Defining buddha-nature

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Topic: Defining buddha-nature

Books

Book
A Buddhist Bible (1938)
This early Western publication on Buddhism includes mention of the concept of buddha-nature 19 times. Thus this work would have been one of the few English publications at the time to mention buddha-nature by name. What follows is Goddard's preface to the book.

The first edition of this Buddhist Bible was published in 1932. When the need of a new edition became evident, it was decided to enlarge it so as to include other Scriptures of like importance so as to make it more comprehensive. This involved making a number of new translations for which we are indebted to Bhikshu Wai-tao. We are also indebted and are very grateful to a number of other Buddhist Scholars for permission to use their translations, as noted in the Appendix.
      The compiling of a Buddhist Bible is a very different matter from compiling the Christian Bible. In the first place, there is no Hierarchy or Ecclesiastic Council to pass upon the authenticity of different scriptures, and as to their canonicity. In the second place, Christian Scriptures are a closed system of doctrines and dogmas that have been inspired by the Holy Spirit and are to be accepted in faith. Buddhism, on the contrary, is looked upon as a growing organism whose scriptures are of many kinds as the organism has developed under different racial, temporal and cultural conditions. As disciples follow the Buddha's Noble Path and practice dhyana concentration and intuitive meditation they have an unfolding experience of spiritual insight and grace which any one of them may describe and elucidate. Some of these expediences are of highest value, some of less value. Some are concerned with the Dharma, some have to do with the rules of the Brotherhoods, some are philosophical, some psychological, some are commentaries and some are commentaries on commentaries. In the third place, there is the difference of quantity. In the Christian Bible there are sixty-six titles; Buddhist scriptures number over ten thousand, only a fraction of which have thus far been translated. In the Sung Dynasty about 972 AD a Chinese version of these scriptures was published consisting of 1521 works, in more than 5000 volumes, covering 130,000 pages.
      The nearest approach to canonicity is the Pali Tripitika. That was the earliest collection and was supposed to be limited to the words of Buddha. Southern Buddhists are passionately devoted to these Pali Scriptures and are inclined to disparage and dispute the more philosophical scriptures of the Northern School that developed later after Buddhism had come in contact with other world religions in Persia, Palestine, Egypt and Greece. Under these conditions there developed in Northern India, and Kashgar, a succession of very able minds, Ashvaghosha, Nargajuna, Vasobandhu and his brother Asangha from whose writings and teachings there developed various important schools of philosophical thought that profoundly changed the understanding of Buddha's Dharma.
      Later on as Buddhism spread into China and came under the influence of its immemorial culture and practical good sense, it took on forms of Taoist naturalism and kindly humanism, and there developed forms of "salvation by faith in Amitabha's mercy" and rebirth in his Pure Land. While in Tibet, coming in contact with its ancient Bon religion, and under the climatic conditions of its high altitudes, it took on forms of strenuousness and magic and tantric conceptions. Later on in Japan owing to political and social conditions incident to the presence of a limited but powerful noble class dominating a suppressed peasantry, which had developed extremes of loyalty and obedience and self-control, it took on forms of concentrative meditation known as Zen, and a still more widely divergent type of the True Pure Land Sect.
      Naturally among these diverse conditions Buddhist scriptures vary widely, and the quantity of them being so enormous, they have become segregated into different groups as they are favored by different schools of thought and practice. The Tien-tai favor the more philosophical scriptures, the Shingon, the more esoteric, the Ch’an (Zen), the more intellectual, and the Pure Land, the more emotional. The present editor has been guided in his selection of scriptures for this Buddhist Bible by a sincere purpose to make the selection as comprehensive as possible within its limits and to represent as truly as possible the original teachings of the Blessed One both as understood by the Southern and more primitive school and by the Northern and more philosophical interpreters. He has also humbly tried to have the choice vouched for by his own spiritual experience in his practice of the Noble Path and especially during its Eighth Stage of intuitive Dhyana.
      It follows, therefore, that the scriptures thus selected are the generally accepted scriptures of the Dhyana Sects—Ch’an in China, Zen in Japan and Kargyupta in Tibet. Of course among so enormous a collection of scriptures there are others that are favorites also, notably the Saddharma-pundarika (Lotus of the Perfect Law), and the Avatamsaka, said to be the grandest religious document ever written, but these are very large books in themselves. The late W. E. Soothil of London left a very careful translation of the Lotus that still waits a publisher. Dr. Suzuki of Kyoto has made a translation of the Gandhavyuha sections of the Avatamsaka that is now in process of being published. The inclusion of Laotzu’s Tao-teh-king is open to question as it is not strictly a Buddhist text, but its teaching has such a close affinity to Buddhist teaching and nearly all early Chinese Masters of Buddhism were Taoist scholars who, upon becoming Buddhists, did not give up their Taoist conceptions and terms, and because the Laotzuan teaching in the Tao-teh-king has had such a wholesome influence on the development of Chinese Buddhism, and, in later years, wherever the Tao-teh-king is held in reverence, it has tended to restrain individual pride of egoism, religious ceremonial, ecclesiasticism, priestcraft and insincerity generally, we make no apology for including it. In fact, it is our earnest wish that the Tao-teh-king may become one of the foundation stones of American and European Buddhism.
      Further introductory notes are reserved for the Appendix under the heads of the individual Scriptures, as are also -grateful appreciation to those who have contributed to the preparation and publication of this Bible, especially to those Buddhist scholars who have courteously granted the Editor permission to use their translations for this purpose
      Just a closing word as to the rules that have guided the Editor in his choice and handling of textual material. He has always kept in mind the spiritual needs of his readers. This Buddhist Bible is not intended to be a source book for critical literary and historical study. It is only intended to be a source of spiritual inspiration designed to awaken faith and to develop faith into aspiration and full realization. The original texts having for centuries been carried in memory and transcribed by hand by scribes who were often more loyal to their Master than to historical exactness, are often overloaded with interpolations and extensions, and in places are confused and obscure. To carry out the design of the Editor, he has omitted a great deal of matter not bearing directly upon the theme of the particular Scripture, and has interpreted occasionally where it seemed necessary and advisable, in order to provide an easier and more inspiring reading. The need for this course will become apparent to every earnest minded disciple.
      In these days when Western civilization and culture is buffeted as never before by foreboding waves of materialism and selfish aggrandisement both individual and national, Buddhism seems to hold out teachings of highest promise. For two thousand years Dhyana Buddhism has powerfully conditioned the cultural, ethical and spiritual life of the great Oriental nations. It well may be the salvation of Western civilization. Its rationality, its discipline, its emphasis on simplicity and sincerity, its thoughtfulness, its cheerful industry not for profit but for service, its love for all animate life, its restraint of desire in all its subtle forms, its actual foretastes of enlightenment and blissful peace, its patient acceptance of karma and rebirth, all mark it out as being competent to meet the problems of this excitement loving, materialistic, acquisitive and thoughtless age.
      Its basic principle of an eternal process based on unchanging law and operating in eternal recurrence, leading to mind-control, to highest cognition, to purest conceptions of love and compassion, to ever clearing insight, to highest perfect wisdom, to the self-giving of Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas, to blissful peace, is worthy of confidence; and its Noble Path worthy of

