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.
Title | Speaker | |
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Intensive Lecture Big Mind, Four Noble Truths, realization, Suzuki Roshi, Transmission, Zazen,... |
Jul 10 2007 City Center |
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Three Characteristics of PhenomenaSerial: SF-01079 One-day sitting lecture: "no eyes, no ears..." Diamond Sutra, Platform Sutra Delusion, Emptiness, Platform Sutra, Bodhisattva Vow, New Year, Teacher-and-Student,... |
May 19 2007 Green Gulch |
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Sesshin as a Koan for the BodySerial: SF-00990 Sesshin Lecture: Easter/Buddha's Birthday; enlightenment experiences; dharmakaya; not doing anything; nirmanakaya; this is your life Buddha's Birthday, Birth-and-Death, Suzuki Roshi, Conversation, Mill Valley,... |
Apr 08 2007 Green Gulch |
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Intelligence of the Natural WorldSerial: SF-00941 Sesshin Lecture: frog chorus; silence and activity; pain and fear of pain; Bodhidharma Bodhidharma, Silence, Buddha Ancestors, Composure, Buddha Nature, Hindrances, Zendo,... |
Apr 07 2007 Green Gulch |
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Sesshin LectureSerial: SF-00986 Architecture at GGF; Layman Pang; many sesshins; "gamble everything on love"; sesshin romance and the potentiality of the present moment; recognizing your Buddha nature in your... Ordinary Mind, Buddha Mind, Attachment, Silence, Suzuki Roshi, Bodhisattva Vow, Lay... |
Apr 06 2007 Green Gulch |
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Sesshin LectureSerial: SF-00994 Strategies, gaining ideas; "paying it forward"; close investigation of the self; Orpheus and Eurydice; Rilke; hidden anger - staying with the emotion Monkey Mind, Vows, Buddha Nature, Emotions, Suzuki Roshi, Manjushri, Bodhisattva Vow... |
Apr 05 2007 Green Gulch |
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The Secrets of the BodySerial: SF-00993 Sesshin Lecture: great effort, no result; ritual, bowing; Diamond Sutra; boundaries Right Effort, Bowing, Suzuki Roshi, Bodhisattva Way, Vows, Liberation, Bodhisattva... |
Apr 04 2007 Green Gulch |
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Sesshin PracticesSerial: SF-00992 Sesshin Lecture: ordinary mind is the Tao; practice of confession; guilt/shame; Self-Receiving and -Employing Samadhi Ordinary Mind, Suzuki Roshi, Right Effort, Posture, Buddha Nature, Composure,... |
Apr 03 2007 Green Gulch |
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Living in Accord with Birth and DeathSerial: SF-00991 Sesshin Lecture: confirming Buddha nature; sesshin: gathering of heart/mind; what's the business under the patchwork robe?; story of Patacara Birth-and-Death, Buddha Nature, Practice Period, Lineage, training, Ceremony,... |
Apr 02 2007 Green Gulch |
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The Teachings of Chao ChouSerial: SF-00927 Sunday Lecture: the stories of Chao Chou; Hsin Hsin Ming - koan("I alone am the World-Honored One"); mu - cutting through yes and no; not holding to preferences Discrimination, Blue Cliff Record, Buddha's Birthday, Ordinary Mind, Buddha... |
Mar 11 2007 Green Gulch |
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Right SpeechSerial: SF-00037 The eight-fold path and its relationship to the precepts. Right Speech, Suzuki Roshi, Conversation, Heart Sutra, Zazen, Buddha Nature, Precepts... |
Sep 16 2006 |
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Picking and Choosing Suzuki Roshi, Buddha Nature, Big Mind, Bodhisattva Vow, Equanimity, Happiness,... |
Sep 02 2006 Unknown |
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NoSerial: SF-00963 Sunday Lecture: Milton's 'Paradise Lost'; myth of Narcissus; Four Noble Truths; Zhaozhou's "No": Marin Organizing Committee/Seniors for Peace Four Noble Truths, Buddha Nature, Peace, Perfect Wisdom, Freedom, Mill Valley, Echo,... |
