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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One Buddha, Three Boddhisattvas: Practice is EverythingSerial: BZ-00081B Saturday Lecture Buddha, Bodhisattva, Practice, Composure, Buddha Nature, Big Mind, Manjushri, Daily... |
Aug 26 2000 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Branching Streams Flow in the DarknessSerial: BZ-00085B Unity in Diversity, Diversity in Unity, Saturday Lecture Sandokai, Branching Streams, Subject-and-Object, Diversity, Bell, Oneness, Precepts,... |
Aug 19 2000 Berkeley Zen Center |
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July 27th, 2000, Serial No. 00851 Transmission, Dragons, Passions, Heart Sutra, Buddha Nature, Beginners, Conversation... |
Jul 27 2000 |
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July 20th, 2000, Serial No. 00852 Silent Illumination, Lineage, Interview, soto, Attachment, Chanting, Obstacles,... |
Jul 20 2000 |
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July 13th, 2000, Serial No. 00853 Silent Illumination, Lineage, Doubt, Dharma Transmission, Buddha's Birthday,... |
Jul 13 2000 |
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Five Spiritual Controlling Factors of the MindSerial: BZ-00056A Sesshin Day 3 Concentration, Mindfulness, Buddha Nature, Posture, Religion, Attachment, Bodhisattva... |
Jun 16 2000 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Seven Limbs of EnlightenmentSerial: BZ-00055B Sesshin Day 2 Enlightenment, Mindfulness, Concentration, Enthusiasm, Equanimity, Don't Know... |
Jun 15 2000 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Branching Streams Flow in the DarknessSerial: BZ-00159 Saturday Lecture Sandokai, Branching Streams, Birth-and-Death, Buddha Nature, Oneness, Branching... |
May 27 2000 Berkeley Zen Center |
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May 20th, 2000, Serial No. 00162, Side B Rinzai, Concentration, Heart Sutra, Tassajara, Buddha Nature, training, Priest,... |
May 20 2000 |
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Branching Streams Flow in the DarknessSerial: BZ-00161B Saturday Lecture Sandokai, Branching Streams, Light-and-Darkness, Absolute-and-Relative, Birth-and-... |
May 06 2000 Berkeley Zen Center |
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April 15th, 2000, Serial No. 00163, Side A Daily Life, Separation, Precepts, true dharma, Buddha Nature, Posture, Commitment,... |
Apr 15 2000 |
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Branching Streams Flow in the DarknessSerial: BZ-00205B Saturday Lecture Sandokai, Branching Streams, Precepts, Subject-and-Object, Buddha Nature, Observe,... |
Mar 11 2000 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Branching Streams Flow in the DarknessSerial: BZ-00204B Fire Heats, Saturday Lecture Sandokai, Branching Streams, Buddha Nature, Birth-and-Death, Branching Streams,... |
Feb 26 2000 Berkeley Zen Center |
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February 3rd, 2000, Serial No. 00926 Buddha Ancestors, Buddha Nature, Bodhidharma, Karma, Transmission, Teacher-and-... |
Feb 03 2000 |
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2000.02.02-serial.00122 Heart Sutra, Four Noble Truths, Buddha Nature, Buddha Mind, Freedom, lecture,... |
Feb 02 2000 |
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December 3rd, 1999, Serial No. 00200, Side B Big Mind, Birth-and-Death, Patience, Buddha Mind, Ego, Transmission, Bell, Practice... |
Dec 03 1999 |
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Branching Streams Flow in the DarknessSerial: BZ-00200A Zendo Behavior, Rohatsu Day 4 Sandokai, Zendo, Buddha Nature, Transmission, Big Mind, Oneness, Branching Streams,... |
Dec 02 1999 Berkeley Zen Center |
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November 25th, 1999, Serial No. 00927 Five Ranks, Big Mind, Culture, Observe, Samadhi, Mahayana, Duality, Vows, Buddha... |
Nov 25 1999 |
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November 25th, 1999, Serial No. 01548 Five Ranks, Big Mind, Culture, Observe, Duality, Buddha Nature, Karma, Patience,... |
Nov 25 1999 |
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November 11th, 1999, Serial No. 00928 Five Ranks, Discrimination, Subject-and-Object, Big Mind, Precious Mirror, Nirvana... |
