Buddha-nature as Emptiness

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Topic: Buddha-nature as Emptiness

Books

Book
Bde gshegs snying po rigs kyi chos skor
This collection includes a history of buddha-nature theory in Tibet by Thupten Jinpa and seven texts influential in the development of buddha-nature teachings in Tibet. The texts included represent many lineages and historical periods. Along with the root text the following texts appear: 1) Butön's commentary to the Uttaratantrashastra (བདེ་གཤེགས་སྙིང་པོ་གསལ་བར་བྱེད་པ་མཛེས་བྱེད་ཀྱི་རྒྱན། pp 3-63). 2) The Third Karmapa Rangjung Dorje's commentary (བདེ་གཤེགས་སྙིང་པོ་བསྟན་པ། pp 65-69). 3) The Fifteenth Karmapa Khakyap Dorje's commentary (དེ་བཞིན་གཤེགས་པའི་སྙིང་པོ་བསྟན་པའི་བསྟན་བཅོས་ཀྱི་མཆན་འགྲེལ། pp 71-88). 4) Rongton's commentary (ཐེག་པ་ཆེན་པོ་རྒྱུད་བླ་མའི་བསྟན་བཅོས་ལེགས་པར་བཤད་པ། pp 89-206). 5) Shakya Chokden's commentary (ཆོས་དབྱིངས་བསྟོད་པའི་འགྲེལ་པ་ཆོས་ཀྱི་དབྱིངས་རྣམ་པར་ངེས་པ། pp 207-238). 6) Jetsun Chokyi Gyaltsen's text on the disposition (gotra, rigs) (རིགས་ཀྱི་སྤྱི་དོན། pp 239-287) 7) Mipham Gyatso's Lion's Roar (བདེ་གཤེགས་སྙིང་པོའི་སྟོང་ཐུན་ཆེན་མོ་སེངྒེའི་ང་རོ། pp 289-316).
Jinpa, Thupten, ed. Treatises on the Buddha Nature. Tibetan Classics Series 17. New Delhi: Institute of Tibetan Classics, 2007. glang ri ba thub bstan sbyin pa. bde gshegs snying po rigs kyi chos skor. bod kyi gtsug lag gces btus 17. bod kyi gtsug lag zhib dpyod khang, 2007. གླང་རི་བ་ཐུབ་བསྟན་སྦྱིན་པ། བདེ་གཤེགས་སྙིང་པོ་རིགས་ཀྱི་ཆོས་སྐོར། བོད་ཀྱི་གཙུག་ལག་གཅེས་བཏུས། ༡༧ བོད་ཀྱི་གཙུག་ལག་ཞིབ་དཔྱོད་ཁང་།, 2007.
Book
Buddha-Nature and Emptiness
An essential study of a key text that presents buddha-nature theory and its transmission from India to Tibet, this book is the most thorough history of buddha-nature thought in Tibet and is exceptional in its level of detail and scholarly apparatus. It serves as a scholarly encyclopedia of sorts with extensive appendices listing every existent commentary on the Ratnagotravibhāga (Uttaratantraśāstra), as well as covering Ngok Lotsawa's commentarial text and his philosophical positions related with other Tibetan thinkers.
Kano, Kazuo. Buddha-Nature and Emptiness: rNgog Blo-ldan-shes-rab and A Transmission of the Ratnagotravibhāga from India to Tibet. Wiener Studien zur Tibetologie und Buddhismuskunde 91. Vienna: Arbeitskreis für Tibetische und Buddhistische Studien Universität Wien, 2016.
Book
Mipam on Buddha-Nature
A comprehensive overview of Tibetan Buddhist thinker Mipam’s work on emptiness and Buddha-nature.



Mipam ( 'ju mi pham rgya mtsho, 1846–1912) is one of the most prolific thinkers in the history of Tibet and is a key figure in the Nyingma tradition of Buddhism. His works continue to be widely studied in the Tibetan cultural region and beyond. This book provides an in-depth account of Mipam’s view, drawing on a wide range of his works and offering several new translations. Douglas S. Duckworth shows how a dialectic of presence and absence permeates Mipam’s writings on the Middle Way and Buddha-nature.

