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Buddha Nature Talks
In Buddhist philosophy and soteriology, Buddha-nature (Chinese: fóxìng 佛性, Japanese: busshō 佛性, Vietnamese: Phật tính, Sanskrit: buddhatā, buddha-svabhāva or tathāgatagarbha तथागतगर्भ) 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 (तथागतगर्भ) 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).
| Title | Speaker | |
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The Mind Of A Sentient Being Is Difficult To Change Lotus Sutra, Oneness, Buddha Nature, Paramitas, Mahayana |
Jul 24 2021 |
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Three Refuges Buddha Nature, Platform Sutra, Precepts, Karma |
May 14 2021 |
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Fukanzazengi, Part 1 Balance, Buddha Nature, Concentration, Realization |
May 08 2021 |
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Alignment Balance, Buddha Nature, Yogachara |
Apr 24 2021 |
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The Practice Of Patience Patience, Bowing, Separation, Buddha Nature, Right Speech |
Apr 17 2021 |
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Buddha's Story Global Warming, Buddha Nature, Religion, Lineage |
Apr 10 2021 |
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Buddha Nature Buddha Nature, Continuous Practice, Doubt |
Mar 27 2021 |
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Public Dokusan 13 Birth-and-Death, Discrimination, Big Mind, Buddha Nature, Harmonizing, Vow, Samadhi,... |
Nov 20 2020 |
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The Whole Earth Is Medicine Blue Cliff Record, Buddha Nature, Conversation, Heart Sutra, Hindrances,... |
Oct 17 2020 |
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Public Dokusan 9 Equanimity, Two Truths, Karma, Patience, Monastic Practice, Continuous Practice,... |
Sep 24 2020 |
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Public Dokusan 8 Nirvana Sutra, Buddha Nature, Happiness, War, Priest, Nirvana, Conversation, Anger,... |
Sep 11 2020 |
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Dongshan Class 1 Bodhisattva Ceremony, Buddha Nature, Continuous Practice, First Principle, Heart... |
Aug 25 2020 |
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Three Doors Of Liberation Liberation, Intuition, Discrimination, Nirvana, Non-discrimination, Silence, Birth-... |
Aug 15 2020 |
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The Three Natures Buddha Nature, Birth-and-Death, War, Bodhisattva Way, Precepts, Dharma Transmission,... |
Apr 25 2020 |
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Don't Wait For Maitreya Buddha Nature, Discrimination, Monastic Practice, Passions, Tassajara, Vow, War... |
Dec 06 2019 |
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Aspects of Practice Class - Paramitas - Part 2 October 10th, 2019, Serial No. 02706 Karma, Mindfulness, Practice Period, Precepts, Instruction, Buddha Nature, Peace,... |
Oct 10 2019 2 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Aspects of Practice Class - Paramitas - Part 1 October 10th, 2019, Serial No. 02705 Buddha Nature, Intimacy, Intuition, Mahayana, Precepts, Soto Zen, Vinaya, Vow... |
Oct 10 2019 1 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Give Up Hope Hsin Hsin Ming, Bell, Lotus Sutra, Impermanence, Uchiyama, Tassajara, Practice Period... |
Sep 28 2019 |
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What's Love Got To Do With It Passions, Priest, Precepts, Impermanence, Bowing, Constancy, Daily Life, Practice... |
Aug 10 2019 |
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Master Ummon's Everybody has Their Own Light Attachment, Buddha Nature, Concentration, Daily Life, Darkness-and-Light, Demons,... |
Aug 03 2019 |
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The Blue Mountain and the White Cloud Big Mind, Buddha Nature, confusion, Culture, Interdependence, Lotus Sutra, Offering,... |
Jul 27 2019 |
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Tosotsu's Three BarriersSerial: BZ-02684 Sesshin Day 1
Big Mind, Birth-and-Death, Buddha Mind, Buddha Nature, Composure, Equanimity,... |
Jun 19 2019 |
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Man up a Tree Renunciation, Ego, Practice Period, Buddha Nature, Don't Know Mind, Priest,... |
May 18 2019 |
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Shoji: Birth and DeathSerial: BZ-02676 PP Class 1 Birth-and-Death, Buddha Nature, Fox, Impermanence, Liberation, Nirvana, Platform... |
May 16 2019 |
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Buddha's Birthday Buddha's Birthday, Buddha Nature, Peace, Posture |
