- Buddha Nature
What is Buddha nature or the "Tathāgatagarbha"? We'll begin by looking at the roots for these concepts in the early Buddhist texts. Then we'll turn to the origins of the mature concepts in later Mahāyāna texts. Finally we'll turn to some…
- Origins of the Buddhist Doctrine of Momentariness
We may have heard discussion of "mind moments" in Buddhism and how things last for only a moment and then are replaced. Did such ideas originate from the Buddha? We will look at their history, and what the Buddha had to say about time and…
- Authenticity: Good and Bad
Many of us feel that being authentic is a life goal. We will look at that claim, and with the help of a recent article, compare the goal of authenticity with another more plainly ethical goal. We will ask if there may be a potential…
- Is the Mind Luminous?
We may have heard the metaphor of the "luminous mind" in Buddhist discourse. We'll discuss one famous source of that metaphor and how it has influenced some aspects of Buddhist thought in the abhidharma and thereafter, as well as certain…