Buddha Nature Talks
In Buddhist philosophy and soteriology, Buddha-nature (Chinese: fóxìng 佛性, Japanese: busshō, Vietnamese: Phật tính, Sanskrit: buddhatā, buddha-svabhāva) is the innate potential for all sentient beings to become a Buddha or the fact that all sentient beings already have a pure Buddha-essence within themselves. "Buddha-nature" is the common English translation for several related Mahāyāna 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 Buddhism and later in 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 afflictions, 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 recognized for what it is.
The Mahāyāna Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra (2nd century CE), which was very influential in the Chinese reception of these teachings, linked the concept of tathāgatagārbha with the buddhadhātu. The term buddhadhātu originally referred to the relics of Gautama Buddha. In the Mahāyāna Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, it came to be used in place of the concept of tathāgatagārbha, reshaping the worship of physical relics of the historical Buddha into worship of the inner Buddha as a principle of salvation.
The primordial or undefiled mind, the tathāgatagārbha, is also often equated with the Buddhist philosophical concept of emptiness (śūnyatā, a Mādhyamaka concept); with the storehouse-consciousness (ālāyavijñāna, a Yogācāra concept); and with the interpenetration of all dharmas (in East Asian traditions like Huayan). The belief in Buddha-nature is central to East Asian Buddhism, which relies on key Buddha-nature sources like the Mahāyāna Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra. In Tibetan Buddhism, the concept of Buddha-nature is equally important and often studied through the key Indian treatise on Buddha-nature, the Ratnagotravibhāga (3rd–5th century CE).
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #3Serial: BZ-00409A Sun Face Buddha, Moon Face Buddha, Saturday Lecture Buddha, Koan, BCR-3, First Principle, Buddha Nature, Cultivation, Commitment, Greed,... |
Feb 02 1985 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Sanshi Mompo: Ongoing Practice of Student and TeacherSerial: BZ-00408A Saturday Lecture Teacher-and-Student, Teacher-and-Student, Interview, Lineage, Instruction, Buddha... |
Dec 15 1984 Berkeley Zen Center |
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What's the Use of Sesshin?Serial: BZ-00407A Difficulty and Ease, Rohatsu Sesshin, Buddha Nature, Nirvana, Peace, Daily Life, Doubt, training, Equanimity,... |
Dec 07 1984 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Bowing PracticeSerial: BZ-00406B Rohatsu Bowing, Bowing, training, Non-duality, Instruction, Buddha Nature, Demons, Enemies,... |
Dec 06 1984 Berkeley Zen Center |
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The Precepts Before the PreceptsSerial: BZ-00392B Saturday Lecture Precepts, Precepts, Obstacles, Bodhisattva Precepts, Discrimination, Buddha Nature,... |
Nov 10 1984 Berkeley Zen Center |
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The Fifth Precept: Do Not Deal in IntoxicantsSerial: BZ-00394B Saturday Lecture Precepts, Precepts, Priest-and-Lay, Culture, Attachment, American, Buddha Nature,... |
Sep 08 1984 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Mumonkan, Case 19: Ordinary Mind is the WaySerial: BZ-00435 Lecture Ordinary Mind, Bodhidharma, Sixth Patriarch, Soto Zen, Impermanence, Culture, Buddha... |
May 22 1984 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Practicing Enlightenment Without Desiring EnlightenmentSerial: BZ-00422B Saturday Lecture Enlightenment, Emotions, Lay Practice, Monastic Practice, Samadhi, Buddha Nature, Lay... |
Feb 11 1984 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Inside OutSerial: BZ-00420B Saturday Lecture Buddha Nature, Demons, Ego, Enthusiasm, Harmonizing, Intuition, Bowing, Enemies,... |
Jan 14 1984 Berkeley Zen Center |
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The Dharma of EffortSerial: BZ-01520B Saturday Lecture Effort, Mindfulness, Study Period, Concentration, Daily Life, Buddha Nature, Religion... |
Nov 27 1983 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Mumonkan: Case #12 Pt. IISerial: BZ-00403B Calling and Answering, Saturday Lecture MM-12, Buddha Nature, Precepts, Subject-and-Object, Daily Life, Sixth Patriarch, Don... |
Oct 01 1983 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Mumonkan: Case #12 Pt. ISerial: BZ-00403A Zuigan's Calling the Master, Saturday Lecture Zuigan, MM-12, stubbornness, Buddha Nature, Daily Life, Fox, Birth-and-Death,... |
Sep 24 1983 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Practice LifeSerial: BZ-00401 Lecture Teacher-and-Student, Daily Life, Don't Know Mind, Posture, Buddha Nature, Priest... |
Aug 07 1983 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Eight Ways of an Enlightened Person IISerial: BZ-00399B Saturday Lecture Enlightenment, Buddha Nature, Eight Aspects, Concentration, Right Speech, Samadhi,... |
Jul 02 1983 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Prajna Paramita: Four SamadhisSerial: BZ-00002B Sesshin Day 4 Samadhi, Samadhi, Concentration, Nirvana, Emotions, Hate, Buddha Nature, Attachment,... |
May 14 1983 Berkeley Zen Center |
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The Law of KarmaSerial: BZ-00003A Most Important in Buddhism, Saturday Lecture Big Mind, Buddha Nature, Bowing, Vow, Karmic Consequences, Study Period, Priest,... |
