Buddha-nature dictionary

Buddha Nature

The following terms refer to the same thing: Self-Nature, True Nature, Original Nature, Dharma Nature, True Mark, True Mind, True Emptiness, True Thusness, Dharma Body, Original Face, Emptiness, Prajna, Nirvana, etc.

According to the Mahayana view, (buddha-nature) is the true, immutable, and eternal nature of all beings. Since all beings possess buddha-nature, it is possible for them to attain enlightenment and become a buddha, regardless of what level of existence they occupy ...

The answer to the question whether buddha-nature is immanent in beings is an essential determining factor for the association of a given school with Theravada or Mahayana, the two great currents within Buddhism.

In Theravada this notion is unknown; here the potential to become a buddha is not ascribed to every being.

By contrast the Mahayana sees the attainment of buddhahood as the highest goal; it can be attained through the inherent buddha-nature of every being through appropriate spiritual practice. (The Shambhala Dictionary of Buddhism and Zen.)

See also "Dharma Nature."

 (See also: Buddha Nature , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Enlightenment of plants

(Jpn.: somoku-jobutsu)

Also, enlightenment of insentient beings. The enlightenment of grass, trees, rocks, the land itself, or anything else that has neither emotion nor consciousness.

The doctrine that insentient beings can attain Buddhahood derives from T'ien-t'ai's doctrine of three thousand realms in a single moment of life. One of the component principles of this doctrine is the realm of the environment, or the insentient objective world.

The doctrine teaches the mutually inclusive relationship of living beings and their environments, or that of sentient and insentient beings, thereby revealing that both manifest the same state of life. Therefore, when living beings manifest the state of Buddhahood, their environment simultaneously manifests the state of Buddhahood as well.

In The Diamond Scalpel, Miao-lo (711-782) refuted the arguments of Ch'eng-kuan, the fourth patriarch of the Chinese Flower Garland (Hua-yen) school, who asserted that insentient beings do not possess the Buddha nature. Miao-lo wrote, "A plant, a tree, a pebble, a speck of dust-each has the Buddha nature, and each is endowed with cause and effect and with the function to manifest and the wisdom to realize its Buddha nature."

(See also: Enlightenment of plants , Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Delusion (Ignorance)

"Delusion refers to belief in something that contradicts reality. In Buddhism, delusion is ... a lack of awareness of the true nature or Buddha nature of things, or of the true meaning of existence. "

According to the Buddhist outlook, we are deluded by our senses-- among which intellect (discriminating, discursive thought) is included as a sixth sense.

Consciousness, attached to the senses, leads us into error by causing us to take the world of appearances for the world of reality, whereas in fact it is only a limited and fleeting aspect of reality." (The Shambhala Dictionary of Buddhism and Zen.)

 (See also: Delusion (Ignorance) , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Fundamental darkness

(Jpn.: gampon-no-mumyo)

Also, fundamental ignorance or primal ignorance. The most deeply rooted illusion inherent in life, said to give rise to all other illusions. Darkness in this sense means inability to see or recognize the truth, particularly, the true nature of one's life.

The term fundamental darkness is contrasted with the fundamental nature of enlightenment, which is the Buddha nature inherent in life.

According to the Shrimala Sutra, fundamental darkness is the most difficult illusion to surmount and can be eradicated only by the wisdom of the Buddha. T'ien-t'ai (538-597) interprets darkness as illusion that prevents one from realizing the truth of the Middle Way, and divides such illusion into forty-two types, the last of which is fundamental darkness. This illusion is only extirpated when one attains the stage of perfect enlightenment, the last of the fifty-two stages of bodhisattva practice.

Nichiren (1222-1282) interprets fundamental darkness as ignorance of the ultimate Law, or ignorance of the fact that one's life is essentially a manifestation of that Law, which he identifies as Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. In The Treatment of Illness, Nichiren states: "The heart of the Lotus school is the doctrine of three thousand realms in a single moment of life, which reveals that both good and evil are inherent even in those at the highest stage of perfect enlightenment.

The fundamental nature of enlightenment manifests itself as Brahma and Shakra, whereas the fundamental darkness manifests itself as the devil king of the sixth heaven". Nichiren thus regards fundamental darkness as latent even in the enlightened life of the Buddha, and the devil king of the sixth heaven as a manifestation or personification of life's fundamental darkness. The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings reads, "Belief is a sharp sword that cuts off fundamental darkness or ignorance."

(See also: Fundamental darkness , Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Marks

Characteristics, forms, physiognomy.

Marks are contrasted with essence, in the same way that phenomena are contrasted with noumenon. True Mark stands for True Form, True Nature, Buddha Nature, always unchanging.

The True Mark of all phenomena is like space: always existing but really empty; although empty, really existing.

The True Mark of the Triple World is

• No-Birth/No-Death,
• not existent/not non-existent,
• not like this/not like that.

True Mark is also called "Self-Nature," "Dharma Body," the "Unconditioned," "True Thusness," "Nirvana," "Dharma Realm.11

See also "Noumenon/Phenomena."

 (See also: Marks , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Nirvana Sutra

The last of the sutras in the Mahayana canon. It emphasizes the importance of Buddhanature, which is the same as Self-Nature.

 (See also: Nirvana Sutra , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Lotus: Symbol of purity and perfection, Buddha-nature.

 (See also: Lotus , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Emptiness (sunyata): Central notion in Mahayana Buddhism that ultimate reality is not discoverable; the term is functionally the same as nirvana, Buddha-nature, suchness, and the Eternal Buddha.