Arguably the most important doctrine in Buddhism, Buddha-nature is, for Mipam, equivalent to the true meaning of emptiness; it is the ground of all and the common ground shared by sentient beings and Buddhas. This ground is the foundation of the path and inseparable from the goal of Buddhahood. Duckworth probes deeply into Mipam’s writings on Buddha-nature to illuminate its central place in a dynamic Buddhist philosophy. (Source: SUNY Press)
Duckworth, Douglas S. Mipam on Buddha-Nature: The Ground of the Nyingma Tradition. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2008. http://promienie.net/images/dharma/books/mipham_buddha-nature.pdf.
Book
Rainbow Painting
Saturated with direct, pithy instructions, Rainbow Painting presents the very quintessence of the Buddhist Spiritual approach through the authentic personal experience of one of the greatest living meditation masters.

Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche expresses what he himself has undergone, instructing us in a complete manner of training. To attain enlightenment we must experience our innate nature. The ultimate object of realization, the natural state of mind, unmistakenly and exactly as it is, need not be sought for elsewhere but is present within ourselves. Stability in this unexcelled state of unity is not achieved by separating what we know from what we do.

This book contains astute instructions that address these key points of spirituality. (Source: Rangjung Yeshe Publications)
Urgyen Rinpoche, Tulku. Rainbow Painting: A Collection of Miscellaneous Aspects of Development and Completion. Translated by Erik Pema Kunsang. Compiled by Marcia Binder Schmidt and edited with Kerry Moran. Hong Kong: Rangjung Yeshe Publications, 1995. https://archive.org/details/rainbowpaintingbytulkuurgyenrinpocheerikpemakunsang_400_l/mode/2up.
Book
Steps on the Path to Enlightenment, Vol. 4
Geshe Sopa continues his elucidation of Lama Tsongkhapa’s masterwork on the Buddhist path with an explanation of the core meditative practice of śamatha, or calm abiding.
      Showing how it is absolutely essential for—and goes hand in hand with—the achievement of insight into reality, he gives practical tips for countering sleepiness, agitation, and their more subtle counterparts. Leading us step by step toward deeper levels of concentration, volume 4 of the Steps on the Path to Enlightenment series brings readers closer to the ultimate goal of śamatha: unlimited and effortless focus. (Source: Wisdom Publications)
Sopa, Geshe Lhundub. Steps on the Path to Enlightenment: A Commentary on Tsongkhapa's Lamrim Chenmo. Vol. 4, Śamatha. With James Blumenthal. Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications, 2016.
Book
The Buddha Nature: A Study of the Tathāgatagarbha and Ālayavijñāna
One of the fundamental tenets of Mahayana Buddhism animating and grounding the doctrine and discipline of its spiritual path, is the inherent potentiality of all animate beings to attain the supreme and perfect enlightenment of Buddhahood. This book examines the ontological presuppositions and the corresponding soteriological-epistemological principles that sustain and define such a theory. Within the field of Buddhist studies, such a work provides a comprehensive context in which to interpret the influence and major insights of the various Buddhist schools. Thus, the dynamics of the Buddha Nature, though non-thematic and implicit, is at the heart of Zen praxis, while it is a significant articulation in Kegon, Tendai, and Shingon thought. More specifically, the book seeks to establish a coherent metaphysics of absolute suchness (Tathatā), synthesizing the variant traditions of the Tathagata-embryo (Tathāgatagarbha) and the Storehouse Consciousness (Ālayavijñāna).



