Tathāgatagarbha sutras

E285370

The Tathāgatagarbha sutras are a group of Mahayana Buddhist scriptures that teach all beings possess an innate Buddha-nature, emphasizing the inherent potential for enlightenment.

All labels observed (4)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (45)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Buddhist text collection
Mahayana Buddhist scripture
aim to encourage confidence in attaining Buddhahood
to reinterpret the nature of self in Mahāyāna terms
associatedConcept Buddha-dhātu
linked to: Tathagatagarbha

Buddha-nature doctrine
tathāgatagarbha
associatedWithSchool Tathāgatagarbha tradition
Yogācāra
category Mahāyāna sūtras
contrastWith doctrine of no-self (anātman) as commonly interpreted
coreIdea Buddha-nature is obscured by defilements
Buddhahood is immanent in all beings
defilements are adventitious and removable
debatedBy Madhyamaka philosophers
linked to: Madhyamaka
debatedIssue compatibility with anātman doctrine
emphasize inherent purity of mind
universality of Buddhahood
genre doctrinal discourse
historicalPeriod early centuries CE
includeText Anūnatvāpūrṇatvanirdeśa Sūtra
Aṅgulimālīya Sūtra
Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra
linked to: Lankāvatāra Sutra

Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra (Mahāyāna version)
Tathāgatagarbha Sūtra
Śrīmālādevī Siṃhanāda Sūtra
influenced Chinese Buddhism
East Asian Buddhism
Japanese Buddhism
Korean Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism
interpretedAs affirmation of a positive ultimate principle
skillful means to inspire faith in enlightenment potential
language Classical Sanskrit
mainDoctrine Buddha-nature
linked to: Tathagatagarbha
philosophicalRole bridge between emptiness doctrine and positive language about ultimate reality
preservedIn Chinese Buddhist canon
Tibetan Buddhist canon
linked to: Tibetan Kangyur
regionOfOrigin Indian subcontinent
linked to: South Asia
relatedDoctrine Buddha-nature (foxing) in Chinese Buddhism
original enlightenment (hongaku) in Japanese Buddhism
religiousTradition Mahayana Buddhism
linked to: Mahayana
scripturalStatus important but not universally accepted in all Mahāyāna schools
teach all beings have innate potential for enlightenment
all sentient beings possess Buddha-nature

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (4)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Mahayana sutras includesText Tathāgatagarbha sutras
Buddha-nature is inherent in all beings connectedTo Tathagatagarbha sutras
linked to: Tathāgatagarbha sutras
Tathāgatagarbha sutras includeText Tathāgatagarbha Sūtra
linked to: Tathāgatagarbha sutras
Tathāgatagarbha sutras includeText Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra (Mahāyāna version)
linked to: Tathāgatagarbha sutras