Buddha Nature

Buddha Nature - (Sugatagarbha / bde gshegs snying po)

Description

• It is not an "entity" but ultimate nature of mind, free from veils of ignorance. Every sentient being has the potential to actualize this buddha nature by revealing perfect knowingness through pristine cognition of this nature of mind. This is in a way the "primordial goodness" of sentient beings. The innate all-pervasive primordial purity. MR

• Buddha nature (bde gshegs snying po). Sugata garbha, the essence of the sugatas; the potential for enlightenment or enlightened nature that is inherently present in each sentient being. For a detailed discussions, see Thrangu Rinpoche's 'Buddha Nature,' Rangjung Yeshe Publications. RY

Etymology

Add etymology of Sanskrit and/or Tibetan terms here...

Relevance

• The buddha nature principle is most directly linked with Buddha Shakyamuni's third turning of the wheel of Dharma, where he addressed this topic at length in such sutras as Tathagatagarbha Sutra, the Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra, and the Lankavatara Sutra, amongst others. Despite their roots in the Sutra tradition of the Mahayana, these teachings are also closely linked with the view and practice of the various Vajrayana traditions, such as Mahamudra and Dzogchen. CJD

Related Terms

• Wisdom

Alternate Translations

• Buddha Essence
• Sugata Essence

External links

• "Buddha Nature" sutras
• Nirvana Sutra
• Wikipedia Buddha Nature page