Jim, I don't know the answer to your questions below and frankly I don't see how knowing an answer, yes or no, would make any difference anyway.
According to the Tathāgatagarbha Sutras (if you accept sutras as an authority) ALL 'sentient beings' have and are capable of becoming aware of Buddha Nature. I didn't research the sutras thoroughly but I don't remember anything that seem to imply that ONLY sentient beings have Buddha Nature. It would make sense at least linguistically to believe that the quality of SENTIENT-ness would be required to be AWARE of Buddha Nature or anything else, but not just to HAVE it. The BEING part of 'sentient being' just means something that exists, but in English 'being' almost always refers to something that has LIFE as opposed to just being a concept (like most of the items in your list)or a non-living thing like a computer. (Of course that all depends on how you define 'life' and I don't feel like getting into that now.) I think your use of the verb 'have' makes these questions more difficult to answer. If you use the quality 'have' then you are in effect asking 'What is Buddha Nature?'. If the answer is 'yes' then you don't have to define Buddha Nature and are basically saying EVERYTHING has Buddha Nature, maybe even everything IS Buddha Nature. If your answer is 'no' then you'd have to specifically define Buddha Nature in an manner that excludes that quality from some things but not other. But like I said at the beginning of this reply, why bother? That knowledge might help you sell a book or two, or help you attract disciples or students, but that knowledge (nor any other knowledge)is not going to help you realize Buddha Nature. ...Bill! --- In [email protected], "jfnewell7" <jfnewell7@...> wrote: > > Let me toss in another layer to this. > > Does a word have the Buddha-nature? > > Does samsaric mind have a Buddha-nature? > > Does a color, like redness, have the Buddha-nature? > > Does activity have the Buddha-nature? > > Do thoughts and ideas have the Buddha-nature? > > Does your computer have the Buddha-nature. > > Is there anything at all which doesn't have the Buddha-nature? > > Jim > > > > --- In [email protected], "Joe" <desert_woodworker@> wrote: > > > > Jim, > > > > These people just have a very natural human response. > > > > This is possible when the mind is empty, or when there is no mind. > > > > You have the same response; but I suspect it is sometimes covered by an > > overriding impression of activity in what we call "the mind" [say, by > > "thoughts", or movement(s)]. > > > > What these people have, or what they can do -- and *DO* do -- is not > > "Advanced". It is basic, fundamental, really down in the mud of our being > > (where lotuses also grow). > > > > Unfortunately, many of us have not uncovered it yet. > > > > It does not take digging *FOR* it, it takes removing overlying strata... > > and THERE it IS! > > > > Never go mining with something in mind. Just shovel-for-the- shoveling. > > That's all that's necessary, and all that's sufficient (effective). > > > > Zen-work is "cleaning", for good reason. > > > > I myself am a shovel-ready project (I don't mean ready for burying!). ;-) > > > > Best, > > > > --Joe > > > > > "jfnewell7" <jfnewell7@> wrote: > > > > > > Many things, but I will only give a couple of examples. > > > ------------------------------------ Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
