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|content=<div class="tile-heading">'''What is buddha-nature?'''</div> | |content=<div class="tile-heading">'''What is buddha-nature?'''</div> | ||
Buddha-nature is the spark of buddhahood in every sentient being. It is the teaching that all people are fundamentally good and that all of us have the potential to attain the complete realization of buddhahood. Two frequently-used metaphors to describe this universal nature are a golden statue encased in muck and the seed of a mango tree. The first suggests that our buddha-nature is already perfect, and only needs to be revealed in order to manifest our enlightenment. The second presents buddha-nature as a potential that must be cultivated in order to attain enlightenment. A third, less common interpretation is that we somehow produce buddhahood and thus acquire 'buddha-nature' at a certain stage of religious accomplishment. These three models, 'disclosure', 'transformation', and 'production', are used by different traditions to define buddha-nature and describe the methods to fully actualize enlightenment. | <p class="m-0">Buddha-nature is the spark of buddhahood in every sentient being. It is the teaching that all people are fundamentally good and that all of us have the potential to attain the complete realization of buddhahood. Two frequently-used metaphors to describe this universal nature are a golden statue encased in muck and the seed of a mango tree. The first suggests that our buddha-nature is already perfect, and only needs to be revealed in order to manifest our enlightenment. The second presents buddha-nature as a potential that must be cultivated in order to attain enlightenment. A third, less common interpretation is that we somehow produce buddhahood and thus acquire 'buddha-nature' at a certain stage of religious accomplishment. These three models, 'disclosure', 'transformation', and 'production', are used by different traditions to define buddha-nature and describe the methods to fully actualize enlightenment.</p> | ||
What buddha-nature actually is, and how it can be described accurately, is a major topic in Buddhist philosophy. In general Buddhists employ one of two main approaches to describe reality: positive language which asserts the qualities of enlightenment and buddha-nature, and negative language which attempts to avoid the traps of dualism. From these two approaches come two common definitions of buddha-nature: that it is none other than the natural luminosity of the mind or that it is the universal truth of emptiness. "Emptiness" refers to a theory of radical selflessness, in which all phenomena are understood to lack independent existence. It also refers to a specific way of using language to avoid implying such an existence, in which reality is consistently described by what it is not. The "natural luminosity of mind" is the idea that the fundamental nature of all sentient beings is nondual wisdom, a phenomenon also known as reflexive awareness--awareness that is aware of itself, free of the duality of subject and object that infects all forms of consciousness. Advocates of this view describe buddha-nature as fundamentally real, permanent, and unchanging, and this use of positive language puts it in conflict with emptiness theory, and so has led to centuries of sometimes contentious debates. You will find information about all these fascinating debates on the pages of this website. | What buddha-nature actually is, and how it can be described accurately, is a major topic in Buddhist philosophy. In general Buddhists employ one of two main approaches to describe reality: positive language which asserts the qualities of enlightenment and buddha-nature, and negative language which attempts to avoid the traps of dualism. From these two approaches come two common definitions of buddha-nature: that it is none other than the natural luminosity of the mind or that it is the universal truth of emptiness. "Emptiness" refers to a theory of radical selflessness, in which all phenomena are understood to lack independent existence. It also refers to a specific way of using language to avoid implying such an existence, in which reality is consistently described by what it is not. The "natural luminosity of mind" is the idea that the fundamental nature of all sentient beings is nondual wisdom, a phenomenon also known as reflexive awareness--awareness that is aware of itself, free of the duality of subject and object that infects all forms of consciousness. Advocates of this view describe buddha-nature as fundamentally real, permanent, and unchanging, and this use of positive language puts it in conflict with emptiness theory, and so has led to centuries of sometimes contentious debates. You will find information about all these fascinating debates on the pages of this website. | ||
Revision as of 00:03, 8 February 2019
Your Buddha-Nature
Buddha-nature is the teaching that all people are fundamentally good. We have no "original sin" or any sort of imperfection that we need to get rid of or somehow transform. All the bad stuff is actually just an illusion, a mistake of the mind that causes all sorts of trouble. None of that is actually us—our true nature is pure and naturally vibrant, separate from all negativity.
What Then?
Everyone has the same buddha-nature, even the Buddha. The only difference is that the Buddha recognized his and the rest of us do not. The goal of Buddhist practice is to allow our true nature to shine forth. Since we're already perfect buddhas covered in the muck of ignorance, our task is simply to remove that muck. Ignorance, however, is not easily shrugged off. The Buddhist teachings and practices are all dedicated to retraining the mind and body, both by cultivating the proper outlook and behavior, and by ceasing the negative habits that cause dissatisfaction and suffering.
