The Questions

Why is buddha-nature important? What would it mean to not have buddha-nature? these and other common questions about buddha-nature are outlined below, with links to readings, videos, and other material to help you explore further.

What does it mean to have buddha-nature? That we are fundamentally good, and that we have an inborn potential to be free

What does it mean if we did not have buddha-nature? That we are not guaranteed liberation

What does "luminosity" mean in this context? It refers to "self-reflexive awareness" which means awareness naturally aware of itself. Other English terms used for the same concept include "clarity," but this word fails to evoke the active aspect of luminosity. The mind's natural state is not passive like a piece of glass, but actively engaging with the phenomenal world.

Is buddha-nature the same thing as a self? Critics of the theory would say yes, but adherents disagree, arguing that there is nothing individual about buddha-nature. It is instead the fundamental nature of consciousness, a shared characteristic rather than a separate entity.

How does one practice? Different Buddhist traditions engage with buddha-nature in different ways. Some speak of revealing what is already perfect, others speak of perfecting what is now only a potential.