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Buddha-nature is the innate purity of all sentient beings and the universal potential to attain enlightenment.
Click here to watch videos and listen to teachings.
Read the translation of the Ratnagotravibhāga of Maitreya/Asaṅga or explore the texts and commentaries of the tradition in their original languages.
What is buddha-nature?
- Read about the history of the study of buddha-nature in the west.
- What is the main source of buddha-nature teachings? Read On the Ratnagotravibhāga
- Reminder: We already all have buddha-nature!
- Read the English translation of the Uttaratantra by Karl Brunnhölzl.
- Study the source texts here
- Learn about the "Three Reasons" in Verse_I.28
- The Uttaratantra in the Land of Snows by Tsering Wangchuk, 2017 - A complete study of buddha-nature thought throughout Tibetan history.
- See the most detailed bibliography on buddha-nature thought.
- Traditional Study Guide
Is buddha-nature emptiness or luminosity?
Buddha Nature by Ringu Tulku Rinpoche
Ringu Tulku. "Buddha Nature." Pt. 1 of 3. Produced by and filmed at Karma Sonam Dargye Ling Temple, December 1, 2015. Video, 1:37:22. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8BD50jtFgg.
Ringu Tulku. "Buddha Nature." Pt. 1 of 3. Produced by and filmed at Karma Sonam Dargye Ling Temple, December 1, 2015. Video, 1:37:22. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8BD50jtFgg.
Ringu Tulku. "Buddha Nature." Pt. 1 of 3. Produced by and filmed at Karma Sonam Dargye Ling Temple, December 1, 2015. Video, 1:37:22. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8BD50jtFgg.;Buddha Nature: A Talk by Ringu Tulku Rinpoche;Ringu Tulku;Buddha Nature by Ringu Tulku Rinpoche (Part 1 of 3)
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.
Mingyur, Yongey, 7th. "Discovering Buddha Nature." Produced by Tergar Learning Community, April 7, 2014. Video, 1:48. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srRcHz9jVrg.;Discovering Buddha Nature: Talk by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche;Contemporary;Defining buddha-nature;Metaphors for buddha-nature;Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche;Discovering Buddha Nature
Buddha-Nature: Teaching by Khenpo Dudjom Dorjee Rinpoche at Karma Thegsum Choling Dallas
Khenpo Dudjom Dorjee Rinpoche speaks on the inherent buddha-nature of beings using traditional metaphors: like a jewel, free from any impurities and powerful to relieve suffering; like the sky, unchanging and free from clouds; and like water, naturally pure.
Dorjee, Dudjom. "Buddha Nature." Produced by Karma Thegsum Chöling Dallas, February 21, 2010. Video, 8:23. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfH82y-pLW0.
Dorjee, Dudjom. "Buddha Nature." Produced by Karma Thegsum Chöling Dallas, February 21, 2010. Video, 8:23. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfH82y-pLW0.;Buddha-Nature: Teaching by Khenpo Dudjom Dorjee Rinpoche at Karma Thegsum Choling Dallas;Metaphors for buddha-nature;Dudjom Dorjee;Buddha-Nature: Teaching by Khenpo Dudjom Dorjee Rinpoche
Loving-Kindness and Buddha-Nature: Talk by Bardor Tulku Rinpoche at the First Annual Benefit for Kunzang Palchen Ling
At the first annual benefit for Kunzang Palchen Ling, Bardor Tulku Rinpoche gave a talk on loving-kindness and compassion, but the first part of the talk was focused on buddha-nature. Rinpoche emphasizes that any person who truly wants to make a difference in their lives can focus on these teachings of loving-kindness and compassion to liberate themselves from suffering of karma and afflictive emotions.
Bardor Tulku. "Loving Kindness and Buddha-Nature." Produced by Kunzang Palchen Ling, July 11, 2009. Video, 9:53. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjZrw6T18Tw.
Bardor Tulku. "Loving Kindness and Buddha-Nature." Produced by Kunzang Palchen Ling, July 11, 2009. Video, 9:53. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjZrw6T18Tw.;Loving-Kindness and Buddha-Nature: Talk by Bardor Tulku Rinpoche at the First Annual Benefit for Kunzang Palchen Ling;Bardor Tulku;Loving-Kindness and Buddha-Nature
How did buddha-nature thought develop?