Nov 20 2005 Green Gulch |
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Sesshin LectureSerial: SF-01042 Zendo Lecture Day 1 Mindfulness, Four Foundations, Buddha Nature, Practice Period, Enemies, Instruction,... |
Nov 10 2005 Tassajara |
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Find Out For Yourself Precepts, Duality, Suzuki Roshi, Subject-and-Object, Discrimination, Oneness, Heart... |
Jul 17 2005 Tassajara |
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July 16th, 2005, Serial No. 03502 Delusion, Emptiness, Suzuki Roshi, Precepts, Zazen, Obstacles, Buddha Nature,... |
Jul 16 2005 Tassajara |
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May 28th, 2005, Serial No. 01115 Lotus Sutra, Four Noble Truths, Practice Period, Zazen Mind, Karma, Monastic Practice... |
May 28 2005 Unknown |
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Sesshin LectureSerial: SF-01931 Sesshin 3 Day 7 Practice Period, Tassajara, Freedom, Suzuki Roshi, Buddha Nature, Zazen, Zendo, Faith... |
Mar 29 2005 Tassajara |
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HierarchySerial: SF-03579 Sesshin 3 Day 5 Teacher-student relationship Teacher-and-Student, Precepts, Anger, Intimacy, Buddha Nature, Practice Period,... |
Mar 27 2005 Tassajara |
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Hokyo Zammai Class Five Ranks, Platform Sutra, Discrimination, Ego, Ordinary Mind, Hindrances, Letting... |
Feb 28 2005 Tassajara |
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Sesshin LectureSerial: SF-03503 Sesshin 2 Day 7 Attachment, Non-attachment, Four Noble Truths, Emotions, Freedom, Composure, Dream... |
Feb 26 2005 Tassajara |
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Expressing Yourself CompletelySerial: SF-03594 Sesshin 2 Day 5 Silence, Vows, Practice Period, Suzuki Roshi, Delusion, Teacher-and-Student,... |
Feb 24 2005 Tassajara |
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Shikantaza - Calm MindSerial: SF-03497 Sesshin Lecture Birth-and-Death, Posture, Emptiness, Silent Illumination, Letting Go, Suzuki Roshi,... |
Feb 20 2005 Tassajara |
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Hokyo Zammai Class Buddha Nature, Silent Illumination, Delusion, Nirvana Sutra, Duality, Heart Sutra,... |
Feb 18 2005 Tassajara |
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Hokyo Zammai Class Precepts, Intuition, Forgiveness, Faith, Patience, Buddha Nature, Letting Go, Five... |
Feb 17 2005 Tassajara |
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Zendo Lecture Ego, Buddha Nature, Hate, Precious Mirror, Faith, Instruction, Zoom, Delusion,... |
Feb 02 2005 Tassajara |
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The Direct Experience of RealitySerial: SF-03669 Sesshin 1 Day 5: practice is right where you are - practice is/of sensitivity. Lay Practice, Suzuki Roshi, Practice Period, Lay, Monastic Practice, Delusion,... |
Jan 29 2005 Tassajara |
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Sesshin LectureSerial: SF-03546 Second Sesshin, Zendo Lecture day 6 Lotus Sutra, Buddha Nature, Letting Go, Karma, Karmic Consequences, Buddha's... |
Nov 21 2004 Tassajara |
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Buddha Nature and the Ugly DucklingSerial: SF-00056 Zendo lecture; feeling of not fitting in and not belonging that sends us towards spiritual practice. Lotus Sutra, Buddha Nature, Ego, Delusion, training, Precepts, stubbornness, Posture... |
Nov 06 2004 Tassajara |
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Zendo Lecture Lotus Sutra, Buddha Nature, Ego, Delusion, training, Light-and-Darkness, Passions,... |
Nov 06 2004 Tassajara |
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Lotus Sutra ClassSerial: SF-03549 Dining Room Class Lotus Sutra, Ceremony, Perfect Wisdom, Buddha Nature, Nirvana, Zazen, Practice Period... |
Nov 03 2004 Tassajara |
