Buddha Nature Across Asia

The tathāgatagarbha or buddha nature doctrine is centered on sentient beings’ potential for buddhahood—sometimes understood in the sense that all beings already contain a “buddha within.” This notion is found through various strands of early Mahāyāna sources that, notwithstanding their complex and interwoven development, came to share enough common features to summarize them under the doxographical category of Tathāgatagarbha.

The chapters contained in this volume represent the latest research into buddha nature theory that covers a range of topics across major Buddhist traditions. These contributions were originally presented as papers during the symposium “Tathāgatagarbha across Asia: The Reception of an Influential Mahāyāna Doctrine in Central and East Asia,” held at the University of Vienna in 2019. This symposium brought together academic scholars focusing on religio-historical developments of buddha nature theory as well as traditional teachers and monastics who offered emic perspectives on the relevance of the concept within the context of their own tradition. The resulting volume, therefore, aims at contributing to the overall better understanding of tathāgatagarbha doxography, both historically and in living Buddhist communities. (Source: WSTB)

Citation	Mathes, Klaus-Dieter, and Casey Kemp, eds. Buddha Nature Across Asia. Wiener Studien zur Tibetologie und Buddhismuskunde 103. Vienna: Arbeitkreis für tibetische und buddhistische Studien, University of Vienna, 2022.

Editor's Introduction9

1. Varieties of Early Buddha Nature Teaching in India
- Christopher V. Jones25

2. The Mahāyānottaratantraśāstropadeśa of Sajjana: A Reading Sanskrit Text and Annotated Translation
- Kazuo Kano55

3. From Buddha Nature to Original Enlightenment: "Contemplating Suchness" in Medieval Japan
- Jacqueline I. Stone93

4. How the Concepts of Buddha Nature and Original Enlightenment Were
Interpreted by Shinran
- Seiji Kumagai123

5. The Basis for Buddhahood: The Naturally Luminous Mind and Buddha Nature in the Early Mahāmudrā Tradition
- Casey Kemp139

6. A Meditation-Oriented Approach to Buddha Nature as Seen by Early Kagyü Masters
- Martina Draszczyk171

7. Preliminary Notes on the Notion of Buddha Nature in the Single Intention
- Katrin Querl193

8. Jigten Sumgön's View of Buddha Nature and How Confusion Distinguishes a Sentient Being from a Buddha
- Khenpo Konchok Tamphel219

9. Images of Emptiness in a Prognostic Mirror: Tantric Zhentong Visions of Tathāgatagarbha in Early Jonang Kālacakra Yoga Manuals
- Michael R. Sheehy229

10. Shangton Sönam Drakpa's Defense of Dölpopa Sherab Gyaltsen's Ground Consciousness
- Klaus-Dieter Mathes261

11. Buddha Nature through the Eyes of Gorampa Sönam Sengé
- Khenpo Ngawang Jorden291

12. Buddha Nature and Selfhood: Critical Reflections by the Eighth Karmapa
Mikyö Dorjé
- David Higgins317

13. The Role of the Ratnagotravibhāga in Tāranātha's Great Madhyamaka Vehicle
- Sina Joos349

14. Empty of True Existence, Yet Full of Qualities: Ngawang Tsoknyi Gyatso on Buddha Nature
- Filippo Brambilla377

15. Sentient Beings Within: Buddha Nature and the Great Perfection
- Douglas Duckworth423

16. The Impact of a Zhentong Interpretation of Tathāgatagarbha Doctrine from
the Point of View of a Western Buddhist Practitioner
- Shenpen Hookham447

- About the Authors469
- Index475