trial.
      The theme of this Buddhist Bible is designed to show the unreality of all conceptions of a personal ego. Its purpose is to awaken faith in Buddhahood as being one’s true self-nature; to kindle aspiration to realize one’s true Buddha-nature; to energize effort to follow the Noble Path, to become Buddha. The true response to the appeal of this Buddhist Bible is not in outward activities, but in self-yielding, becoming a clear channel for Buddhahood's indrawing compassion, that all sentient beings may become emancipated, enlightened and brought to Buddhahood. (Goddard, preface, v–viii)
Goddard, Dwight, ed. A Buddhist Bible. Rev. and enl. ed. New York: E. P. Dutton, 1938. https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.279263/page/n2/mode/2up.
Book
Dusting Off Your Buddha Nature
Dusting Off Your Buddha Nature derives principally from a series of Dharma teachings given in Italy on the Dzogchen Namchö Cycle of Ngöndro, known as "Buddha in the Palm of Your Hand." As taught in the Palyul lineage of the Nyingma sect of Tibetan Buddhism, these teachings include the Ten Steps to Buddhahood, the Four Thoughts that Turn the Mind Toward Dharma, the Four Uncommon Preliminary Practices of Refuge/Bodhicitta, Mandala, Vajrasattva, and Guru Yoga, as well as the supplemental practices of Phowa and Kusali Chod. The work culminates in a teaching on the dangers of skipping these preliminary practices, lest the Vajrayana practitioner misconstrue the higher teachings of Dzogchen and inadvertently "turn the medicine into poison." The key to understanding the higher teachings, explains Khenpo Norgay, is to "dust off" your Buddha Nature through these purification practices. As a bonus, a guided practice of the long Guru Yoga is appended for those new to Palyul practices. (Source: Back Cover)
Norgay, Tenzin. Dusting Off Your Buddha Nature: The Purpose of the Dzogchen Preliminaries. Pensacola, FL: Reallusion Productions, 2014.
Book
No River to Cross
It is often said that enlightenment means “crossing over to the other shore,” that far-off place where we can at last be free from suffering. Likewise, it is said that Buddhist teachings are the raft that takes us there.

In this sparkling collection from one of the most vital teachers of modern Korean Buddhism, Zen Master Daehaeng shows us that there is no raft to find and, truly, no river to cross. She extends her hand to the Western reader, beckoning each of us into the unfailing wisdom accessible right now, the enlightenment that is always, already, right here.