The book's contribution to the broader field of the History of Religions rests in its presentation and analysis of the Buddhist Enlightenment as the salvific-transformational moment in which Tathatā 'awakens' to itself, comes to perfect self-realization as the Absolute suchness of reality, in and through phenomenal human consciousness. The book is an interpretation of the Buddhist Path as the spontaneous self-emergence of 'embryonic' absolute knowledge as it comes to free itself from the concealments of adventitious defilements, and possess itself in fully self-explicitated self-consciousness as the 'Highest Truth' and unconditional nature of all existence; it does so only in the form of omniscient wisdom. (Source: Book jacket inside cover)
Brown, Brian Edward. The Buddha Nature: A Study of the Tathāgatagarbha and Ālayavijñāna. Buddhist Tradition Series 11. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1991. https://archive.org/details/tathagatgarbhabuddhanatureastudyofthetathagatagarbhaandalayavijnanabrianedwardbr/mode/2up.

Articles

Article
Mind Is Empty and Lucid, Its Nature Is Great Bliss
The Tibetan teacher Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche offers instruction on key verses from one of the Mahamudra’s seminal texts, A Song for the King by the Indian sage Saraha.
Thrangu Rinpoche. "Mind Is Empty and Lucid, Its Nature Is Great Bliss." Lion's Roar, July 1, 2007.
Article
Onto-theology and Emptiness: The Nature of Buddha-Nature
In this article, I chart a trajectory from deconstruction to embodiment in the intellectual history of Buddhist traditions in Tibet. I focus on embodiment as a participatory approach to radically deconstructed and unthematized meaning, in contrast to an interpretation of truth as purely an analytic category or an approach to meaning that deals with values, such as emptiness, as simply truth claims or representations. I show how certain Buddhists in Tibet have represented the meaning of emptiness as a uniquely participatory encounter in such a way that its meaning is necessarily embodied. To speak of it otherwise, I argue, is to misrepresent its meaning fundamentally. An important way that the embodiment of emptiness is formulated is through the discourses of buddha-nature (tathāgatagarbha). I show how Tibetan interpretations of Buddha-nature reflect postmodern concerns about metaphysics and onto-theology.
Duckworth, Douglas S. "Onto-theology and Emptiness: The Nature of Buddha-Nature." Journal of the American Academy of Religion 82, no. 4 (2014): 1070–90. https://sites.temple.edu/duckworth/files/2013/07/Duckworth_Ontotheology.pdf.
Article
Pointing Out Ordinary Mind
Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche presents the essential teachings of Mahamudra and its three main approaches to practice, each offering effective methods for directly pointing out mind’s true nature.
Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, (The 7th). "Pointing Out Ordinary Mind." Buddhadharma: The Practitioner's Quarterly, August 15, 2018.
Article
See the True Nature, Then Let Go and Relax in That
An interview with Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche that turned into a Mahamudra teaching on the spot.
McLeod, Melvin. "See the True Nature, Then Let Go and Relax in That." Buddhadharma: The Practitioner's Quarterly, March 1, 2004.
Article
The Significance of 'Tathagatagarbha': A Positive Expression of 'Sunyata'
No abstract given. Here are the first relevant paragraphs:

The well-known motto of Ch'an Buddhism is that "perceiving the true self, one becomes a Buddha." The "true self" signifies the Buddha nature inherent in all sentient beings. The discovering of the "true self" has become the single most important pursuit of the Buddhist, especially in Sino-Japanese Buddhism. On the contrary, early Buddhism teaches that ultimately no substantial self (i.e., 'anatman') can be found, since the self is nothing but the union of the five aggregates. Modern Buddhologists as well as the Buddhists have been intrigued by the inconsistency that one single tradition teaches both that there is no self on the one hand, and that the goal of religious life is to discover the true self, on the other hand.

The big questions concerning these two contradictory doctrines include:

  • How did they develop during the course of Buddhist history?
  • How can they be reconciled?
  • Are these two ideas actually as contradicting as they appear to be?
  • Is the concept of the Buddha nature an outcome of the influence of other Indian religious thought upon Buddhism?