The theory of buddha-nature (tathāgatagarbha, for the most part)--that all sentient beings somehow possess the innate buddhahood or potential to become buddhas--seems to have appeared in India as early as the Second Century CE before spreading to China and Tibet and beyond. The concept seems to have initially been taught as a means of inspiration, offered in response to the seeming nihilism of Madhyamaka emptiness-theory, as well as to the Yogācāra doctrine of Three Natures which restricted buddhahood to only a select few. For this reason scholars mostly agree that buddha-nature theory developed alongside--rather than part of--the two main Indian Mayāyāna Buddhist doctrinal schools, and great thinkers of each have both embraced it and rejected elements of the teaching. Buddha-nature was taught in a handful of early Mahāyāna sūtras such as the Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra and the Śrīmālādevīsūtra, and systematized first in the Ratnagotravibhāga, a treatise composed before the year 498 (when it was brought to China). From there it appears to have permeated most Buddhist schools, becoming a significant topic of debate among them.
Buddha-Nature in Comparative Perspective, an Interview with Klaus-Dieter Mathes
Mathes, Klaus-Dieter. "Buddha-Nature in Comparative Perspective, an Interview with Klaus-Dieter Mathes." Interview by Marcus Perman and Alexander Gardner, April 24, 2018. Audio, 53:03. https://buddhanature.tsadra.org/index.php/Articles/Klaus-Dieter_Mathes_Interview_on_Buddha-Nature.
Mathes, Klaus-Dieter. "Buddha-Nature in Comparative Perspective, an Interview with Klaus-Dieter Mathes." Interview by Marcus Perman and Alexander Gardner, April 24, 2018. Audio, 53:03. https://buddhanature.tsadra.org/index.php/Articles/Klaus-Dieter_Mathes_Interview_on_Buddha-Nature.
Mathes, Klaus-Dieter. "Buddha-Nature in Comparative Perspective, an Interview with Klaus-Dieter Mathes." Interview by Marcus Perman and Alexander Gardner, April 24, 2018. Audio, 53:03. https://buddhanature.tsadra.org/index.php/Articles/Klaus-Dieter_Mathes_Interview_on_Buddha-Nature.;Klaus-Dieter Mathes Interview on Buddha-Nature;Debate(s);History;The Problem of buddha-nature;Kagyu;Ngok Tradition;Tsen Tradition;Terms;Meditative Tradition;Klaus-Dieter Mathes; Marcus Perman;Alex Gardner
Khenpo Dawa Paljor's Teaching on Buddha-Nature following Mipham Rinpoche
Khenpo Dawa Paljor's Teaching on Buddha-Nature following Mipham Rinpoche's Word-by-Word Commentary on the Uttaratantra Shastra. Recorded in Tibetan with English Translation.
Paljor, Khenpo Dawa. "Shedra 2009 Teachings on Mipham Rinpoche's Commentary on the Uttaratantra Shastra." Rigpa Shedra. https://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Shedra_2009_Teachings_on_Mipham_Rinpoche%27s_commentary_on_the_Uttaratantra_Shastra.
Paljor, Khenpo Dawa. "Shedra 2009 Teachings on Mipham Rinpoche's Commentary on the Uttaratantra Shastra." Rigpa Shedra. https://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Shedra_2009_Teachings_on_Mipham_Rinpoche%27s_commentary_on_the_Uttaratantra_Shastra.;Khenpo Dawa Paljor's Teaching on Buddha-Nature following Mipham Rinpoche;Khenpo Dawa Paljor;ཟླ་བ་དཔལ་འབྱོར་;zla ba dpal 'byor; 
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.
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.;Buddhism: One Teacher, Many Traditions: Chapter 14: Buddha Nature: A Talk by Thubten Chodron;Buddha-nature as Emptiness;Contemporary American Buddhist;Defining buddha-nature;Thubten Chodron;Chapter 14: Buddha Nature
Dealing with Depression: Interview with Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo on Study Buddhism
Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo discusses buddha-nature beautifully for a general audience.
Palmo, Tenzin. "Dealing with Depression." Interview by Matt Linden and Yura Milyutin. Produced by Study Buddhism (Website), September 2016. Video, 3:30. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0ChZpIBgSo.
Palmo, Tenzin. "Dealing with Depression." Interview by Matt Linden and Yura Milyutin. Produced by Study Buddhism (Website), September 2016. Video, 3:30. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0ChZpIBgSo.;Dealing with Depression: Interview with Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo on Study Buddhism;provisional;potential;Potential or already-perfected;Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo;Dealing with Depression: Interview with Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo
How do I engage with buddha-nature in my practice?
- Practicing buddha-nature
- Revealing buddha-nature
- Talking about buddha-nature