A Zen (or seon, as Korean Zen is called) master with impeccable credentials, Daehaeng has developed a refreshing approach; No River to Cross is surprisingly personal. It’s disarmingly simple, yet remarkably profound, pointing us again and again to our foundation, our “True Nature”—the perfection of things just as they are. (Source: Wisdom Publications)
Daehaeng Sunim. No River to Cross: Trusting the Enlightenment That's Always Right Here. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2007.
Book
Pruning the Bodhi Tree
A collection of essays on the "critical Buddhism" (hihan bukkyō) movement started by Hakamaya Noriaki and Matsumoto Shirō that swept Japanese academia from the late 1980's onward.
Hubbard, Jamie, and Paul L. Swanson, eds. Pruning the Bodhi Tree: The Storm Over Critical Buddhism. Nanzan Library of Asian Religion and Culture. Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press, 1997.
Book
Saṃsāra, Nirvāṇa, and Buddha Nature
This is the third volume in the Dalai Lama’s definitive and comprehensive series on the stages of the Buddhist path.
Dalai Lama, 14th, and Thubten Chodron. Saṃsāra, Nirvāṇa, and Buddha Nature. Library of Wisdom and Compassion 3. Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications, 2018.
Book
The Life of Shabkar (2001)
The Life of Shabkar has long been recognized by Tibetans as one of the masterworks of their religious heritage. Shabkar Tsogdruk Rangdrol devoted himself to many years of meditation in solitary retreat after his inspired youth and early training in the province of Amdo under the guidance of several extraordinary Buddhist masters. With determination and courage, he mastered the highest and most esoteric practices of the Tibetan tradition of the Great Perfection. He then wandered far and wide over the Himalayan region expressing his realization. Shabkar's autobiography vividly reflects the values and visionary imagery of Tibetan Buddhism, as well as the social and cultural life of early nineteenth-century Tibet. (Source: Shambhala Publications)
Ricard, Matthieu, Jakob Leschly, Erik Schmidt, Marilyn Silverstone, and Lodrö Palmo, trans. The Life of Shabkar: The Autobiography of a Tibetan Yogin. By Shabkar Tsokdruk Rangdrol (zhabs dkar tshogs drug rang grol). Edited by Constance Wilkinson, with Michal Abrams and other members of the Padmakara Translation Group. Ithaca, NY: Snow Lion Publications, 2001.

Articles

Article
Buddha Nature and the Omniscient Mind
Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche explained how we can attain the state of the omniscient mind at the 14th Kopan Course in 1981. This is an edited excerpt from Lecture 3, Section One of the course. Click here to read more.
Zopa, Thubten. "Buddha Nature and the Omniscient Mind." Lecture 3, Section One of the Fourteenth Kopan Course at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, 1981. Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive, 2020. https://www.lamayeshe.com/article/buddha-nature-and-omniscient-mind.
Article
Buddha Nature: The Inconceivable Inseparability of Emptiness and Compassionate Awareness
No abstract given. Here are the first relevant paragraphs

To understand what is meant by “Buddha Nature,” we can look at the story of the three turnings of the wheel of Dharma taught by Shakyamuni Buddha. The first turning of the Dharma wheel is the four noble truths: that discontent arises from grasping the ever-changing phenomena of body and mind as “me,” and that freedom from this discontent is revealed through the path of not grasping anything as truly me. The four noble truths is a kind of deconstruction method. However, in this first turning, all the different elements that we can deconstruct this person into really do exist. Earth, wind, fire and water, for example: those kind of physical elements, when you break them down into their smallest bits, are indestructible elemental energies or physical matter, atoms. Early Buddhists, who were first turning exponents, had this kind of theory—that the world is made up of atoms—several centuries B.C., long before modern scientists discovered atoms. We don’t really exist as independent “persons”; we are a conglomeration of all this stuff that we think is a real “me,” but if we look closely, we only find atoms. This turning of the Dharma wheel was only the first.

Read more here
Henkel, Kokyo. "Buddha Nature: The Inconceivable Inseparability of Emptiness and Compassionate Awareness." Unpublished manuscript. n.d., PDF file. https://kokyohenkel.weebly.com/uploads/1/2/7/4/127410773/buddha_nature.pdf.
Article
Everything Is Buddhanature
Original sin vs. original goodness: Mahayana Buddhism offers a more hopeful view of human nature. Zen teacher Melissa Myozen Blacker reveals how nondual practice frees us from our temporary obscurations and reveals our true, awakened nature.
Blacker, Melissa Myozen. “Everything Is Buddhanature” Lion's Roar, November 28, 2018. https://www.lionsroar.com/everything-is-buddhanature/.
Article
Guru Yoga in the Foundational Practices
Tharchin Rinpoche. "Guru Yoga in the Foundational Practices." Translated by Lama Ngawang Zangpo (Hugh Leslie Thompson). Austin, Texas, 2009.
Tharchin Rinpoche. "Guru Yoga in the Foundational Practices." Translated by Lama Ngawang Zangpo (Hugh Leslie Thompson). Austin, Texas, 2009.
Article
Spotless from the Start
In order to overcome the five main obstacles facing a bodhisattva, says Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, we must realize that all beings are primordially pure. He presents the essential teachings on buddhanature from Maitreya’s Uttaratantra Shastra.
Khyentse, Dzongsar. "Spotless from the Start." Buddhadharma: The Practitioner's Quarterly, December 1, 2008.
Article
The Buddha Nature: True Self as Action
No abstract given. Here are the first relevant paragraphs:

