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.

The Buddha Nature : A Study of the Tathagatagarbha and Alayavijnana, Brian Edward Brown, Alex Wayman (ed), Motilal Banarsidass, Hardcover, 309 Pages, $25.00

Brian Edward Brown was an undergraduate and graduate student of Thomas Berry at Fordham, earning a doctorate in History of Religions. He is the co-founder of The Thomas Berry Forum for Ecological Dialogue at Iona University, where he taught for decades in religious studies. He also holds a juris doctor, focusing on Earth jurisprudence in both Berry's work and in Indigenous American tribal traditions.

Contents: Introduction

Part One: The Tathagatagarbha in the "Sri-Mala Sutra and the Ratnagotravibhaga

Part Two: The Alayavijnana in the Lankavatara Sutra and the Cheng Wei-Shih Lun.

Part Three: The Tathagatagarbha-Alayavijnana Summary and Comparison.

Appendices
Bibliography

Index.