Apr 06 2019 |
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Cypress Tree in the Garden Bodhidharma, Buddha Nature, confusion, Continuous Practice, Conversation, Greed,... |
Mar 02 2019 |
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Denko Roku 1: ShakyamuniSerial: BZ-02662 Study Sesshin Day 1
Buddha Nature, Building, Chanting, Dogen, Liberation, Nirvana, Ordination, Soto Zen,... |
Feb 16 2019 |
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Taking Refuge Beginners, Buddha Nature, Chanting, Conversation, Four Foundations of Mindfulness,... |
Feb 09 2019 |
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Being Shuso and Learning to Say Yes Bell, Bowing, Buddha Nature, Don't Know Mind, Lay, Patience, Practice Period,... |
Dec 15 2018 |
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Being Time Buddha Nature, Sixth Patriarch, Doubt, Equanimity, Transmission, Dharma Transmission... |
Nov 10 2018 |
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Habit Energy Buddha Mind, Buddha Nature, Daily Life, Doubt, Emotions, Gratitude, Instruction,... |
Jul 14 2018 |
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Everything is Broken Buddha Nature, Commitment, Continuous Practice, Happiness, Renunciation, Rinzai, Vow... |
Jun 23 2018 |
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Suzuki Roshi Sun-Faced Buddha, Moon-Faced BuddhaSerial: BZ-02621 Sesshin Day 5
Birth-and-Death, Practice Period, Emotions, Intimacy, Attachment, Dogen, Bell,... |
Jun 17 2018 |
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Triple Treasure: Buddha Dharma Sangha Practice Period, Buddha Nature, Peace, War, Intuition, Equanimity, Passions, Hate... |
Jun 02 2018 |
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Enlightenment Zazen Comfort True Comfort Attachment, Buddha Nature, Composure, confusion, Four Noble Truths, Non-duality,... |
May 05 2018 |
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Spring Rain Big Mind, Buddha Nature, Dharma Transmission, Don't Know Mind, Lotus Sutra,... |
Apr 14 2018 |
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Blue Cliff Record Case 9: Joshu's Four GatesBCR-9, Birth-and-Death, Ego, Attachment, Teacher-and-Student, Daily Life, Buddha... |
Feb 03 2018 |
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Giving Back Whats Not YoursSerial: BZ-02588 Day 7
Anger, Big Mind, Birth-and-Death, Buddha Nature, Composure, Daily Life, Ego,... |
Dec 09 2017 |
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TransiencySerial: BZ-02585 Day 3
Big Mind, Bodhidharma, Buddha Nature, Composure, Ego, Enemies, Happiness, Nirvana... |
Dec 05 2017 |
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Birth And Death Birth-and-Death, Buddha Nature, Continuous Practice, Death-and-Dying, Duality,... |
Dec 02 2017 |
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Wherever you are Enlightenment is Here Big Mind, Buddha Nature, Commitment, Continuous Practice, Ego, First Principle,... |
Oct 14 2017 |
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Non-Duality: Freedom from Extremes Anger, Buddha Nature, Duality, Ego, Emotions, Funeral, Intuition, Nirvana, Non-... |
Sep 16 2017 |
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Two Approaches to the Regulation of Posture, Breath, and Mind Birth-and-Death, Buddha Ancestors, Buddha Nature, Gaining Mind, Instruction,... |
Sep 09 2017 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Jewel Mirror Samadhi Part 2Serial: BZ-02570 Part 2 of 2 Blue Cliff Record, Buddha Nature, Continuous Practice, Dharma Transmission, Five... |
Sep 02 2017 2 |
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The Four Vows and the Four Resolves Buddha Nature, Constancy, Culture, Dharma Transmission, Impermanence, Liberation,... |
Jun 17 2017 |
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Heart SutraSerial: BZ-02555 Sesshin Day 4
Discrimination, Four Noble Truths, Buddha Nature, Teacher-and-Student, Heart Sutra,... |
Jun 10 2017 |
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Sei Jo's Reunion Absolute-and-Relative, Big Mind, Buddha Nature, Diversity, Ego, Forgiveness,... |
May 27 2017 |
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Precepts Class 3Serial: BZ-02546 PP Class
Bodhisattva Precepts, Buddha Nature, Chanting, Lotus Sutra, Mahayana, Nirvana,... |
May 18 2017 |
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Practice with Earth Day Anger, Attachment, Avalokitesvara, Buddha Nature, Building, confusion, Gratitude,... |
Apr 22 2017 |
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Joshu Cuts the Cat Duality, Buddha Nature, Book of Serenity, Hate, Demons, Peace, Priest, Evil,... |
Mar 04 2017 |