ASVAGHOSHA'S DISCOURSE ON THE AWAKENING OF FAITH IN THE MAHAYANA by Asvaghosha tr. by Suzuki
The Awakening Faith in the Mahayana is a classic of East Asian Buddhism. Its concept of faith, however, is not the same as that of Western religions. The book's title may also be translated as The Generating of Confidence in the Mahayana. Confidence or trust is generated as a result of examining the Mahayana Buddhist teachings, which are concisely summarized here. This book is said to have been written for those who find the wordiness of extensive discourse wearisome, and who prefer a brief treatise with a lot of meaning.
Do all living beings ultimately become enlightened? Do we have Buddha nature, the seed of enlightenment? These questions concerning an ordinary living being's potential to become a Buddha, the purest form of existence, are the main topic of this book. Based on the views of the three major Buddhist schools of Buddhist philosophy-Vaibhasika, Cittamatri and Madhyamaka - Geshe Sonam Rinchen explains how our minds, though stained by temporary defilements, are innately pure, luminous and cognizant and how we can become aware of the mind's clear light nature.
BUDDHA NATURE: Death and Eternal Soul in Buddhism by H.H. the Dalai Lama
For the first time, the Dalai Lama presents views concerning the Self in Buddhism. In the process, he explains how Buddhist teachings differentiate the person and the eternal soul. At the same time, he explains his ideas of Nirvana. A fascinating synthesis of individuality and universality arises, one that could only be formed by His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama.
This volume presents the first book-length study in English of the concept of Buddha nature as discussed in the Buddha Nature Treatise (Fo Xing Lun), attributed to Vasubandhu and translated into Chinese by Paramartha in the sixth century. The author provides a detailed discussion of one of the most important concepts in East Asian Buddhism, a topic little addressed in Western studies of Buddhism until now, and places the Buddha nature concept in the context of Buddhist intellectual history.
BUDDHA NATURE: Ten Teachings on the Uttara Tantra Shastra by Thrangu Rinpoche
"The enlightened essence is present in all sentient beings. Although the beings themselves undergo many different types of change -- happiness, suffering, birth, old age, sickness, and finally death -- no change occurs in the buddha nature itself. Our innate buddha nature remains forever the changeless seed of happiness and enlightenment."
BUDDHA NATURE: The Mahayana Uttaratantra Shastra with Commentary by Arya Maitreya, comm. by Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye, add'l. explanations by Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche, trans. by Rosemarie Fuchs.
All sentient beings, without exception, have buddha nature, the inherent purity and perfection of the mind, untouched by changing mental states. The Mahayana Uttaratantra Shastra, one of the "Five Treatises" said to have been dictated to Asanga by the Bodhisattva Maitreya, presents the Buddha's definitive teachings on how we should understand this ground of enlightenment and clarifies the nature and qualities of buddhahood. This seminal text details with great clarity the view which forms the basis for Vajrayana, and especially Mahamudra, practice. Thus it builds a bridge between the Sutrayana and Vajrayana levels of the Buddha's teaching, elaborated here in Jamgon Kongtrul's commentary.
GLIMPSES OF REALIZATION by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche
In poetic and evocative language, Trungpa Rinpoche teaches us how to be loose and awake in the unfathomable space of big mind. Glimpses of Realization is a practitioner's guide to the trikaya, or the three bodies of enlightenment, and companion volume to Glimpses of Space which discusses EVAM and the feminine principle.
MAITREYA ON BUDDHA NATURE: A full commentary Asanga's Mahayana Uttara Tantra by Asanga / Ken Holmes
During the last years of his life, Buddha Sakyamuni revealed the deepest of his teachings, in what we call now Third Turning of the Wheel of Dharma . These show the heart nature of every one and everyhting to be the sublime perfection of enlightenment. This unregonised inner essence is known as buddha nature . To discover it completely is to become a Buddha, with all a Buddha's qualities and power to help others. But what ,really and truly is a Buddha? What lies at the heart of the Buddha's techings, the dharma? What is it that illuminates the Buddhist saints of the sangha? These and many other questions are answered in precise and beautiful poetry by Asanga, in his great classic, the Mahayana Uttara Tantra, which has become one of the most important doctrinal texts of Tibetan Buddhism.
THE BUDDHA NATURE, A STUDY OF THE TATHAGATAGARBHA AND ALAYAVIJNANA by Brown
A Study of the Tathagatagarbha and Alayavijnana. One of the fundamental tenets of Mahayana Buddhism animating and grounding the doctrine and discipline of its spiritual path, is the inherent potentiality of all animate beings to attain the supreme and perfect enlightenment of Buddhahood. This book examines the ontological presuppositions and the corresponding soteriological principles that sustain and define such a theory. Includes bibliographical references.
This books is in four parts. The first part consists of Introduction by H.S. Prasad. He argues for sempiternal, dynamic and substantive reality underlying all appearances. He shows that as one rises to a higher level of consciousness, the various Yanas, like Sravakayana, Pratyekabuddhayana, Bodhi-sattvayana and Mahayana, all merge into ekayana; for each contributes to the gradual realisation of the oneness of ultimate reality, thus paving the way for the emergence of universal culture. On Prasad's view the much talked-about negativism of the Madhyamika-Sarvadrstisunyata is not an end in it self, rather it is a basis for the realisation of the essential unity of all beings, sentient as well as insentient, leading to the cultivation and promotion of universal good, compassion and friendliness.
In the second part is reprinted the Sanskrit text of Maitreya's Uttaratantra (Ratnagotravibhaga). The third part includes correction and emendation suggested by Jikido Takasaki in the Sanskrit text in the light of Tibetan and Chinese versions. The fourth part is an English translation of the text from its Tibetan version by E. Obermiller.
This book is a radical departure from the traditional interpretations of Buddhism and Madhyamika philosophy in particular. It aims at reviving philosophy as cultural activity, a path to enlightenment as spiritual discipline.
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