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<h2>The History</h2> | <h2>The History</h2> | ||
The seeds of buddha-nature teachings were planted in some of the earliest Buddhist scriptures. Passages such as this one, from the ''Aṅguttaranikāya'' — "Luminous, monks, is this mind, but sometimes it is defiled by adventitious defilements"— suggest a natural state that is only temporarily obscured by the stains of saṃsāra. Buddhism before the rise of the Mahāyāna, however, focused as it was on the long and arduous transformation from delusion and suffering into enlightenment. | <p class="drop-cap">The seeds of buddha-nature teachings were planted in some of the earliest Buddhist scriptures. Passages such as this one, from the ''Aṅguttaranikāya'' — "Luminous, monks, is this mind, but sometimes it is defiled by adventitious defilements"— suggest a natural state that is only temporarily obscured by the stains of saṃsāra. Buddhism before the rise of the Mahāyāna, however, focused as it was on the long and arduous transformation from delusion and suffering into enlightenment.</p> | ||
This changed in the early centuries of the Common Era, when scriptures teaching buddha-nature began to circulate and gain attention. These were the so-called buddha-nature scriptures, such as the ''Tathāgatagarbhasūtra'', the ''Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra'', and the ''Śrīmālādevīsūtra''. Drawing on the Mahāyāna doctrine of the Buddha as a universal principle of enlightened mind, they taught that enlightenment is an essential factor of human existence. Rather than be transformed into a buddha, these scriptures taught, one need only reveal one's true nature to become free. | This changed in the early centuries of the Common Era, when scriptures teaching buddha-nature began to circulate and gain attention. These were the so-called buddha-nature scriptures, such as the ''Tathāgatagarbhasūtra'', the ''Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra'', and the ''Śrīmālādevīsūtra''. Drawing on the Mahāyāna doctrine of the Buddha as a universal principle of enlightened mind, they taught that enlightenment is an essential factor of human existence. Rather than be transformed into a buddha, these scriptures taught, one need only reveal one's true nature to become free. | ||
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<p class="drop-cap">Buddhism has a vast trove of scriptures, known as sūtras and tantras, that are said to be the authentic word of the Buddha. Buddhists revere these books, although they are considered subject to interpretation, and there are an enormous number of commentaries elucidating and expanding on the teachings. The seeds of buddha-nature doctrine are sprinkled throughout this literature. A core group of scriptures that initially taught buddha-nature known as the tathāgatagarbha sūtras date between the second and fourth centuries CE. These include the ''Tathāgatagarbhasūtra'', the ''Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra'', the ''Śrīmālādevīsūtra'', and several others. The famous ''Laṅkāvatārasūtra'' was also important for buddha-nature theory. In East Asia the ''Awakening of Faith in the Mahāyāna'' (大乗起信論) and the ''Vajrasamādhisūtra'' are the most influential treatises in spreading buddha-nature theory.</p> | |||
In Tibetan Buddhism, there exists a great number of writings on buddha-nature, which are either translated from Indic sources or original Tibetan compositions. However, there is a single core text studied in all Tibetan Buddhist lineages and in the current academic study of buddha-nature called ''The Treatise on the Ultimate Continuum'' (''Gyü Lama'' in Tibetan, ''Uttaratantra'' in Sanskrit). Also known as the ''Ratnagotravibhāga'', this text was originally composed in Sanskrit and translated into Tibetan sometime in the eleventh century, and many commentaries on it have been written right up to the present day. It is used as a fundamental source for buddha-nature teachings on this website. | |||
In this short video [[Karl Brunnhölzl]], translator of the ''Gyü Lama'' into English, discusses the questions about the origins and authorship of the text. | |||
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Revision as of 08:16, 19 August 2024
Buddha-nature is the capacity for enlightenment and freedom present in every being, a fundamental core of goodness, wisdom, and compassion that is hidden by clouds of ignorance—so hidden in fact that we might never even suspect its presence. It is like the sun that continues to shine regardless of the clouds that may cover it. By clearing away those clouds of greed, anger, and selfishness we uncover a state of perfection that is, and always has been, our own true nature.
Although it may be difficult to completely overcome all our limitations and clear away those clouds, the fact that our nature is fundamentally the same as a buddha's is what makes the whole path to enlightenment possible. We already have everything we need to begin walking a path that leads to true happiness. We simply need to have confidence in the presence of our buddha-nature and the courage to begin the journey to uncover it.
Everyone has buddha-nature. The only difference between us and an enlightened being such as a buddha is that a buddha recognizes this nature and the rest of us do not. The goal of Buddhist practice is to allow our true nature to shine forth. We may not be perfect buddhas yet, but we have the capacity to develop wisdom and compassion and free ourselves from selfishness, greed, and hatred. Buddhist teachings and practices aim at revealing our true nature by cultivating the proper outlook and behavior, and by ceasing the negative habits that cause dissatisfaction and suffering. This website is focused on the teachings associated with traditions of training that lead to real liberation, and we hope that you can learn a great deal from reading and watching the content here. You can start by reading and watching the following introductory materials.
