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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FukanzazengiSerial: BZ-01217 Part I, Sesshin Day 2 Fukanzazengi, Silent Illumination, Lineage, Discrimination, Daily Life, Sanctuary,... |
Feb 19 2006 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Buddha's ParanirvanaSerial: BZ-01216B Birth, Death, Nirvana, Sesshin Day 1 Parinirvana, Birth-and-Death, Nirvana, Birth-and-Death, Nirvana, Big Mind, Four Noble... |
Feb 18 2006 Berkeley Zen Center |
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2006.02.02-serial.00123 Lay, Precepts, Funeral, lecture, Sangha, Happiness, Offering, Buddha Nature,... |
Feb 02 2006 |
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2006.01.31-serial.00006 Buddha Ancestors, Buddha Nature, Describe, true dharma, Teacher-and-Student,... |
Jan 31 2006 |
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BellsSerial: BZ-01211 Saturday Lecture Bell, Bell, Chanting, Subject-and-Object, Separation, Buddha Nature, Bodhisattva... |
Jan 21 2006 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Buddha's Pointing at the GroundSerial: BZ-01207 Indra's Planting a Blade of Grass, Saturday Lecture SER-4, Sanctuary, Book of Serenity, Lotus Sutra, Sangha, Buddha's Birthday,... |
Dec 10 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Buddhanature Is LightSerial: BZ-01206 Komyozo Zammai; Dogen and Keizan, Rohatsu Day 6 Buddha Nature, Dogen, Keizan, Buddha Ancestors, Buddha Nature, Continuous, Karma,... |
Dec 03 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #86: "Everyone Has Their Light"Serial: BZ-01205 Temple Storehouse, Temple Gate, Rohatsu Day 5 Ummon, BCR-86, Doubt, Buddha Nature, Darkness and Light, Buddha Ancestors, Hindrances... |
Dec 02 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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December 1st, 2005, Serial No. 01204, Side B Lotus Sutra, Buddha Nature, Two Truths, Four Noble Truths, Ego, Lay, Practice Period... |
Dec 01 2005 |
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Faith and Doubt TypesSerial: BZ-01203B Rohatsu Day 3 Faith, Doubt, Doubt, Soto Zen, Rinzai, Karma, soto, Sixth Patriarch, Platform Sutra,... |
Nov 30 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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From "Not Always So"Serial: BZ-01201B "Enlightenment Is Right Where You Are", Rohatsu Day 1 Buddha Nature, Practice, Enlightenment, Buddha Nature, Doubt, Composure, Two Truths,... |
Nov 28 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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From "Not Always So"Serial: BZ-01198 "Find Out For Yourself", Saturday Lecture Instruction, Monastic Practice, Aspects of Practice, Ego, Intuition, Big Mind,... |
Nov 12 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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2005.11.07-serial.00195 Buddha Nature, Sixth Patriarch, Ego, confusion, Dependent Origination, Passions,... |
Nov 07 2005 |
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Saving Sentient Beings of Your Own MindSerial: BZ-01191 Review of Sojun's List of Mental Formations, Saturday Lecture Gaining Mind, Anger, Buddha Nature, Bodhisattva Vow, Vows, Forgiveness, Intuition,... |
Oct 01 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Hui Neng, Sixth AncestorSerial: BZ-01189 Gatha of the Platform Sutra, Saturday Lecture Hui Neng, Platform Sutra, Composure, training, Platform Sutra, Attachment, Hate,... |
Sep 24 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Breathing OutSerial: BZ-01186 Sesshin Day 2 Breath, Pure Existence, Renunciation, Buddha Nature, Karma, Don't Know Mind, Big... |
Sep 04 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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2005.08.18-serial.00270 Evil, training, Buddha Nature, Book of Serenity, Desire |
Aug 18 2005 |
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2005.08.18-serial.00042 training, Buddha Nature, Book of Serenity, Evil, Desire |
Aug 18 2005 |
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July 23rd, 2005, Serial No. 01338 Continuous, Intuition, Big Mind, Heart Sutra, Bodhisattva Way, soto, Rinzai, Buddha... |
Jul 23 2005 |
