In this talk Douglass Smith explores the intricate Buddhist concepts of Buddha nature and Tathāgatagarbha.
Buddha nature suggests that all beings have an inherent essence similar to that of Buddha, while Tathāgatagarbha, or “womb of the Buddha,” indicates that all beings carry the potential for enlightenment within them.
Doug traces the evolution of these ideas from early Buddhism’s focus on becoming an enlightened being to the later notions of the Luminous mind and the Dharma body.
Early Buddhist texts introduced the Luminous mind, described as pure and radiant, which later influenced the development of the Buddha nature concept.
The Dharma body, or Dharmakāya, emphasizes the Buddha’s role as an embodiment of the teachings, suggesting that seeing the Dharma is equivalent to seeing the Buddha himself.
Doug also explores the apparent contradiction between Buddha nature and the concept of emptiness (śūnyatā).
While some Mahayana texts propose an inherent Buddha nature within sentient beings, this clashes with the belief in emptiness, which asserts the absence of any permanent essence.
Doug suggests reconciling this by viewing Buddha nature as synonymous with emptiness, though this interpretation is debated within the Buddhist community.
The conversation concludes by highlighting different interpretations of Buddha nature, such as the Shentong perspective of the Tibetan Jonang school and the early Buddhist tradition’s focus on eliminating negative qualities for enlightenment.
