Everything has Buddha nature, or everything is Buddha nature?

Question

How do you see it and why?

Buddha means "awake" or the one that awoke. Here it means awake. So has everything the nature to wake up or is everythings nature awake.

There will be 3 different kinds of answerers. Scoffers, Believers, and Knowers.

I welcome all, could it be any other way?

Tao: Thanks, in your case the answer you gave could be correct but to give some others a better understanding, could a bit more light be emitted? I liked your Woof by the way, I gave you a thumbs up last night. ~ : )

I didn't say answer I said answerers. ~ : )

Tita Gaura: Does the material world depend upon the spiritual? ~ : )

Wooduncut: When realised, what is realised? ~ : )

bluebootz: You say you don't see it or know Buddha. What does not see or know? ~ : )

goodfella: When there is the emptiness of ego there is a fullness of something, although the ego depends upon this fullness, this fullness does not depend upon the ego. ~ : )

Tao: I'm enjoying this conversation. I can see it now. MONK: Why did Bodhidharma go west? MASTER: [While calmly looking at the monitor screen] The Q/A on yahoo answers. ~ : ) My question could have been. Is it[Buddha nature] the answer to the question, or is it the question and the answer?

Answer 1

Woof.

Answer 2

To be or to possess? I think pessess is uses in the old way here, as in being part of.

Everything 'is' Buddhas nature neglects the idea of form. I am an artist we must not forget form. We deal in illussions everyday!

I think the first acknowledges the existence individuality with the timeless. Individuality and the universal.

For sentient beings this tells me that I can use my free will to turn to that Buddha nature.

Both are true, but one is more instructional than the other. stepping stones perhaps. Just a thought.

Peace!

Answer 3

Hi. I've been practicing Nichiren Buddhism. And I'd like to share about Buddha nature which I learned .
just like you're saying, we all have Buddha nature. Nichiren Daishonin, a Buddhist reformer of 13th-century Japan, clarified of the Lotus Sutra
( the highest teaching of Shakyamuni ) and established the path for all people can actually manifest the Buddha nature. Because even we know the we have a power within our life to create happiness under any circumstances, it is very very difficult to see it and experience it.
Nichiren Daishonin inscribed the object of devotion in form of a scroll that act as mirror to help us bring the Buddha nature out from within and express it in our daily life. Believing in the Buddha nature inside of all of us is the first step toward seeing it. Please check this website for more info.

Answer 4

Firstly, one MUST understand what is the nature of being/conditions/becoming a Buddha and WHO is able to achieve the state of Buddhahood.

Buddhahood is achievable by the perfections Paramis of the 10 qualities (paramis) dominant in all Buddhas that appeared in this world and worlds to come. These 10 paramis are:

1. Dāna parami : generosity, giving of oneself
2. SÄ«la parami : virtue, morality, proper conduct
3. Nekkhamma parami : renunciation
4. Paññā parami : transcendental wisdom, insight
5. Viriya (also spelt vīriya) parami : energy, diligence, vigour, effort
6. Khanti parami : patience, tolerance, forbearance, acceptance, endurance
7. Sacca parami : truthfulness, honesty
8. Adhiṭṭāna (adhitthana) parami : determination, resolution
9. Mettā parami : loving-kindness
10. Upekkhā (also spelt upekhā) parami : equanimity, serenity

Buddha nature, on the other hand, is also close to the meaning of Bodhicitta (or Boddhi-mind) whereby one has the seed of Bodhi in them, whereby everyone has the ability to perfect themselves in their paramis in order to become a fully awakened one ie; a Buddha.

You can say that everyone has Buddha nature in them (Bodhicitta) whereby everyone has the ability to develop themselves and perfect their paramis in order to become a Buddha and not everything/everyone is Buddha nature as you have clearly seen that there are certain perfections one needs to fulfill in order to become a fully enlightened one (Buddha).

Answer 5

I agree with Vicarious Cynic in that Buddha nature is something inherent within us, waiting to be 'realised' (as in as an idea, not as in something to be made real).

Because Buddha was a man. Albeit one that became enlightened. So in line with the Tathāgatagarbha doctrine, Buddha nature is something we contain, not consist of.

Of course, if you consider Buddha nature to be 'emptiness' (Śūnyatā), perhaps everything is Buddha nature. But thinking about that makes my brain hurt.

Perhaps I should have just answered 'mu'?
.

Answer 6

Buddha has nothing to do with nature Jesus Christ (who is God in the flesh) created everything. One of the evidences that the Lord exists can be seen in his creation.

Answer 7

Interesting question. Afraid haven't got it all figured out just yet. What is Buddha Nature, anyway?

...(A bit later).

I guess one doesn't 'have' Buddha Nature, because One who's realised it, would see Emptiness (of ego).

I don't think it a very common mode of perception, as it belongs to those who've purified their minds of unskillfulness & conceit, in the tasks of life. Doing good in the process.

Still, good question. Thanks for provoking (my) thought.

Thanks to 'Wood Uncut', too, for giving me a 'handle' on it. :-)

I think he deserves the BA.

Answer 8

Buddha, though was empowered incarnation of Sri Krishna, preached the sub religious principle of non-violence and atheism by superficially rejecting the Vedas. This was necessary, during that particular time, when unscrupulous men indulged in cow killing on the pretext of Vedic sacrifices.

Later on, Lord Siva came as Shankaracharya and reinstated the Vedic teachings again by defeating Buddhism. He preached Advaita philosophy since most of the people were not yet ready to receive the higher teachings just as Buddha did not give the higher teachings to his disciples, just as Jesus Christ and Hazrat Mohammed. All of them though preached God Consciousness, did not give the highest philosophy because people were not elevated in their spiritual understanding. Jesus Christ, for instance, hinted that there would be profit even if one gains the whole world but does not understand the spirit soul or Atma. Whereas Sri Krishna in Bhagavad gita and other Vedic literatures give elaborate descriptions of atma, karma and punar janma etc....

Later on other acharyas built their highly advanced philsophies on the foundation already built by Lord Buddha and Shankaracharya. Vishnusvami coming in the line of Rudra Parampara, Nimbarka in Kumara sampradaya, Sripad Ramanujacharay in Sri Sampradaya and Madhvacharya in Brahma sampradaya gradually added finer philosophical points to Buddha and Shankara.

What was told in the beginning in a crude way, "Jagat Mithya Brahma Sathya", was given actually shown concrete form by the Ramanuja, Madhva and later by Sri Chaitanya and his followers. They all showed that the spiritual world is eternal whereas this material world is temporary and one should aspire to go to the eternal spiritual world to be blissful in complete knowledge of eternal existence in the company of the Lord and his associates.

Answer 9

Anything that that works to the merit of all sentient beings through right thinking and actions and alieviates suffering has Bhudda Nature to it.
Meditate on Bhudda Nature and see what it reveals to you.

Answer 10

Simple answer... Both

Complex Answer... Neither

But I choose the simple answer, because the complex answer is still a bit too daunting for my thinking.

Answer 11

Nothing is buddha nature, but everyone has buddha nature too.