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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October 28th, 2004, Serial No. 01027, Side A Platform Sutra, Sixth Patriarch, Cultivation, Birth-and-Death, Lineage, Dharma... |
Oct 28 2004 |
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October 16th, 2004, Serial No. 01284 Karmic Consequences, Nirvana, Impermanence, Karma, Subject-and-Object,... |
Oct 16 2004 |
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Heaven and Hell and NirvanaSerial: BZ-01566 Saturday Lecture Nirvana, Six Realms, Karmic Consequences, Nirvana, Impermanence, Karma,... |
Oct 16 2004 Berkeley Zen Center |
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September 26th, 2004, Serial No. 01281 Practice Period, Buddha Nature, Precious Mirror, Nirvana Sutra, Hindrances, Heart... |
Sep 26 2004 |
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Practice in Daily LifeSerial: BZ-01280C Integrating the Spiritual and the Mundane, Saturday Lecture Daily Life, Lay Practice, Monastic Practice, Birth-and-Death, Renewal, Duality,... |
Sep 25 2004 Berkeley Zen Center |
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September 18th, 2004, Serial No. 01247 Heart Sutra, Liberation, Perfect Wisdom, Buddha Nature, Attachment, Culture, Daily... |
Sep 18 2004 |
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Gakudo Yojin-Shu (last): Practicing Within the ObstructionsSerial: BZ-01270B Staining, Not Breaking Precepts, Sesshin Day 4 Gakudo Yojin-Shu, Hindrances, Precepts, confusion, Practice Period, Buddha Nature,... |
Jun 19 2004 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Gakudo Yojunshi, Point #8Serial: BZ-01268 Moving and Stillness, Sesshin Day 2 Gakudo Yojin-Shu, Stillness, Dream World, Birth-and-Death, Observe, Bowing, Dharma... |
Jun 17 2004 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Gakudo Yojunshu, Point #7Serial: BZ-01267 Turning Dharma and Being Turned by Dharma, Sesshin Day 1 Gakudo Yojin-Shu, Dogen, Lotus Sutra, Dragons, Buddha Mind, Obstacles, Silent... |
Jun 16 2004 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Suzuki-rôshi 100th Birth MemorialSerial: BZ-01265 Gutei's One Finger, Monkey Mind, Saturday Lecture Suzuki Roshi, Monkey Mind, Shikantaza, Monkey Mind, Gaining Mind, Obstacles, Practice... |
May 29 2004 Berkeley Zen Center |
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May 20th, 2004, Serial No. 01023, Side B Lotus Sutra, Chanting, Duality, Aspects of Practice, Heart Sutra, Gaining Mind,... |
May 20 2004 |
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Book of Serenity: Case #4Serial: BZ-01254 What Is A Practice Place?, Saturday Lecture SER-4, Sanctuary, Big Mind, Posture, Funeral, Book of Serenity, resistance,... |
Mar 13 2004 Berkeley Zen Center |
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February 29th, 2004, Serial No. 00582 Funeral, Birth-and-Death, Lay, Buddha Ancestors, Karma, Offering, Sixth Patriarch,... |
Feb 29 2004 |
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2004.02.27-serial.00091 Buddha Nature, Nirvana Sutra, Heart Sutra, Impermanence, New Year, Subject-and-Object... |
Feb 27 2004 |
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Digging Deep: Getting to the Bottom of the Soup PotSerial: BZ-01250 Getting to the Bottom of Ourselves, Sesshin Day 3 Buddha Nature, Happiness, Dragons, confusion, Bowing, Liberation, Discrimination,... |
Feb 16 2004 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #29Serial: BZ-01249 It Will Be Gone With the Others, Sesshin Day 2 BCR-29, Birth-and-Death, Silence, resistance, Five Ranks, Bodhisattva Vow, Liberation... |
Feb 15 2004 Berkeley Zen Center |
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The Precept of Not KillingSerial: BZ-01383 Saturday Lecture Buddha Nature, Karma, Precepts, Nirvana Sutra, Doubt, War, Dependent Origination,... |
Feb 07 2004 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #5Serial: BZ-01382 Saturday Lecture BCR-5, First Principle, Beginners, Non-duality, Buddha Nature, Manjushri, Duality,... |
Jan 31 2004 Berkeley Zen Center |
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2004.01.19-serial.00212 training, Buddha Nature, Bell, Enthusiasm, Koan |
Jan 19 2004 |
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Dogen's Chiji ShingiSerial: BZ-01376B The Head Gardener, Rohatsu Day 7 Buddha Nature, Cultivation, Continuous, Daily Life, Dragons, Intuition, Monastic... |
