The Tathagatagarbha Doctrine
With Venerable Tenzin Priyadarshi
Buena Vista, Colorado
February 28th – March 1st, 2009
This event included a free public talk: “Contagious Conduct: a Guide to Meaning and Happiness”. In this weekend retreat, Venerable Tenzin Priyadarshi continued discussions on the “Mind Only” a School by introducing the doctrine of Tathagatagarbha, or “Buddha Nature.” Tathagatagarbha forms an important part of understanding the potential for supreme enlightenment. Buddha Nature is the inherent potential that resides in all of us to awaken and become Buddhas. Buddha Nature is our authentic identity obscured by clouds of ignorance and mental afflictions.
This retreat was based primarily on the teachings from the Lankavatara Sutra and commentaries pertaining to the Buddha Nature schools. The Lankavatara Sutra is characterized as one of the Vaipulya texts, the crème de la crème of Mahayana Buddhist Canon, and foundational to Tibetan, Chinese, and Japanese Buddhism.
This retreat was a balance of meditation, lectures, and discussions.