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Stand Up from the GroundSerial: BZ-01567 Saturday Lecture Form-and-Emptiness, Continuous, Intuition, Big Mind, Bodhisattva Way, soto, Rinzai,... |
Jul 23 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Find Out for YourselfSerial: BZ-00576 Lecture Precepts, Duality, Instruction, Subject-and-Object, Discrimination, Oneness,... |
Jul 17 2005 |
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July 17th, 2005, Serial No. 01337, Side B Birth-and-Death, Right Effort, Peace, Practice Period, Offering, Buddha Nature, Zoom... |
Jul 17 2005 |
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July 16th, 2005, Serial No. 00575Serial: BZ-00575 Lecture Precepts, Obstacles, Tassajara, Practice Period, Buddha Nature, Duality, Monastic... |
Jul 16 2005 |
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Reflections on My LifeSerial: BZ-01335 76th Birthday, Saturday Lecture Sojun Mel Weitsman, Priest, Lay Practice, Priest-and-Lay, Lay, Tassajara, American,... |
Jul 08 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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GenjokoanSerial: BZ-01332 Sesshin Day 4 Genjokoan, Buddha Nature, Birth-and-Death, Priest, Bodhidharma, Transmission,... |
Jun 25 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Lay OrdinationSerial: BZ-01327 Buddha's Robe, Saturday Lecture Rakusu, Lay Ordination, Precepts, Ordination, Lineage, Buddha Nature, Lay, Confession... |
Jun 11 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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June 9th, 2005, Serial No. 01034, Side A Duality, Daily Life, Intuition, Two Truths, Buddha Nature, Absolute-and-Relative,... |
Jun 09 2005 |
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June 2nd, 2005, Serial No. 01033, Side A Birth-and-Death, Ordinary Mind, Buddha Nature, Continuous, Impermanence, Sixth... |
Jun 02 2005 |
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May 26th, 2005, Serial No. 01560 Five Ranks, Subject-and-Object, Samadhi, Duality, Separation, Buddha Nature, Doubt,... |
May 26 2005 |
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Delusion and IgnoranceSerial: BZ-01323 Saturday Lecture Delusion, Ignorance, Happiness, resistance, Greed, Ego, Impermanence, Birth-and-Death... |
May 14 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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2005.05.09-serial.00186 Buddha Nature, Intention, Compassion, Samadhi, Daily Life, Happiness, Anger, Non-... |
May 09 2005 |
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2005.05.08-serial.00184 Buddha Nature, Mindfulness, Posture, Observe, Dependent Origination, confusion,... |
May 08 2005 |
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2005.05.08-serial.00185 Buddha Nature, Buddha Ancestors, Daily Life, Vows, Subject-and-Object, Demons, Ego,... |
May 08 2005 |
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2005.05.07-serial.00182 Buddha Nature, Dragons, Precepts, Oneness, Interdependence, Sangha, Subject-and-... |
May 07 2005 |
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2005.05.07-serial.00183 Buddha Nature, Samadhi, Daily Life, Meditation, Non-discrimination, Sixth Patriarch,... |
May 07 2005 |
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2005.05.06-serial.00180 Buddha Nature, Dependent Origination, Intention, Subject-and-Object, Interview,... |
May 06 2005 |
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2005.05.06-serial.00181 Buddha Nature, Heart Sutra, Practice Period, Liberation, Don't Know Mind, Daily... |
May 06 2005 |
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2005.05.05-serial.00178 Buddha Nature, Culture, Sixth Patriarch, Posture, Practice Period, Heart Sutra,... |
May 05 2005 |
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2005.05.05-serial.00179 Buddha Nature, Continuous, Beginners, Subject-and-Object, Dependent Origination,... |
May 05 2005 |
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March 29th, 2005, Serial No. 00584 Tassajara, Practice Period, Buddha Nature, Emotions, Zoom, Demons, Hindrances,... |
Mar 29 2005 |
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Teacher-Student RelationshipsSerial: BZ-00599 Hierarchy, Sesshin Day 5 Teacher-and-Student, Teacher-and-Student, Precepts, Anger, Intimacy, Practice Period... |
Mar 27 2005 |