Buddha and Ramana Do Lunch

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Buddha principle), also called the Tathagatagarbha ("Buddha-matrix" or

"Buddha embryo"), in every sentient being (animals included), the full

seeing of which ushers in Liberation from all suffering and effects

final deliverance into the realm of Great Nirvana (maha-nirvana).

This "True Self" or "Great Self" of the nirvanic realm is said to be

sovereign, to be attained on the morning of Buddhahhood, and to

pervade all places like space. The Buddha-dhatu is always present, in

all times and in all beings, but is obscured from worldly vision by

the screening effect of tenacious negative mental afflictions

(kleshas) within each being (the most notable of which are greed,

hatred, delusion, and pride). Once these negative mental states have

been eliminated, however, the Buddha-dhatu is said to shine forth

unimpededly and the Buddha-sphere (Buddha-dhatu/ visaya) can then be

consciously "entered into", and therewith deathless Nirvana

attained.The Tathagatagarbha is presented by the

Nirvana Sutra as a wholly positive, liberative power, and is stated by

the Buddha, in the earliest extant version of the sutra (the "six

fascicle text" of Fa-xian, q.v.), to "nurture/sustain the person". It

is further called "true life" (true "jiva"), and said to be utterly

invulnerable to harm. It is likened to a "precious jewel" and is

described as being "indestructible like a diamond" - the hardest

substance known to mankind.The highest form of Nirvana —

Mahaparinirvana — is also discussed in very positive, "cataphatic"

terms in the Nirvana Sutra. Mahaparinirvana is characterized as being

that which is "Eternal (nitya), Blissful (sukha), the Self (atman) and

Pure (subha). This state or sphere (visaya) of ultimate awareness and

knowingness (jnana), however, is said to be accessible only to those

who have become fully awakened Buddhas. Even 10th-level Bodhisattvas

(i.e. the very highest level of Bodhisattva) cannot clearly perceive

the Buddha-dhatu and fail to see with

clarity that the immutable, unfabricated Dhatu dwells indestructibly

within all beings. The longer versions of the Nirvana Sutra

additionally give expession to the new claim (not found in the

shorter Chinese and Tibetan versions) that, because of the

Buddha-dhatu (Buddha-principle/ Buddha-nature), absolutely all beings

without exception, even icchantikas (the most incorrigible and

spiritually destitute of beings), will eventually attain Liberation

and become Buddhas. LoveAlways

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