It is out of the scope of this short paper to answer all these questions. Therefore, this paper will deal with the antecedent and synonymous concept of the Buddha nature, that is, 'tathagata- garbha' ('ju lai tsang'). Specifically, this paper will examine the meaning and significance of the 'tathagatagarbha' (Buddha nature) based on three 'tathagatagarbha' texts and argue that the 'tathagatagarbha'/Buddha nature does not represent a substantial self ('atman'); rather, it is a positive language and expression of 'sunyata' (emptiness) and represents the potentiality to realize Buddhahood through Buddhist practices. In other words, the intention of the teaching of 'tathagatagarbha'/Buddha nature is soteriological rather than theoretical.

Read more here
Shih, Heng-Ching. "The Significance of 'Tathagatagarbha': A Positive Expression of 'Sunyata'." BuddhaSasana: A Buddhist Page by Binh Anson. https://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha191.htm.

Source Texts

Text
Gyaltsap Je Dharma Rinchen: Commentary on the Ultimate Continuum of the Mahāyāna
Commentary on the Uttaratantra by a preeminent Geluk scholar that was a chief disciple of the school's founder, Tsongkhapa, as well as the Sakya scholar Rendawa Zhönu Lodrö, an outspoken critic of the treatise.
Text
Ngok Lotsāwa Loden Sherab: Condensed Meaning of the "Ultimate Continuum of the Mahāyāna"
The first Tibetan commentary written on the Uttaratantra by the translator of the only extant Tibetan translation of the treatise. Furthermore, since the author is also the namesake of the Ngok tradition (rngog lugs) of exegesis of the Uttaratantra, known for its analytic take on the work, this text was highly influential in the conception of a uniquely Tibetan approach to the Uttaratantra and the notion of buddha-nature.

Interviews

Interview
A Dilettante's Ramblings on the Uttaratantra, Asaṅga, Mipham, and Buddha-Nature by John Canti
Canti, John. "A Dilettante's Ramblings on the Uttaratantra, Asaṅga, Mipham, and Buddha-Nature." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, June 25, 2022. Video, 1:33:09. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEwPclJGvF8.
Canti, John. "A Dilettante's Ramblings on the Uttaratantra, Asaṅga, Mipham, and Buddha-Nature." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, June 25, 2022. Video, 1:33:09. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEwPclJGvF8.
Interview
Buddha-Nature in Early Chan and Japanese Zen by Rev. Kokyo Henkel: Conversations on Buddha-Nature
Henkel, Rev. Kokyo. "Buddha-Nature in Early Chan and Japanese Zen." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, June 26, 2021. Video, 1:23:03. https://youtu.be/j_V3v-oqnNU.
Henkel, Rev. Kokyo. "Buddha-Nature in Early Chan and Japanese Zen." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, June 26, 2021. Video, 1:23:03. https://youtu.be/j_V3v-oqnNU.
Interview
Emptiness and Buddha-Nature by Thupten Jinpa: Conversations on Buddha-Nature
Jinpa, Thupten. "Emptiness and Buddha-Nature: A Creative Tension between Two Fundamental Concepts of Mahayana Thought." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 1:21:49. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thvDcHQyazg.
Jinpa, Thupten. "Emptiness and Buddha-Nature: A Creative Tension between Two Fundamental Concepts of Mahayana Thought." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 1:21:49. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thvDcHQyazg.
Interview
Karl Brunnhölzl Interview on Buddha-Nature
Karl Brunnhölzl discusses buddha-nature and it's related concepts in an interview with Marcus Perman of Tsadra Foundation.
Brunnhölzl, Karl. “Karl Brunnhölzl Interview on Buddha-Nature” Interview by Marcus Perman. Tsadra Foundation Research Department, December 3, 2018. Video, 61:42.
Interview
Matthieu Ricard: Conversations on Buddha-Nature
Ricard, Matthieu. “Matthieu Ricard: Conversations on Buddha-Nature." Interview by Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Conversations on Buddha-Nature Series 1. October 24, 2020. Video, 1:07:51. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MurIM00GwUc.
Ricard, Matthieu. “Matthieu Ricard: Conversations on Buddha-Nature." Interview by Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Conversations on Buddha-Nature Series 1. October 24, 2020. Video, 1:07:51. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MurIM00GwUc.
Interview
Practical Implications of Shentong Interpretations of Tathāgatagarbha by Lama Shenpen Hookham
Hookham, Shenpen. "Practical Implications of Shentong Interpretations of Tathāgatagarbha." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, July 30, 2022. Video, 1:23:29. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOoeGgD4IFk.
Hookham, Shenpen. "Practical Implications of Shentong Interpretations of Tathāgatagarbha." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, July 30, 2022. Video, 1:23:29. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOoeGgD4IFk.
Interview
Study and Practice of Buddha-Nature Teachings in the Nyingma Tradition by Khenpo Tenzin Norgay Rinpoche
Norgay, Khenpo Tenzin. "Study and Practice of Buddha-Nature Teachings in the Nyingma Tradition." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, April 30, 2022. Video, 1:17:24. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osciesdxOrI.
Norgay, Khenpo Tenzin. "Study and Practice of Buddha-Nature Teachings in the Nyingma Tradition." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, April 30, 2022. Video, 1:17:24. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osciesdxOrI.
Interview
What Is My Mind without Me? Buddha-Nature in the Karma Kagyu School by Karl Brunnhölzl
Brunnhölzl, Karl. "What Is My Mind without Me? Buddha-Nature in the Karma Kagyu School." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, February 26, 2022. Video, 1:16:52. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh--a5jxNq4.
Brunnhölzl, Karl. "What Is My Mind without Me? Buddha-Nature in the Karma Kagyu School." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, February 26, 2022. Video, 1:16:52. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh--a5jxNq4.
Interview
Wulstan Fletcher Interview on Buddha-Nature
Wulstan Fletcher discusses buddha-nature and it's related concepts in an interview with Marcus Perman of Tsadra Foundation.