 (See also: Emptiness , Eastern Philosophy, Body Mind and Soul)

Seed of Buddhahood

(Jpn.: busshu)

The cause for attaining Buddhahood. The Buddha nature inherent in ordinary people, or the innate potential to become a Buddha; also the Buddha's teaching, which clarifies and enables people to realize their Buddha nature.

Bodhisattva practice, the practice required of a bodhisattva, is also regarded as the seed of Buddhahood. One ensures the cause for realizing enlightenment by receiving the Buddha's teaching, the seed of Buddhahood. Based on the Lotus Sutra, T'ien-t'ai (538-597) interpreted the seed of Buddhahood as the doctrine of three thousand realms in a single moment of life, and Nichiren (1222-1282) defined it as the Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

See: Sowing maturing and harvesting

(See also: Seed of Buddhahood , Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Eternal Buddha (dharmakaya): In Mahayana Buddhism's Triple Body (trikaya) theory, the Eternal Buddha is undifferientiated absolute existence behind all appearances, and functionally the same as nirvana, emptiness, Buddha-nature, and suchness.

 (See also: Eternal Buddha , Eastern Philosophy, Body Mind and Soul)

Tao: Translated it means the way (Chinese). In the form of the Tao in Taoism, Tao is the way of nature, which is undescribable. For Confucius the Tao is the way of man, society, and government, of relationships. For Zen, Tao is the way, it is Buddha-nature, Buddha-mind, reality.

 (See also: Tao , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Fundamental nature of enlightenment

(Jpn.: gampon-no-hossho)

Enlightenment to the fundamental nature of all things and phenomena. It is contrasted with fundamental darkness. Also, the Buddha nature that is inherent in life.

(See also: Fundamental nature of enlightenment , Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Buddha-mind: The mind of one who has been awakened to the desire for enlightenment. This is the intent behind the act of releasing Buddha-nature. It is also the inherent wisdom and enlightenment that exists in all sentient beings.

 (See also: Buddha-mind , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Inclusion of Buddhahood in the nine worlds

(Jpn.: kukai-soku-bukkai or kukai-shogu-no-bukkai)

The principle that the world of Buddhahood is inherent in the nine worlds. That is, all beings of the nine worlds possess the potential for Buddhahood (i.e., the Buddha nature). The nine worlds refer to the realms of hell, hungry spirits, animals, asuras, human beings, heavenly beings, voice-hearers, cause-awakened ones, and bodhisattvas. These realms also signify inherent conditions or states of life that beings manifest at any given moment. The nine worlds are contrasted with the world of Buddhahood in that they are realms or states of illusion and suffering, while Buddha-hood is a state of enlightenment free from illusion and suffering.

The principle of Buddhahood as a potential within the nine worlds means that the beings of the nine worlds, i.e., those who are deluded, inherently possess the state of Buddhahood and can manifest Buddhahood from within their lives. This concept is derived from the Lotus Sutra, particularly the "Expedient Means" (second) chapter. Together with the inclusion of the nine worlds within Buddhahood, it explains T'ien-t'ai's concept of the mutual possession of the Ten Worlds. The chapter reads, "The Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, wish to open the door of Buddha wisdom to all living beings." Nichiren says, "This refers to the world of Buddhahood inherent in the nine worlds". That is, Buddhahood is inherent in all living beings.

(See also: Inclusion of Buddhahood in the nine worlds , Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Buddha-nature: The original nature of all people, which is harmonious and non-dualistic. This is always present, whether it is ever realized or not. It is a concrete expression used to signify perfection.

 (See also: Buddha-nature , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Dharma Nature

The intrinsic nature of all things. Used interchangeably with "emptiness," "reality." See also "Buddha Nature."

 (See also: Dharma Nature , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Treatise on the Treasure Vehicle of Buddhahood, The

(Skt.: Ratnagotravibhaga-mahayanottaratantra-shastra; Chin.: Chiu-ching-i-ch'eng-pao-hsing-lun; Jpn.: Kukyo-ichijo-hosho-ron)

A work by Saramati, a Mahayana scholar of India, translated into Chinese in the sixth century by Ratnamati. It asserts that all beings possess the "matrix of the Thus Come One" (Skt tathagata-garbha, also called the matrix of the Tathagata) or the Buddha nature, and that even icchantikas, persons of incorrigible disbelief, can attain Buddhahood eventually. This treatise is generally thought to have been written sometime around the end of the fourth or the beginning of the fifth century. Tibetan tradition attributes the verses of this work to Maitreya and commentaries on them to Asanga. Maitreya and Asanga were also Mahayana scholars.

(See also: Treatise on the Treasure Vehicle of Buddhahood , Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Buddha-Nature (buddhata): In Mahayana Buddhism, undifferientiated absolute existence behind all appearances, functionally the same as nirvana, emptiness, suchness, and the Eternal Buddha.

 (See also: Buddha-Nature , Eastern Philosophy, Body Mind and Soul)

Buji: "No matter." An attitude acquired toward Zen, in which the individual does not practice because of the rationality that we are all originally buddhas. This is decieving, as these individuals push themselves further from their Buddha-nature.

 (See also: Buji , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Mahayana: "Large raft" school of Buddhism which sees religion as a group effort, emphasizes the role of the Bodhisattva, sees nirvana as the same state as the ordinary realm of life and death, and describes ultimate reality as emptiness, suchness and Buddha-nature.

 (See also: Mahayana , Eastern Philosophy, Body Mind and Soul)