Stages of the Path to Awakening Podcast Archives - Thubten Chodron

Concluding teaching from the text, "Samsara, Nirvana and Buddha Nature", covering the topic are we already buddhas from Chapter 14.

Describing the clear and cognizant nature of the mind and innate clear light mind, covering the subsequent sections in Chapter 14.

Explaining how the uninterrupted path leads to liberated path, transforming buddha nature and the third factor of the tathagatagarbha, nature of the clear light mind according to Tantra and the meaning the verse by Nagarjuna, from the sections in Chapter 14.

Explaining how the progression of teachings in the three turnings of the wheel presents the clear light mind from different perspectives, leading us to enter Tantra in order to understand how to actualize such a mind, from the sections "The Three Turnings of the Dharma Wheel and Buddha Nature" and "A Link between Sūtra and Tantra", from Chapter 14, "Going Deeper into Buddha Nature"

Explaining the four puzzling points, from the section, "A Puzzle", in Chapter 13.

Explaining the three aspects of the Buddha Essence, from the section "Three Aspects of the Tathāgatagarbha", in Chapter 13.

Explaining the remaining five similes, from the section, "Nine Similes for Tathāgatagarbha" and beginning the section, "Three Aspects of the Tathāgatagarbha", in Chapter 13

Explaining the third and fourth similes, from the section “Nine Similes of Tathagatagarbha”, in Chapter 13

Reviewing two types of buddha nature and their relationship to the buddha bodies, from Chapter 13 and also providing a overview of tenet systems

Explaining whether sentient beings are already buddhas and covering the buddha nature according to tantra, from the sections "Buddha Nature according to the Madhyamaka School" and “Buddha Nature according to Tantra", in Chapter 13.

Explaining the meaning of naturally abiding buddha nature and transforming buddha nature, from the section "Buddha Nature according to the Madhyamaka School" in Chapter 13

Explaining Buddha Nature according to different tenet systems, reviewing the sections “Arya Disposition according to the Vaibhaṣikas and Sautrantikas” and “Buddha Nature according to the Cittamātra School”, from Chapter 13

Describing the arya dispositions according to different tenet systems, from the sections "Ārya Disposition according to the Vaibhāṣikas and Sautrāntikas" and "Buddha Nature according to the Cittamātra School" from Chapter 13, "Buddha Nature"

Starting Chapter 13, "Buddha Nature", covering the potential of the mind from the section, "The Mind's Potential according to the Pali Tradition". Completing the review of the section "The Mind and Its Potential" from Chapter 12, explaining the various levels of mind.

Explaining the emptiness of afflictive mind and the emptiness of purified mind, reviewing the section, "The Equality of Saṃsāra and Nirvāṇa", from Chapter 12.

Describing the three factors that make the cultivation of excellent qualities, reviewing the sections, "Excellent Qualities Can Be Cultivated Limitlessly" and "Afflictive Mental States and the Nature of the Mind" from Chapter 12.

Explaining the obscurations to the mind and factors for liberation, reviewing the sections, "The Mind's Potential," and "Is Liberation Possible?", from Chapter 12

Explaining how tantra manifests the subtlest mind-wind and uses it to accumulate merit and wisdom and attain full enlightenment, completing the section, "Levels of Mind", from Chapter 12

Explaining what it means to say that the innate clear light is the mind is creator of samsara and nirvana, continuing the teaching from the section, "Levels of Mind" from Chapter 12.

Explaining the subtle levels of mind according to sutra and tantra, completing the section, "The Equlaity of Samsara and Nirvana" and starting the section, "Levels of Mind", from Chapter 12.