Apr 16 1983 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Scientific Validation of ZazenSerial: BZ-00044B Saturday Lecture zen meditation, Religion, Concentration, Buddha Nature, Priest, Beginners, Sangha,... |
Jan 08 1983 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Gakudo Yojin-Shu Section 8Serial: BZ-00048A Conduct (understanding) Zazen Mind, Saturday Lecture Gakudo Yojin-Shu, Birth-and-Death, Sixth Patriarch, Buddha Nature, true dharma,... |
Nov 27 1982 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Women in Buddhism, Ordination Ordination, Transmission, Lay, Precepts, Passions, Family Practice, Buddha Nature,... |
Oct 04 1982 |
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Pre-Practice versus PracticeSerial: BZ-00040A The "Gap", Saturday Lecture Attachment, Daily Life, Buddha Nature, Lay Practice, resistance, confusion,... |
Oct 02 1982 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Natural Zen and Buddhist ZenSerial: BZ-00039B Saturday Lecture Priest, Commitment, Lay, American, Posture, Buddha Nature, training, Enthusiasm,... |
Sep 11 1982 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #80Serial: BZ-00033 Does a Baby Have the 6th Consciousness?, Saturday Lecture Consciousness, Storehouse Consciousness, Monastic Practice, Discrimination, Buddha... |
Jul 31 1982 Berkeley Zen Center |
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The Heart of Practice Prajna as Compassionate WisdomSerial: BZ-00030B Remembering our deepest intention; noble friendship is the entirety of spiritual life; connection between Berkeley ZC and San Francisco ZC. Ordination, Heart Sutra, Precepts, Posture, Lotus Sutra, Mahayana, Buddha Nature,... |
Jun 11 1982 |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #17Serial: BZ-00029B "Sitting Long and Getting Tired", Sesshin Day 5 BCR-17
Composure, Zazen, Koan, First Principle, Ordinary Mind, Samadhi, Composure,... |
May 23 1982 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Fundraising for the New ZendoSerial: BZ-00007B What is Our Basis?, Sesshin Day 4 Fundraising, Zendo, Berkeley Zen Center, Sangha, Building, Samadhi, Fundraising, Non-... |
May 22 1982 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Essence of Mind: The Fifth ParamitaSerial: BZ-00008A Subject and Object--Buddhanature, Saturday Lecture Subject-and-Object, Duality, Buddha Nature, Buddha Nature, Daily Life, Subject-and-... |
May 15 1982 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Japanese Zen Practice in AmericaMeditation, Alan Watts, Buddha Nature, Posture, American, Priest, Ordination, Buddha... |
May 07 1982 |
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The Meaning of DevotionSerial: BZ-00011A Saturday Lecture Buddha Nature, Emotions, Mahayana, Religion, Heart Sutra, Avalokiteshvara, Ego,... |
Apr 03 1982 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Enmei Jukku Kannon Gyo -- Endless DimensionSerial: BZ-00016A Ten Phrase Avalokiteshvara Sutra, Sesshin Day 1 Dharani, Buddha Nature, Birth-and-Death, Sangha, Big Mind, Evil, Karma, Manjushri,... |
Feb 20 1982 Berkeley Zen Center |
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The Stages of Practice ISerial: BZ-00024A One-Day Sitting Study Period, Heart Sutra, Obstacles, Chanting, Daily Life, Posture, Beginners, Doubt... |
Mar 28 1981 Berkeley Zen Center |
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March 28th, 1981, Serial No. 01063 Study Period, Heart Sutra, Chanting, Daily Life, Posture, Beginners, Doubt, Bowing,... |
Mar 28 1981 Berkeley Zen Center |
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The Book of SerenitySerial: BZ-00241 Class 3 of 5 Birth-and-Death, Duality, Hsin Hsin Ming, Non-duality, Buddha Nature, Doubt, Buddha... |
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3 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Unknown Date, Serial 00291, Side B Precepts, Buddha Nature, Priest, Lay, Bodhisattva Precepts, Ordination, Transmission... |
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Unknown Date, Serial 00421, Side B Buddha Nature, Platform Sutra, Lineage, Anger, Soto Zen, Buddha Mind, Rinzai,... |
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5 RanksSerial: BZ-00755 Class Discrimination, Five Ranks, Concentration, Subject-and-Object, Cultivation, Buddha... |
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Transmitting the LightSerial: BZ-00778 Class true dharma, Monastic Practice, Transmission, Teacher-and-Student, Continuous... |
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Unknown Date, Serial 00950, Side BSerial: BZ-00950B #duplicate-please-hide Hindrances, Heart Sutra, Daily Life, Buddha Nature, Nirvana, Ego, Duality, Birth-and-... |
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Unknown Date, Serial 00951, Side B Heart Sutra, Buddha Nature, Four Noble Truths, Non-duality, Platform Sutra, Subject-... |
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Unknown Date, Serial 01182 Birth-and-Death, Absolute-and-Relative, Religion, Don't Know Mind, Big Mind,... |
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Title UnknownSerial: BZ-00110 One-Day Sitting Intuition, Big Mind, Ordinary Mind, Bell, Don't Know Mind, Daily Life, Buddha... |
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Unknown Location |