Buddha nature

Buddha nature (Skt. sugatagarbha; Tib. deshek nyingpo; Wyl. bde gshegs snying po), literally the ‘essence of those gone to bliss’. When the Buddha became enlightened he realized that all beings without exception have the same nature and potential for enlightenment, and this is known as buddha nature.

The usual term for ‘buddha nature’ in the Mahayana teachings is tathagatagarbha, but in the Vajrayana the term is sugatagarbha.

Treatises

• Uttaratantra Shastra