guṇa

From Buddha-Nature
Sanskrit Noun

guṇa

enlightened qualities
गुण
ཡོན་ཏན་
功德

Basic Meaning

The qualities or attributes of an enlightened being.

On this topic
Video
Douglas Duckworth at the 2019 Tathāgatagarbha Symposium
Douglas Duckworth presents how buddha-nature is interpreted by Mipam Gyatso (1846–1912). He shows that while Mipam accepts that the qualities of the buddha are primordially present, unconditioned, and not newly produced, they are also empty of inherent existence.
Duckworth, Douglas. "Sentient Beings Within: Buddha-Nature and the Great Perfection." Paper presented at the University of Vienna Symposium, Tathāgatagarbha Across Asia, Vienna, Austria, July 2019. Video, 42:46. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slBWdnUfS8w.
Video
Filippo Brambilla at the 2019 Tathāgatagarbha Symposium
Filippo Brambilla examines how a broad range of philosophical views translated to Tsoknyi Gyatso's (1880–1940) position on buddha-nature. On the basis of key passages from two of his major philosophical works, Brambilla argues that Tsoknyi Gyatso sought to harmonize the orthodox perspective of his own (Jonang) tradition on this subject with that of the Gelukpas.
Brambilla, Filippo. "Empty of True Existence, Yet Full of Qualities. Tshogs gnyis rgya mtsho (1880–1940) on Buddha Nature." Paper presented at the University of Vienna Symposium, Tathāgatagarbha Across Asia, Vienna, Austria, July 2019. Video, 41:47. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1cTYaIFa4g
Video
Katrin Querl at the 2019 Tathāgatagarbha Symposium
Katrin Querl presents an overview of Jikten Gonpo's position on Buddha-nature as outlined in the textual corpus known as the Single Intention (Dgongs gcig) and in two of this work's earliest commentaries.
Querl, Katrin. "Preliminary Notes on the Notion of Buddha Nature in the Single Intention." Paper presented at the University of Vienna Symposium, Tathāgatagarbha Across Asia, Vienna, Austria, July 2019. Video, 43:53. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp3GJz3-5DY.
Video
Martina Draszczyk at the 2019 Tathāgatagarbha Symposium
Martina Draszczyk discusses the early Kagyu masters and explores how their meditation-oriented approach is based in both affirming buddha-nature as the ground and goal of Buddhist soteriology and avoiding its reification into an entity with real properties.
Draszczyk, Martina. "Buddha Nature as Seen by Early Bka’ brgyud Masters." Paper presented at the University of Vienna Symposium, Tathāgatagarbha Across Asia, Vienna, Austria, July 2019. Video, 37:27. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoMUdg40Qv8.
Video
Sina Joos at the 2019 Tathāgatagarbha Symposium
Sina Joos discusses the ways in which Tāranātha utilizes the famous nine examples from the Ratnagotravibhāga in his Dbu ma theg mchog to assert his understanding of buddha-nature as zhentong (other-emptiness). She also compares Tāranātha’s position on Buddha-nature to Dolpopa's own view.
Joos, Sina. "The Role of the Ratnagotravibhāga in Tā ra nā tha’s dBu ma theg mchog." Paper presented at the University of Vienna Symposium, Tathāgatagarbha Across Asia, Vienna, Austria, July 2019. Video, 40:46. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxn5XgPGnSU.
Term Variations
Key Term guṇa
Topic Variation enlightened qualities
Tibetan ཡོན་ཏན་  ( yönten)
Wylie Tibetan Transliteration yon tan  ( yönten)
Devanagari Sanskrit गुण
Chinese 功德
Chinese Pinyin gōng dé
Japanese Transliteration kudoku
Korean Transliteration kongdok
Buddha-nature Site Standard English enlightened qualities
Richard Barron's English Term enlightened/ positive quality/ property
Jeffrey Hopkin's English Term good qualities
Gyurme Dorje's English Term enlightened attribute, buddha attribute
Term Information
Source Language Sanskrit
Basic Meaning The qualities or attributes of an enlightened being.
Term Type Noun
Definitions
Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism See page 336: In Sanskrit and Päli, lit. “string,” or “strand,” by extension a “quality” or “spiritual virtue.”
Rangjung Yeshe Dictionary 1) attributes, good quality, excellence, taste, effect, virtue, accomplishment. 2) skill, ability. Syn {nus rtsal} 3) medical term. secondary quality, capability, capabilities, talents, attainment, achievement. 4) valuable property. 5) learning, knowledge; education. 6) objects, properties. 7) praise. (positive) quality; qualities, capabilities, talents; knowledge; enlightened attributes. offering, a present, gift, offering, fee, benefit, to repay. positive traits
Tshig mdzod Chen mo 1) rig gnas shes pa'i khyad chos/ ... yon tan khyad par can/ ... yon tan gyi nus pa/ ... yon tan slob pa/ ... yon tan sbyong ba/ ... yon tan la mnga' brnyes pa/ ... dran rgya che yang yon tan chung ba/ ... yon tan yod kyang med mdog byed pa/ ... yon tan yod pas ma spyad na/ zhing la so nam ma byas 'dra/ ... 2) (mngon) rdul dang/ mun pa/ snying stobs kyi yon tan gsum yod pas grangs gsum mtshon/ ...
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