Dec 07 2003 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Eihei Shingi: The KaninSerial: BZ-01374 The Kanin, Rohatsu Day 5 Eihei Shingi, Buddha Ancestors, Evil, Monastic Practice, confusion, Dragons, Birth-... |
Dec 05 2003 Berkeley Zen Center |
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What About the Moment When Going Beyond Duality?Serial: BZ-01370B Rohatsu Day 1 Duality, Instruction, Priest, Continuous, Silence, Daily Life, Duality, Posture,... |
Dec 01 2003 Berkeley Zen Center |
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2003.11.19-serial.00156Serial: SF-00156 Wednesday talk. Karma, Buddha Nature, Practice Period, Echo, Ceremony, Buddha Ancestors, Ego,... |
Nov 19 2003 |
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Religion: A Necessary EvilSerial: BZ-01355 Sesshin Day 3 Religion, Evil, Religion, Fox, Doubt, Buddha Nature, Evil, Intuition, soto, Lotus... |
Sep 01 2003 Berkeley Zen Center |
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KarmaSerial: BZ-01351 Saturday Lecture Karma, Karma, Conversation, Nirvana Sutra, Buddha Nature, Tassajara, Teacher-and-... |
Jul 26 2003 Berkeley Zen Center |
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2003.07.23-serial.00295 Tanka, Practice Period, Hate, Buddha Nature, Ceremony |
Jul 23 2003 |
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Equanimity and the Eternal MomentSerial: BZ-01346 Time and Transformation; Two Truths, Sesshin Day 4 Equanimity, Time, Two Truths, Equanimity, Attachment, Concentration, Karma, Intimacy... |
Jun 21 2003 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Lay Ordination, Lay Recognition, PreceptsSerial: BZ-00137 Saturday Lecture Precepts, Lay Ordination, Buddha Nature, Priest, Dharma Transmission, Bodhisattva... |
May 31 2003 Berkeley Zen Center |
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May 14th, 2003, Serial No. 00138, Side A Culture, War, Liberation, Practice Period, Buddha Nature, Building, Diversity,... |
May 14 2003 |
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March 30th, 2003, Serial No. 00544 Buddha Ancestors, Complete Perfect Enlightenment, Buddha Nature, Discrimination,... |
Mar 30 2003 |
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March 1st, 2003, Serial No. 00464 Emotions, Anger, Equanimity, Separation, Don't Know Mind, Ego, Passions, Buddha... |
Mar 01 2003 |
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2003.02.21-serial.00027 Continuous, Monastic Practice, confusion, Offering, Buddha Ancestors, Daily Life,... |
Feb 21 2003 |
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2003.02.18-serial.00167 Continuous, Dependent Origination, Don't Know Mind, Dragons, Offering, Culture,... |
Feb 18 2003 |
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2003.02.15-serial.00162 Continuous, true dharma, Dharma Transmission, Buddha Ancestors, Instruction, Buddha... |
Feb 15 2003 |
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ial No. 00290 Heart Sutra, Mahayana, Hindrances, Daily Life, Separation, Instruction, Buddha Nature... |
2003 |
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Practice Walking Like an Elephant or a CowSerial: BZ-00174B Suzuki-rôshi Lecture, Rohatsu Day 4 Bodhidharma, Eka, Buddha Nature, Zazen, Buddha Nature, Bodhidharma, Dharma... |
Dec 05 2002 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Everyday Life Is Like a MovieSerial: BZ-00173B The Movie and the Empty Screen, Rohatsu Day 2 Practice, Daily Life, Anger, Instruction, Posture, Emotions, Big Mind, Heart Sutra,... |
Dec 03 2002 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Turtle Practice: Big Mind, Soft MindSerial: BZ-00173A Monkey Mind, Rohatsu Day 1 Monkey Mind, Monkey Mind, Big Mind, Concentration, stubbornness, Mindfulness, Pure... |
Dec 02 2002 Berkeley Zen Center |
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2002.10.19-serial.00059 Suzuki Roshi, Buddha Nature, Zazen, Manjushri, Practice Period, Buddha Ancestors,... |
Oct 19 2002 City Center |
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September 19th, 2002, Serial No. 00455 confusion, Mindfulness, Practice Period, Evil, Nirvana, Cultivation, Anger,... |
Sep 19 2002 |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #9Serial: BZ-00233B Joshu's Four Gates, Sesshin Day 2 Joshu, BCR-9, Ego, Birth-and-Death, Light-and-Darkness, Buddha Nature, Oneness,... |
Sep 01 2002 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Mumonkan: Case #9Serial: BZ-00233A Nonattained Buddha and Polishing the Tile, Sesshin Day 1 Buddha, MM-9, Lotus Sutra, Bodhidharma, Monkey Mind, Daily Life, Buddha Nature, Peace... |
Aug 31 2002 Berkeley Zen Center |