Buddhism, and especially early Buddhism, is known for the anātman (no self) teaching. By any account, this teaching is central to both doctrine and practice from the beginning. Zen Buddhism (Chinese Ch'an), in contrast, is known for its teaching that the single most important thing in life is to discover the 'true self'. Is there a real, or only an apparent, conflict between these two versions of Buddhism? Certainly there is at the least a radical change in the linguistic formulation of the teaching. Examining the two teachings on the linguistic level, we note that the use of the term 'true' in the phrase 'true self' may indicate that we have here a conscious reformation of the place of the term 'self' in the tradition, or perhaps that the use of this phrase in Zen is the product of such a conscious formulation. Thus we may expect, upon investigation, to find an evolution from one teaching to the other, rather than a true doctrinal disparity. The apparent, or linguistic, conflict between the two, however, remains; hence we must also expect to find a doctrinal formulation at some point in this evolution in which the apparent conflict is consciously apprehended and resolved.
      That is, Buddhism embraces both the teaching that there is no self and the teaching that the goal of life is to discover the true self. Not only does Buddhism embrace these two formulations, but each in its own context is the central pivot of the teachings of the school or community concerned. Two questions arise here. (1) How can a single tradition affirm both no self and true self? How can the two ideas be reconciled? (This is the philosophical question.) (2) In linking early Buddhism and Zen we are discussing two religious movements separated by approximately 12 centuries and by their development in two vastly different cultures, the Indian and the Chinese. What is there in the course of this development that could account for the transition from talk of no self to talk of true self? (This is the question of intellectual history.) In the present essay I will attempt to show that it is by examining the Buddha nature (fo hsing 佛性) concept and understanding it as a term representing certain actions that these questions may be answered. (King, "The Buddha Nature," 255)
King, Sallie B. "The Buddha Nature: True Self as Action." Religious Studies 20, no. 2 (1984): 255–67. http://www.seattlebetsuin.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/King.Buddha-nature.pdf
Article
The Clarity Aspect
When the Buddha taught that all beings have buddhanature, says Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, he wasn’t contradicting the teachings on emptiness—he was clarifying them.
Khyentse, Dzongsar. "The Clarity Aspect." Buddhadharma: The Practitioner's Quarterly, June 17, 2017.
Article
The Sentient Reflexivity of Buddha Nature
Buddha Nature, or tathagatagarbha in Sanskrit, is a core element of Buddhist philosophical discourse and doctrinal debate. Who or what possesses Buddha Nature, how it manifests itself, and what role it plays in Buddhist soteriology have been sustained questions in actual Buddhist practices and in the works of Buddhologists from ancient times to the present. Based on the author’s textual interpretation, this paper attempts to present a threefold argument: Buddha Nature is not separate from its alleged opposite, sentience; it is not a tangible substance but a state of being whose felt meaning is only metaphorically conveyed; and finally it is a heuristic device or a means of provoking a Buddhist or anyone who takes interest in Buddhism, to visualize the inner complexity of his or her sentient mode of being.
Yü, Dan Smyer. "The Sentient Reflexivity of Buddha Nature: Metaphorizing Tathagatagarbha." The Religious Cultures in the World 6 (2012): 13–22.
Article
Vajrasattva Shrine Teaching: On Buddhanature
This teaching contains excerpts from spontaneous teachings Gyatrul Rinpoche gave while sitting in the Vajrasattva shrine at his residence in Half Moon Bay one afternoon during the 2021 Vajrasattva Retreat.
Gyatrul Rinpoche. "Vajrasattva Shrine Teaching: On Buddhanature." Vimala. 2021 Online Teaching Series by Venerable Gyatrul Rinpoche. May 28th, 2021. https://vimala.org/downloads/VGR-SR-05272021-2021VSRetreat2Bnature.pdf.
Article
Was Mi-pham a Dialectical Monist? On a Recent Study of Mi-pham's Interpretation of the Buddha-Nature Theory
Douglas S. Duckworth’s Mipam on Buddha-Nature characterises Mi-pham’s (1846–1912) philosophy (or philosophical approach) as "dialectical monism." We should instead characterise it with a neo-Sanskritism, namely, "Yuganaddhavāada" (zung 'jug tu smra ba), lest we get bogged down by the usage of the term "dialectical monism." While Duckworth is absolutely right in identifying Mi-pham as a proponent of "dialectical monism," there is still a need to define and refine our understanding of Mi-pham's position, offer plausible explanations for it, and present various argumentative strategies employed for it by Mi-pham, all based on critically assessed textual sources that engage the idea of "unity" (zung 'jug: yuganaddha).
Wangchuk, Dorji. "Was Mi-pham a Dialectical Monist? On a Recent Study of Mi-pham's Interpretation of the Buddha-Nature Theory." Indo-Iranian Journal 55 (2012): 15–38.
Article
We Always Have Joy
The sun doesn’t stop shining just because there are clouds in the sky. Our buddhanature is always present and available, even when life gets difficult. In his book, Joyful Wisdom, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche shows us how to discover the joy and awareness that are never affected by life’s ups and downs.
Mingyur, Yongey, 7th. "We Always Have Joy." Lion's Roar, March 26, 2019.