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Lotus Sutra ClassSerial: SF-03556 Dining Room Class 3 Lotus Sutra, Suzuki Roshi, Mahayana, Big Mind, Practice Period, Heart Sutra, Buddha... |
Oct 20 2004 Tassajara |
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May 30th, 2004, Serial No. 01043 Passions, Ceremony, Ego, Intuition, Zazen, Buddha Nature, Skandas, Delusion,... |
May 30 2004 Tassajara |
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Do Not Resuscitate Emptiness, Delusion, Buddha Nature, Big Mind, Suzuki Roshi, Discrimination, Non-... |
May 08 2004 Tassajara |
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April 18th, 2004, Serial No. 01045 Passions, Buddha Nature, Four Noble Truths, Addiction, Suzuki Roshi, Ego, Zazen,... |
Apr 18 2004 Tassajara |
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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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December 9th, 2002, Serial No. 00978 Buddha Nature, Suzuki Roshi, Zazen, Ceremony, Zendo, Ordinary Mind, Bell, Emptiness,... |
Dec 09 2002 City Center |
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December 2nd, 2002, Serial No. 04061 Delusion, Hate, Buddha Mind, Gratitude, Buddha Nature, Commitment, Conversation, Vows... |
Dec 02 2002 City Center |
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Not Always So Class Buddha Nature, Emptiness, Bodhidharma, Zazen, Suzuki Roshi, Describe, realization,... |
Nov 18 2002 Tassajara |
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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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August 10th, 2002, Serial No. 04012 Instruction, Buddha Nature, Separation, Oneness, Nirvana Sutra, realization, Birth-... |
Aug 10 2002 City Center |
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VasubandhuSerial: SF-04018 Summer intensive Delusion, Letting Go, Emptiness, Zazen, Separation, New Year, Karma, Discrimination,... |
Jul 22 2002 City Center |
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Transmission of the Light ClassSerial: SF-01090 What enlightenment meant to the ancestors might be different than what it means to us, it's important to come to everyday events with a new outlook or view, Daitaka, we can... Buddha Nature, Birth-and-Death, true dharma, Transmission, Buddha Mind, Demons,... |
Jun 04 2002 Green Gulch |
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Transmission of the Light ClassSerial: SF-01086 Tuesday: Breaking through the conceptual veil, Kasyapa, nothing to be transmitted, investigate the conventional world to the limit, Kukkutapada Transmission, realization, Sixth Patriarch, Book of Serenity, Ceremony, Monastic... |
May 07 2002 Green Gulch |
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Transmission of the Light ClassSerial: SF-01085 Tuesday: Keizan Jokin, legitimate lineage, mind seal, hagiography, Keizan brought zen to the people, Shakyamuni's story Lineage, Transmission, Buddha Nature, Lotus Sutra, Blue Cliff Record, Faith, Monastic... |
Apr 30 2002 Green Gulch |
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Wednesday Lecture Silence, Buddha Nature, Practice Period, Non-duality, resistance, Gratitude, Lineage... |
Mar 21 2001 Green Gulch |
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Sunday Lecture Freedom, training, Bell, Beginners, Discrimination, Nirvana, Buddha Nature, Judgement... |
Mar 04 2001 Green Gulch |
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Sunday Lecture Buddha Nature, New Year, Right Effort, Conversation, Vows, Practice Period, Suzuki... |
Dec 31 2000 Green Gulch |
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Sunday Lecture Mill Valley, Buddha Nature, Delusion, true dharma, Buddha Ancestors, Teacher-and-... |
Dec 03 2000 Green Gulch |
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Saturday Lecture Letting Go, Karma, Gratitude, Faith, Happiness, Buddha Nature, Tassajara, Cultivation... |
Nov 25 2000 City Center |