha Nature |
Oct 14 2007 |
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Taking Care: Paramitas, Precepts and Eightfold PathSerial: BZ-01003 Illumination Without Hindrance, Saturday Lecture Paramitas, Precepts, Vinaya, Buddha Nature, Bodhisattva Precepts, Platform Sutra,... |
Oct 13 2007 Berkeley Zen Center |