Interviews

Interview
Buddha-Nature Is Who We Really Are by Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo: Conversations on Buddha-Nature
Palmo, Jetsunma Tenzin. "Buddha-Nature Is Who We Really Are." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, September 25, 2021. Video, 1:11:58. https://youtu.be/V4Ajks-goDo.
Palmo, Jetsunma Tenzin. "Buddha-Nature Is Who We Really Are." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, September 25, 2021. Video, 1:11:58. https://youtu.be/V4Ajks-goDo.
Interview
Elizabeth Callahan Interview on Buddha-Nature
Elizabeth Callahan discusses buddha-nature and its related concepts in an interview with Marcus Perman of Tsadra Foundation.
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
Ringu Tulku Interview on Buddha-Nature
Ringu Tulku discusses buddha-nature and it's related concepts in an interview with Marcus Perman of Tsadra Foundation.
Ringu Tulku. “Ringu Tulku Interview on Buddha-Nature.” Interview by Marcus Perman. Produced by Tsadra Foundation Research Department, October 10, 2019. Audio, 1:00:17.
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
A Definition of Buddha-Nature by Douglas Duckworth
Douglas Duckworth offers a definition of buddha-nature.
Duckworth, Douglas. "A Definition of Buddha-Nature." Interview by Alex Gardner. AAR Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, Nov. 20, 2018. Video, 8:45. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvBflqZ4t2w.
Video
About Faith: Everyone Has Buddha-Nature
Was Buddha a human or a god? Harvard Divinity School student Yin Guan, MTS ’19 gives the 2-minute story about the Buddha-nature within us all.
Guan, Yin. "About Faith: Everyone Has Buddha-Nature." Produced by Jade Rei Sylvan. Video, 1:38. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vILGYjab20w.
Audio
Buddha Nature by Ven. Ajahn Brahm
Ajahn Brahm responds to a question about whether human nature is closer to the Mahayana Buddhist idea of “buddha nature” or the Christian idea of “original sin.”
Ajahn Brahm. "Buddha Nature by Ven. Ajahn Brahm." Recorded December 27, 2002. Audio, 55:18. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69VQ8Ok4WlA.
Video
Buddha-Nature and Creativity
Does your mind feel cluttered? Unable to think clearly? Find it difficult to get the creative juices flowing? Buddhist teacher and meditation master Mingyur Rinpoche looks at the close connection between Buddhism and creativity, and how calming down our minds generates space for creativity in our lives.
Mingyur, Yongey, 7th. "Buddha-Nature and Creativity." August 30, 2018, Video, 1:37. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVV469EDRcU.
Audio
Buddha-Nature — Episode 22 of True Words: A Shingon Buddhist Podcast
This week's topic is Buddha Nature, in Sanskrit: tathāgatagarbha (如来藏). All sentient beings are considered to be in possession of the Buddha Nature, the potential to attain enlightenment. In this episode we discuss a bit about how to understand this concept, and compare it to philosophical ideas of human nature and its connection with morality.
Finch, Rev. George Kosho. "Buddha-Nature." True Words: A Shingon Buddhist Podcast, episode 22. Produced by the Foundation for Shingon Buddhism. August 5, 2017. Audio, 15:34. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpQM8qG8k0k.
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
Compassion, Love, and Buddha Nature
Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche explains the origins of love and compassion as the first step to love ourselves so we can love others. Recorded in Hartford, CT., May 2013.
Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, (The 7th). "Compassion, Love, and Buddha Nature." Produced by Rebel Buddha TV, Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, May 27, 2013. Video, 3:42. https://vimeo.com/67070265.
Video
Defining Buddha-Nature by Jamie Hubbard and Paul Swanson
Jamie Hubbard and Paul Swanson take a crack at a definition for buddha-nature.
Hubbard, Jamie, and Paul Swanson. "What Is Buddha-Nature?" Interview by Marcus Perman, Alex Gardner, and José Cabezón. AAR Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, Nov. 2018. Video, 4:04. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukl-9s9HZe4.
Video
Discovering Buddha Nature: Talk by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche
In this short teaching, Mingyur Rinpoche describes buddha-nature with the metaphor of a diamond covered in mud, explaining how the innate purity of awareness can be obscured, but never changed.
Mingyur, Yongey, 7th. "Discovering Buddha Nature." Produced by Tergar Learning Community, April 7, 2014. Video, 1:48. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srRcHz9jVrg.
Audio
Does a Dog Have Buddha Nature? By Tenshin Reb Anderson
Tenshin Reb Anderson gives a dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm on the topic of buddha-nature, later addressing the question, "Does a dog have buddha-nature?"
Anderson, Tenshin Reb. "Does a Dog Have Buddha Nature?" Recorded July 22, 2018 at San Francisco Zen Center's Green Gulch Farm. Audio, 47:06. https://soundcloud.com/sanfranciscozencenter/does-a-dog-have-buddha-nature.
Video
Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche Talks about Buddha-Nature
Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche talks about buddha-nature and offers a brief guided meditation. This segment is part of a larger talk on the Lotus Sūtra given in New Delhi on March 18, 2018.
Khyentse, Dzongsar. "Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche Talks about Buddha-Nature." Produced by Vidyaloke. New Delhi, March 18, 2018. Video, 6:45. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJgu45zB8C8.
Video
Is Buddha-Nature a Radical Teaching? by Karl Brunnhölzl