Multimedia

Video
Buddhism: One Teacher, Many Traditions: Chapter 14: Buddha Nature: A Talk by Thubten Chodron
Thubten Chodron guides viewers through her book, Buddhism: One Teacher, Many Traditions in this video series produced by Sravasti Abbey. This talk addressing Chapter 14 discusses buddha-nature by way of emptiness. Venerable Thubten Chodron presents that emptiness is the reason that the mind's afflictions and obscurations can be purified and that purification process reveals buddha-nature inherent in the minds of all beings.
Chodron, T. "Buddhism: One Teacher, Many Traditions. Chapter 14: Buddha Nature." Pt. 1 of 4. Produced by Sravasti Abbey, November 15, 2017. Video, 1:15:30, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XpyXg7sAnw.
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
Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo: What Is Innate Perfection or Buddha-Nature?
Palmo, Jetsunma Tenzin. "What Is Innate Perfection or Buddha-Nature?" Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, September 25, 2021. Video, 8:00. https://youtu.be/Wy278BzAhqE.
Palmo, Jetsunma Tenzin. "What Is Innate Perfection or Buddha-Nature?" Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, September 25, 2021. Video, 8:00. https://youtu.be/Wy278BzAhqE.
Video
John Canti: On Luminosity and It's Relationship to the Kāyas and Emptiness
Canti, John. "On Luminosity and It's Relationship to the Kāyas and Emptiness." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, June 25, 2022. Video, 7:22. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSKgamUZQEc.
Canti, John. "On Luminosity and It's Relationship to the Kāyas and Emptiness." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, June 25, 2022. Video, 7:22. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSKgamUZQEc.
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
Khenpo Tenzin Norgay: On Candrakīrti and Nāgārjuna and Why They Emphasized Emptiness over Clarity
Norgay, Khenpo Tenzin. "On Candrakīrti and Nāgārjuna and Why They Emphasized Emptiness over Clarity." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, April 30, 2022. Video, 5:41. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv3ZPHXyXVA.
Norgay, Khenpo Tenzin. "On Candrakīrti and Nāgārjuna and Why They Emphasized Emptiness over Clarity." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, April 30, 2022. Video, 5:41. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv3ZPHXyXVA.
Video
Lama Shenpen Hookham: On Her Approach to the Rangtong and Shentong Debate over the Nature of Reality
Hookham, Shenpen. "On Her Approach to the Rangtong and Shentong Debate over the Nature of Reality." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, July 30, 2022. Video, 20:36. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzkQPncAK4k.
Hookham, Shenpen. "On Her Approach to the Rangtong and Shentong Debate over the Nature of Reality." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, July 30, 2022. Video, 20:36. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzkQPncAK4k.
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
Michael Sheehy at the 2019 Tathāgatagarbha Symposium
Michael Sheehy explores the “images of emptiness” or expressions of emptiness in the Kālacakra Tantra. He discusses how these were interpreted by Dolpopa Sherab Gyaltsen (1292-1361) and his immediate disciples to be direct expressions of tathāgatagarbha.
Sheehy, Michael. "Tantric Zhentong Visions of Tathāgatagarbha in Tibetan Kālacakra Yoga Manuals." Paper presented at the University of Vienna Symposium, Tathāgatagarbha Across Asia, Vienna, Austria, July 2019. Video, 46:01. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm7z5pR1EGA.