Nov 11 1999 |
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October 28th, 1999, Serial No. 00930 Precious Mirror, Karma, Big Mind, confusion, Buddha Nature, Five Ranks, Harmonizing,... |
Oct 28 1999 |
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October 14th, 1999, Serial No. 00859 Five Ranks, Practice Period, Buddha Nature, Big Mind, Zazen Mind, Ego, Absolute-and-... |
Oct 14 1999 |
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October 14th, 1999, Serial No. 01543 Five Ranks, Practice Period, Zazen Mind, Buddha Nature, Ego, Absolute-and-Relative,... |
Oct 14 1999 |
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September 23rd, 1999, Serial No. 00861 Precious Mirror, Five Ranks, Light-and-Darkness, Absolute-and-Relative, Buddha Nature... |
Sep 23 1999 |
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September 23rd, 1999, Serial No. 01008, Side A Precious Mirror, Five Ranks, Light-and-Darkness, Absolute-and-Relative, Buddha Nature... |
Sep 23 1999 |
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September 23rd, 1999, Serial No. 01541 Five Ranks, Precious Mirror, Light-and-Darkness, Absolute-and-Relative, Buddha Nature... |
Sep 23 1999 |
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September 18th, 1999, Serial No. 00195, Side B Buddha Nature, Nirvana, Ordinary Mind, Samsara, Hindrances, American, Lay, Evil,... |
Sep 18 1999 |
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August 28th, 1999, Serial No. 00193, Side A Continuous, Buddha Nature, Buddha Ancestors, Commitment, Gratitude, Dragons, Bowing... |
Aug 28 1999 |
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1999.08.12-serial.00147A Bowing, Buddha Nature, Desire, Offering, Letting Go, Faith, Observe, Discrimination,... |
Aug 12 1999 |
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1999.08.12-serial.00147B Bowing, Buddha Nature, Observe, Desire, Offering, Letting Go, Discrimination, Faith,... |
Aug 12 1999 |
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August 7th, 1999, Serial No. 00191, Side B Buddha Nature, Subject-and-Object, Daily Life, Separation, Transmission, Duality,... |
Aug 07 1999 |
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Genjokoan (Pt. 8/8)Serial: BZ-00674B “The place is lost; from here the Way unfolds”, Saturday Lecture Genjokoan, Subject-and-Object, Buddha Nature, Daily Life, Bodhidharma, Separation,... |
Aug 07 1999 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Genjokoan (Pt. 6/8)Serial: BZ-00158A Saturday Lecture Genjokoan, Big Mind, Buddha Nature, Non-discrimination, Dharma Transmission,... |
Jul 10 1999 Berkeley Zen Center |
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July 10th, 1999, Serial No. 00752, Side B Big Mind, Non-discrimination, Buddha Nature, Dharma Transmission, Mundane Life,... |
Jul 10 1999 |
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June 27th, 1999, Serial No. 00166, Side A Lotus Sutra, Buddha Nature, resistance, Mahayana, Priest |
Jun 27 1999 |
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Genjokoan Commentary (Pt. 5/8)Serial: BZ-00752A Sesshin Day 5 Genjokoan, Lotus Sutra, Buddha Nature, resistance, Mahayana, Peace, Priest |
Jun 27 1999 Berkeley Zen Center |
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June 26th, 1999, Serial No. 00165, Side B Buddha Nature, Separation, Obstacles, Interview, Oneness, soto |
Jun 26 1999 |
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Genjokoan Commentary (Pt. 4/8)Serial: BZ-00753B Sesshin Day 4 Genjokoan, Buddha Nature, Separation, Soto Zen, soto, Obstacles, Interview, Oneness,... |
Jun 26 1999 Berkeley Zen Center |
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June 25th, 1999, Serial No. 00165, Side A Birth-and-Death, Liberation, Thoroughness, Continuous, Impermanence, Buddha Nature,... |
Jun 25 1999 |
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Genjokoan Commentary (Pt. 3/8)Serial: BZ-00753A Sesshin Day 3 Genjokoan, Birth-and-Death, Liberation, Thoroughness, Impermanence, Continuous,... |
Jun 25 1999 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Genjokoan Commentary (Pt. 2/8)Serial: BZ-00078B Sesshin Day 2 Genjokoan, Precious Mirror, Duality, Buddha Nature, Five Ranks, Absolute-and-Relative... |
Jun 24 1999 Berkeley Zen Center |