Karl Brunnhölzl discusses whether the teachings on buddha-nature can be considered a radical teaching. He suggests that it is indeed radical, as it fundamentally raises questions about who we are and what it means to be on the path.
Brunnhölzl, Karl. "Is Buddha-Nature a Radical Teaching?" Interview by Marcus Perman. Tsadra Foundation Research Department, December 3, 2018. Video, 3:26. https://youtu.be/l86nQ9ac58M.
Video
It Is Your Buddha Nature That Sees, Hears and Speaks!―Dharma Talk by Daehaeng Kun Sunim
In this Dharma teaching, Daehaeng Kun Sunim (1927–2012), a Seon (Zen) master and Buddhist nun from Korea, responds to questions about the concept of Juingong (the underlying mind) from an audience member.
Daehaeng Kun Sunim. "It Is Your Buddha Nature That Sees, Hears and Speaks!" Produced by the Hanmaum Seon Center. Video, 7:28. https://youtu.be/WGueeTv1fq0.
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.
Audio
Kokyo Henkel on Buddha-Nature
Henkel, Kokyo. "Kokyo Henkel on Buddha-Nature: A Collection of Talks on Buddha-Nature." Recorded at the Santa Cruz Zen Center and San Francisco Zen Center (Tassajara) 2011–2012. Audio. "Three Turnings of the Dharma Wheel and Buddha-Nature," August 4, 2011, 50:16, http://archives.sczc.org/2011/08/04/three-turnings-of-the-dharma-wheel-and-buddha-nature/; "Buddha Nature, The Inconceivable Inseparability of Emptiness and Clarity," August 10, 2011, 56:14, http://archives.sczc.org/2011/08/10/buddha-nature-the-inconceivable-inseparability-of-emptiness-and-clarity/; "The Cloudless Sky of Buddha Nature," September 6, 2011, 1:30:01, https://www.sfzc.org/teachings/dharma-talks/cloudless-sky-buddha-nature; "Buddha Nature and Trust," August 1, 2012, 1:00:48, http://archives.sczc.org/2012/08/01/buddha-nature-and-trust/. "Searching for the Sound in the Lute, Three Qualities of Zazen and Three Types of Zazen," December 5, 2012, 52:54, http://archives.sczc.org/2012/12/05/searching-for-the-sound-in-the-lute-three-qualities-of-zazen-and-three-types-of-zazen/.
Henkel, Kokyo. "Kokyo Henkel on Buddha-Nature: A Collection of Talks on Buddha-Nature." Recorded at the Santa Cruz Zen Center and San Francisco Zen Center (Tassajara) 2011–2015. Audio. "Three Turnings of the Dharma Wheel and Buddha-Nature," August 4, 2011, 50:16, http://archives.sczc.org/2011/08/04/three-turnings-of-the-dharma-wheel-and-buddha-nature/; "Buddha Nature, The Inconceivable Inseparability of Emptiness and Clarity," August 10, 2011, 56:14, http://archives.sczc.org/2011/08/10/buddha-nature-the-inconceivable-inseparability-of-emptiness-and-clarity/; "The Cloudless Sky of Buddha Nature," September 6, 2011, 1:30:01, https://www.sfzc.org/teachings/dharma-talks/cloudless-sky-buddha-nature; "Buddha Nature and Trust," August 1, 2012, 1:00:48, http://archives.sczc.org/2012/08/01/buddha-nature-and-trust/. "Searching for the Sound in the Lute, Three Qualities of Zazen and Three Types of Zazen," December 5, 2012, 52:54, http://archives.sczc.org/2012/12/05/searching-for-the-sound-in-the-lute-three-qualities-of-zazen-and-three-types-of-zazen/. "Zhaozhou’s Dog and the Middle Way of Buddha Nature (Book of Serenity, case 18)," January 21, 2015, 1:01:23, http://archives.sczc.org/2015/01/21/zhaozhous-dog-and-the-middle-way-of-buddha-nature-book-of-serenity-case-18/.
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 Zimmermann at the 2019 Tathāgatagarbha Symposium
In light of the argument that the theory of Buddha-nature is non-Buddhist, Michael Zimmerman summarizes more recent research on the earliest history of buddha-nature thought in India and discusses possible reasons for why the idea that all sentient beings have buddha-nature made its appearance.
Zimmermann, Michael. "New Research on the Concept of Buddha-Nature in India: The Beginnings." Paper presented at the University of Vienna Symposium, Tathāgatagarbha Across Asia, Vienna, Austria, July 2019. Video, 45:00. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYkBSSAJ-zo.
Video
On Chapter 1 Verse 28 of the Uttaratantra by Karl Brunnhölzl
Karl Brunnhölzl, author of When the Clouds Part, discusses chapter 1 verse 28 of the Uttaratantrashastra, the famous verse in this text which talks about the three reasons all sentient beings have buddha-nature.
Brunnhölzl, Karl. “On Chapter 1 Verse 28 of the Uttaratantra.” Interview by Marcus Perman. Tsadra Foundation Research Department, December 3, 2018. Video, 5:50. https://youtu.be/6ZTHfbtX5Z8.
Video
On How Beginning Students Might Engage with Buddha-Nature Teachings by Ringu Tulku
Ringu Tulku talks about how beginning students might start to orient themselves toward buddha-nature teachings in practice. He explains that it is important to recognize that everybody has the seed of wisdom and compassion within them, which can develop over time. The development of this wisdom through education, training, etc., is the practice of Buddhism and is what the path is all about.
Ringu Tulku. “On How Beginning Students Might Engage with Buddha-Nature Teachings.” Interview by Marcus Perman. Tsadra Foundation Research Department, October 10, 2019. Video, 9:05. https://youtu.be/HZ2EGsfaLEw.
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 Teaching Buddha-Nature to Beginners by Ringu Tulku
Ringu Tulku talks about how the most important thing that Western students should understand about buddha-nature teachings is that buddha-nature refers to one's basic goodness. One always retains this sense of basic goodness, an idea that he places in contrast to the notion of Original Sin. He points out that Gampopa's text Jewel Ornament of Liberation teaches buddha-nature right from the beginning, an approach which he suggests makes sense for Westerners.
Ringu Tulku. “On Teaching Buddha-Nature to Beginners.” Interview by Marcus Perman. Tsadra Foundation Research Department, October 10, 2019. Video, 3:18. https://youtu.be/RNFC4OdeRFw.