Video
On Buddha-Nature and Emptiness by Douglas Duckworth
Douglas Duckworth discusses the concept of buddha-nature vis-a-vis the notion of emptiness.
Duckworth, Douglas. "On Buddha-Nature and Emptiness." Interview by Alex Gardner. AAR Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, Nov. 20, 2018. Video, 6:58. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuTyzVZH8S8.
Video
On His Personal Encounter with Buddha-Nature Teachings by Wulstan Fletcher
Wulstan Fletcher describes his own experience with the teachings of buddha-nature. In particular he speaks about how his study of the emptiness teachings of Madhyamaka has been essential to his understanding of buddha-nature. He goes on to discuss how practice is a means of developing the recognition of the buddha-nature within.
Fletcher, Wulstan. “On His Personal Encounter with Buddha-Nature Teachings.” Interview by Marcus Perman. Tsadra Foundation Research Department, November 9, 2019. Video, 7:39. https://youtu.be/IqAWmB_nDRM.
Video
On How to Approach Buddha-Nature in Practice by Tokpa Tulku
In this video Tokpa Tulku begins by describing the difficulty inherent in understanding the unity of emptiness and luminosity, or appearance, an understanding made more difficult by our habitual patterns of thinking. He goes on to describe how buddha-nature is considered the ground of one's practice, as it is concerned with the view and the possibility of becoming a buddha. Gaining certainty that one has buddha-nature aids in one's practice. It is especially important in modern times, where people are looking elsewhere for security and happiness. Buddha-nature, in contrast, is that which is always within you, as a refuge.
Tokpa Tulku. “On How to Approach Buddha-Nature in Practice.” Interview by Marcus Perman. Tsadra Foundation Research Department, April 22, 2019. Video, 7:47. https://youtu.be/N932YmrzHAE.
Video
On Mipham and the Nyingma Approach to Buddha-Nature by Wulstan Fletcher
Wulstan Fletcher discusses Mipham's view of buddha-nature. He describes how he was influenced by Longchenpa's view of the inseparability of the second and third turnings of the wheel of the Dharma. He goes on to discuss Mipham's approach to the two truths (conventional and ultimate), in particular the way in which ultimate reality is described as the union of the two truths. Buddha-nature, he explains, is that which transcends the duality of permanence and impermanence. It is a permanence that transcends this binary. However, for Mipham, and more generally for the Nyingma, buddha-nature is not to be understood as a "real" substantive thing. Nor is it to be understood as a nonaffirming negation, as a mere emptiness.
Fletcher, Wulstan. “On Mipham and the Nyingma Approach to Buddha-Nature.” Interview by Marcus Perman. Tsadra Foundation Research Department, November 9, 2019. Video, 19:04. https://youtu.be/ZUquZdCSXA8.
Video
On Rangtong and Shentong Views of Buddha-Nature by Tokpa Tulku
Tokpa Tulku describes the differences between the rangtong and shentong views of buddha-nature. He follows Mipam rinpoche in describing these seemingly opposing views as two different ways of describing the same buddha-nature. While many scholars have emphasized the emptiness aspect or the luminous or permanent aspect of buddha-nature, both, he suggests, need to be brought together in order to go beyond extremes and dualistic thinking.
Tokpa Tulku. “On Rangtong and Shentong Views of Buddha-Nature.” Interview by Marcus Perman. Tsadra Foundation Research Department, April 22, 2019. Video, 4:12. https://youtu.be/VJZ3wU4W9Gw.
