Buddha Nature

BibliothecaIndo-BuddhicaSeries-No'103

BUDDHA NATURE

Sallie B. Kin$

SRI SATGURU PUBLICATIONS of A Diaision INDIAN BOOKS CENTRE DELHI-INDIA

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Publishedby : SRI SATGURUPUBLICATIONS IndologicalAnd OrientalPublishers A Division of

IndianBooksCentre 40/5,ShaktiNagar, Delhi-110007

(INDIA)

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All RightsReservetl

The Publicationof this Book in Indiais madeby pemrissionof StateUniversityof New York Press. First Indian Edition : Delhi 1992

ISBN 8r-7030-308-9 No part of this book may be usedor reproducedin any mautrer whatsoeverwithout written pemrissionexceptin the caseof brief quotationsembodiedin critical articlesandreviews.

Frinteclat: D.K. FineArt hess, Delhi.

PRINTEDIN INDIA

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For mY Parents, JamesForrest Kin$, Sr. and Carolyn Prout Kin$

CONTENTS

Preface

lx

Ahlrreviations

xi

Chapter One: A. B. C. D. E.

Introduction

The Role of the Buddha Nature Concept Terms History The Text of the Buddhct Nature Treq'tise The Buddhct Nature Treatise and Chinese Buddhist Thou$ht

Chapter Two:

The Concept of Buddha Nature

A. Takin$ the Semantic Ascent B. Refutatittn of Other Views C. The Essenceof Buddha Nature 1. The Buddha Nature as Three Causes 2. The Three Natures (Tristsabhdva) 3. Tathd,gataParbha Chapter Three:

Soteriolo$y: Buddha Nature as the Practice of Buddhism

A,. A9rayapardrsTtti B. Dharmakdrya and Nirtsd1trt' C. Trikd,ya: Sambhogakd.ya and Nirma4akdrya D. The Relationship Between Person and Buddha

1 1 J 5

23 .t'7

29 29 30 40 40 42 48 57 58 65 72 80

vll

BUDDHANATURE Chapter Four: A. B. C. D. E. F.

Dereification of Self and Mind

The "Own-Nature" of Buddha Nature Atmaparamita Self Pure trlind Dhqrmakaya and "Self' Mind

Chapter Five: Ontology: N{onism vs. Nondualism A. B. C. D. E.

All Sentient Beings Possessthe Buddha Nature The Paramirti Sanya-Alunya Buddha Nature Exists Aboriginally Unborn and Unchanging

Chapter Sk:

Engagingin Spiritual Cultivation

Chapter Seven: Buddha Nature and the Concept of Person A. The Ontological-MetaphysicalDimension B. The Existential Dimension C. A Final Question Chapter Eight:

Retrospective and Prospective

A. Retrospective: Summary of the Text B. The Buddha N&ture Treqtise and Chinese Buddhist Thought C. Buddha Nature ThouAht and \\'estern Buddhism

83 E3 86 92 C)J

9.1 95 99 103 10.1 107 111 112 1t7 1J7 139 144 150 153 153 156 169

Notes

t73

Glossary

185

Index

201.

vlll

Preface

It is a pleasure to express my gratitude for the help of the many persons and institutions who supported my work. The National Endoq'ment t'or the Humanities funded this project in 1985 with a Summer Stipend that supported the early stagesof the book. Portions of this book appeareclin journal articles as Sallie B. Kin$' "Buddha Nature and the Concept of Person," Philosophy East and West 39, no. 2 (19S9), published by the University of HarvaiiPress;and Sallie Behn King, "The Buddha Nature: True Self as Action," Religious Studies 2O (198,1), published by Cambrid$e University Press. My appreciation Aoesto thesejournals and pressesfor theirpermission to publish this material. I especially thank Professor Leon Hurvitz tbr checkin$ many of rn1'Chinese translations against the ori$inal. Thanks also to Professor tr'linoru Kiyota tbr introducin$ me to Buddha nature thou$ht and raisin$ the issue of monism for me, to Professor Thomas Dean for thinking through philosophical issues with me' and to Professor John Keenan for reading the manuscript and makin$ helpful su6!$estions, especially on Yogacara matters (this despite the fact that he disa$rees with rny major thesis). My thanks to the Series Editor, Kenneth Inada, for recommending additions to the book that have considerably strengthened it. \\rhatever shortcomin$s remain in this work are clearly my responsibility alone. Finally, thanks to mv husband for his constant practical and moral support. The romanization system used in this *'ork is the Pinyin system' For the convenience of those more familiar with the Wade-Giles s-v-stem,I have zrdded\\'ade-Giles -romanizations in parentheses after the Pinvin romarrization the first time I introduce a f.amlliar term or

lx

PREFACE name. A glossary of chinese characters can be found at the back of the book. I have conceive