Video
On the Concepts of Presence and Absence as a Means for Understanding Buddha-Nature by Douglas Duckworth
Douglas Duckworth discusses the concepts of presence and absence as a means for understanding buddha-nature and touches on his work on Mipam Gyatso.
Duckworth, Douglas. "On the Concepts of Presence and Absence as a Means for Understanding Buddha-Nature." Interview by Alex Gardner. AAR Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, Nov. 20, 2018. Video, 7:40. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7f_Yf9U1SF8&t=3s.
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 Term Ordinary Mind by Elizabeth Callahan
In this video Elizabeth Callahan explains the term ordinary mind, a term that is often used in the Kagyu tradition, and its use as a term to describe buddha-nature. Ordinary mind, she explains, is the nature of mind that is not in its deluded state.
Callahan, Elizabeth. “On the Term Ordinary Mind.” Interview by Marcus Perman. Tsadra Foundation Research Department, November 9, 2019. Video, 2:16. https://youtu.be/qx1NAke8aV0
Video
On the Terminology Associated with Buddha-Nature by Elizabeth Callahan
In this video Elizabeth Callahan discusses the various terminology that is used when talking about buddha-nature. She describes buddha-nature as who we are at our very core and goes on to discuss several terms that are associated with uncovering this buddha-nature within Mahāyāna, Vajrayāna, and Mahāmudrā contexts.
Callahan, Elizabeth. “On the Terminology Associated with Buddha-Nature.” Interview by Marcus Perman. Tsadra Foundation Research Department, November 9, 2019. Video, 8:29. https://youtu.be/ValneCRetjc.
Video
On the Three Reasons That All Beings Have Buddha-Nature by Tokpa Tulku
Tokpa Tulku discusses the three reasons all beings have buddha-nature, which come from chapter 1 verse 28 of the Uttaratantraśāstra, or Gyü Lama. As for the first reason, he points to the fact that the Buddha was once a deluded sentient being. Therefore, if the Buddha, through developing wisdom, attained enlightenment, this proves that sentient beings have buddha-nature, that they can also achieve the same. The second verse, he explains, points to the notion that the Buddha's mind and the mind of a sentient being are the same; while they are different in terms of their obscurations and level of delusion, from the ultimate point of view they are of the same nature. As for the third reason, he points to the fact that all sentient beings want to be happy and free of suffering, a quality which proves that all beings have buddha-nature.
Tokpa Tulku. “On the Three Reasons That All Beings Have Buddha-Nature.” Interview by Marcus Perman. Tsadra Foundation Research Department, April 22, 2019. Video, 6:29. https://youtu.be/yx60OVqkuxc.
Video
One's True Mind and Inherent Nature by Sheng Yen
Our true mind is the pure mind of wisdom free of defilements. Our inherent nature refers to the nature of our being something common, which is also called the Buddha-nature. By taking refuge in our inner buddha-nature and letting go of our guest mind, which is subject to vexations, we can see our true mind, which is beyond defilement but functions as wisdom. To take refuge in oneself, one must first be able to realize the nature of his mind by the guidance of the Three Jewels. (Source Accessed Nov 17, 2020)
Sheng Yen. "One's True Mind and Inherent Nature: How to Take Refuge in Oneself." Produced by Dharma Drum Mountain, December 28, 2012. Video, 8:43. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsA7rG2jvpI.
Video
The Debate over Buddha-Nature by Karl Brunnhölzl
Karl Brunnhölzl discusses why there has historically been such debate over the teaching of buddha-nature. He suggests that one of the main points of contention has not been whether buddha-nature is considered a Buddhist teaching or not. Rather, the debate has centered around interpretations of what buddha-nature actually means or implies. Does it imply a truly existent nature, or something that has always been there from the beginning? Or does it resemble something more akin to a nonaffirming negation that implies that buddha-nature is ultimately empty. Brunnhölzl explains that many Tibetan thinkers fall somewhere between these two poles.
Brunnhölzl, Karl. “The Debate over Buddha-Nature.” Interview by Marcus Perman. Tsadra Foundation Research Department, December 3, 2018. Video, 4:21. https://youtu.be/jMV3uHDWg_o.
Video
The Fourteenth Dalai Lama on Buddha-Nature
The Dalai Lama delivers an address entitled "Buddha-Nature" to members of the Theosophical Society in America at the Society's headquarters at Olcott (named for the founder of the Theosophical Society, Colonel Henry Steel Olcott), in Wheaton, Illinois, on July 21st, 1981. The Dalai Lama's comments on buddha-nature come after a series of preliminary remarks at 14 min, 23 secs.
Dalai Lama, 14th. "The Fourteenth Dalai Lama on Buddha-Nature." Produced by the Theosophical Society in America, Olcott, Wheaton, Illinois, July 21, 1981. Video, 29:03. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Tkf5cgX5ds.
Audio
The Mind: Intrinsically Empty, Naturally Radiant: Teaching by Joseph Goldstein
Excerpt from a Dhamma talk by meditation teacher Joseph Goldstein where he discusses the Buddhist teachings of shunyata and bodhichitta, the unity of wisdom and compassion, and how it is grounded in an experiential understanding of the emptiness of our fixed self nature that we develop through mindfulness practice and meditation. Only by recognizing the intrinsic emptiness of our ego-centric patterns and identity can we come into alignment with our deeper buddha nature, which is naturally radiant and ceaselessly responsive.

