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. King then carefully explains the traditional Buddhist language in the text, and embeds Buddha nature in a family of concepts and values which as a group are foundational to the development of the major indigenous schools of Chinese Buddhism.
In addition, she refutes the accusations that the idea of Buddha nature introduces a crypto-Atman into Buddhist thought, and that it represents a form of monism akin to the Brahmanism of the Upanisads. In doing this, King defends Buddha nature in terms of purely Buddhist-philosophical principles. Finally, the author engages the Buddha nature concept in dialogue with Western philosophy by asking what it teaches us about what a human being, or person, is.. ."It intelligently treats a text of crucial importance and brings up all the issues involved offering interpretations on them. To anyone interested in Chinese Buddhism it should be engaging reading. " John P. Keenan
Buddha Nature, Sallie King, Sri Satguru Publications, Hardcover, 200 Pages, $29.95
Sallie B. King is Professor of Philosophy and Religion at James Madison University in the USA. She is the author of numerous publications on Engaged Buddhism, Buddhist ethics, Buddhist-Christian dialogue and the Cross-Cultural Philosophy of Religion. A Quaker and a Buddhist, she is a former President of the Society for Buddhist-Christian Studies, a Trustee of the international, interfaith Peace Council, and a member of the Christian and Interfaith Relations Committee of Friends General Conference (a national Quaker organization). She is co-editor, with Paul O. Ingram, of The Sound of Liberating Truth: Buddhist-Christian Dialogues in Honor of Frederick J. Streng, 2003, which won the Frederick J. Streng Award for Excellence in Buddhist-Christian Studies.
Preface
Abbreviations
Chapter One: Introduction
A. The Role of the Buddha Nature Concept
B. Terms
C. History
D. The Text of the Buddha Nature Treatise
E. The Buddha Nature Treatise and Chinese Buddhist Thought
Chapter Two: The Concept of Buddha Nature
A. Taking the Semantic Ascent
B. Refutation of Other Views
C. The Essence of Buddha Nature
1. The Buddha Nature as Three Causes
2. The Three Natures (Trisvabhava)
3. Tathagatagarbha
Chapter Three: Soteriology: Buddha Nature as the Practice of Buddhism
A. Asrayaparavrtti
B. Dharmakaya and Nirvana
C. Trikaya : Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya
D. The Relationship Between Person and Buddha
Chapter Four: Dereification of Self and Mind
A. The "Own-Nature" of Buddha Nature
B. Atmaparamita
C. Self
D. Pure Mind
E. Dharmakaya and "Self"
F. Mind
Chapter Five: Ontology: Monism vs. Nondualism
A. All Sentient Beings Possess the Buddha Nature
B. The Paramita
C. Sunya-Asunya
D. Buddha Nature Exists Aboriginally
E. Unborn and Unchanging
Chapter Six: Engaging in Spiritual Cultivation
Chapter Seven: Buddha Nature and the Concept of Person
A. The Ontological-Metaphysical Dimension
B. The Existential Dimension
C. A Final Question
Chapter Eight: Retrospective and Prospective
A. Retrospective: Summary of the Text
B. The Buddha Nature Treatise and Chinese Buddhist Thought
C. Buddha Nature Thought and Western Buddhism
Notes
Glossary
Index
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