Video
On the Nature of Mind and Its Relationship to Buddha-Nature by Ringu Tulku
Ringu Tulku continues his discussion of buddha-nature by further distinguishing what Buddha nature means. He explains that buddha-nature is not something external or something that is in our bodies to be located. Rather, buddha nature describes the way we are. He explains that the consciousness of the Buddha, which is clear and luminous, is the same as every other consciousness, but we do not recognize this as such. We instead tend to react to our experiences with dualistic thinking, which leads to negative emotions and to saṃsāric experience. Given that our minds share the same capacity for enlightenment as the Buddha, the task is then to recognize this and transform our experience.
Ringu Tulku. “On the Nature of Mind and Its Relationship to Buddha-Nature.” Interview by Marcus Perman. Tsadra Foundation Research Department, October 10, 2019. Video, 7:46. https://youtu.be/0NKhxlJCelo.
Video
On the Topic of Buddha-Nature Understood as Luminosity versus Buddha-Nature Understood as Emptiness by Douglas Duckworth
Douglas Duckworth discusses the debate about buddha-nature understood as luminosity (or as having qualities) versus buddha-nature understood as emptiness.
Duckworth, Douglas. "On the Topic of Buddha-Nature Understood as Luminosity (or as Having Qualities) versus Buddha-Nature Understood as Emptiness." Interview by Alex Gardner. AAR Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, Nov. 20, 2018. Video, 7:24. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezum9pXNl44.
Video
Potprecha Cholvijarn: On the Inspiration behind His Study of Self & Non-Self Debates in the Thai Theravāda Tradition
Cholvijarn, Potprecha. "On the Inspiration behind His Study of Self & Non-Self Debates in the Thai Theravāda Tradition." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, March 28, 2022. Video, 2:18. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9AAxD_wZcM.
Cholvijarn, Potprecha. "On the Inspiration behind His Study of Self & Non-Self Debates in the Thai Theravāda Tradition." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, March 28, 2022. Video, 2:18. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9AAxD_wZcM.
Video
Thupten Jinpa: Buddha-Nature and the Tension between Two Fundamental Concepts of Mahayana Thought
Jinpa, Thupten. "Buddha-Nature and the Tension between Two Fundamental Concepts of Mahayana Thought." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 13:02. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJFSHBff8FU.
Jinpa, Thupten. "Buddha-Nature and the Tension between Two Fundamental Concepts of Mahayana Thought." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 13:02. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJFSHBff8FU.
Video
Why Was Buddha-Nature Taught as Part of the Third Turning of the Wheel of the Dharma? by Ringu Tulku
Ringu Tulku explains why buddha-nature teachings appear during the third turning of the wheel of the Dharma. He contends that the Buddha taught it later on in order to avoid confusion over whether buddha-nature was similar to the Hindu notion of ātman. This is why, he implies, the Buddha taught about emptiness first, so that buddha-nature teachings would not be understood to be positing a kind of substantial self.
Ringu Tulku. “Why Was Buddha-Nature Taught as Part of the Third Turning of the Wheel of the Dharma?” Interview by Marcus Perman. Tsadra Foundation Research Department, October 10, 2019. Video, 2:32. https://youtu.be/wmgYoSja0Q8.
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