"The mind's nature is vivid as a flawless piece of crystal. Intrinsically empty, naturally radiant, ceaselessly responsive." –Shabkar (Source Accessed July 17, 2020)
Goldstein, Joseph. “The Mind: Intrinsically Empty, Naturally Radiant.” Recorded March 25, 2006 at Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge, Barre, MA. Audio, 13:06. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PctzOkbGu0A
Audio
Trusting in Our Own Buddha Nature
Rinso Ed Sattizahn gives a dharma talk at San Francisco Zen Center's City Center on the topic of buddha-nature. He touches on selections from Dōgen's Genjōkōan to illustrate this Buddhist teaching.
Sattizahn, Rinso Ed. "Trusting in Our Own Buddha Nature." Recorded December 8, 2018 at San Francisco Zen Center's City Center. Audio, 36:22. https://soundcloud.com/sanfranciscozencenter/trusting-in-our-own-buddha.
Video
Uncovering the Buddha Within with Mingyur Rinpoche
In this video, Mingyur Rinpoche explains that the enlightened qualities of buddhahood are already complete within us, and describes the process of learning to recognize and discover our own buddha nature and become completely free. This teaching is part of the Foundations of Tibetan Buddhism online course. Learn more at https://tergar.org/vajrayana
Mingyur, Yongey, 7th. "Uncovering the Buddha Within with Mingyur Rinpoche." Produced by Tergar Meditation Community, November 7, 2020. Video, 10:56. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqUAbakyWLs.
Video
What Is Buddha-Nature? by Elizabeth Callahan
In this video Elizabeth Callahan discusses the meaning of buddha-nature, a term that, she describes, refers to who sentient beings really are. Buddha-nature is not something that we have to acquire. Rather it is always present as our best qualities. She goes on to discuss how buddha-nature is sometimes made manifest or recognizable during moments of great suffering and tragedy.
Callahan, Elizabeth. “What Is Buddha-Nature?” Interview by Marcus Perman. Tsadra Foundation Research Department, November 9, 2019. Video, 3:00. https://youtu.be/0vOxXvDIpsU.
Video
What Is Buddha-Nature? by Karl Brunnhölzl
Karl Brunnhölzl provides a brief definition of buddha-nature.
Brunnhölzl, Karl. “What Is Buddha-Nature?” Interview by Marcus Perman. Tsadra Foundation Research Department, December 3, 2018. Video, 00:46. https://youtu.be/RmB7lZm3jBc.
Video
What Is Buddha-Nature? by Ringu Tulku
In describing the meaning of buddha-nature, Ringu Tulku explains that the point to be understood is that there is no essential difference between an enlightened being and an ordinary being, as both are the same. The enlightened being only recognizes who he/she is and the other does not. He goes on to explain how the buddha-nature teachings indicate that the enlightened state is possible for everyone, not just for a select few. The seeds of the idea of Buddha-nature, he continues, are present even in the early sūtras, and gradually such teachings became more explicit over time, especially in the Vajrayana.
Ringu Tulku. “What Is Buddha-Nature?” Interview by Marcus Perman. Tsadra Foundation Research Department, October 10, 2019. Video, 8:14. https://youtu.be/LdI_620Uj0M.
Video
What Is Buddha-Nature? by Wulstan Fletcher
Wulstan Fletcher explains buddha-nature as the deepest aspect of oneself, a wellspring of goodness and wisdom that is always present. One only needs to uncover it in order to experience true happiness. He describes it as something that can be relied upon in times of great suffering, as it can remind one that the suffering that is experienced is impermanent and is something that can be removed.
Fletcher, Wulstan. “What Is Buddha-Nature?” Interview by Marcus Perman. Tsadra Foundation Research Department, November 9, 2019. Video, 4:36. https://youtu.be/1XmwW45aGio.
Video
Why Study Buddha-Nature? by Karl Brunnhölzl
Karl Brunnhölzl briefly discusses why one might engage with the teachings on buddha-nature. In contrast to the Judeo-Christian concept of Original Sin, he explains that buddha-nature teaches that all beings are essentially good.
Brunnhölzl, Karl. “Why Study Buddha-Nature?” Interview by Marcus Perman. Tsadra Foundation Research Department, December 3, 2018. Video, 2:07. https://youtu.be/ucYPoDioF_U.
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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