Buddha nature Quote by Karl Brunnholzl
““As for the distinction between "self-empty" and "other-empty," Dolpopa said that seeming reality is self-empty, while ultimate reality-Buddha nature or the nature of mind-is other-empty, that is, empty of adventitious stains but not empty of Buddha qualities. It is moreover asserted to be the genuine self, which is permanent and pure.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Great Commentary on the Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra, Karl Brunnholzl, 2010
Self‑emptying reveals ultimate reality free of stains, while other‑emptying retains Buddha qualities; both describe the true, pure self.
In simple terms: True self is pure, beyond stains.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the pure self beyond mental stains.
Themes
emptiness
Buddha nature
mind
philosophy
Mood
calm
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
spiritual
When to use this quote
- meditation
- philosophical study
- spiritual practice
Key Concepts
non‑duality
purity
Questions to Reflect On
- How does recognizing emptiness affect daily life?
- What practices reveal the pure self?
A Different Perspective
Understanding emptiness can be intellectually challenging.
![“Hence, [emptiness] is also not an object of [something like the] cognition of Buddhas, because they do not have [such a thing as] cognition.” quote by Karl Brunnholzl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c69/karl-brunnholzl-4600_psychology_hence-emptiness-is-also-not-an-object-of_55069.jpg)
![“Here, master Bhavya states [this as] the main argument, and then he formulates four autonomous reasons as the means to prove the subject property. The venerable and fearless Candrakirti presents this by labeling the mere refutation of arising from the four extremes a "position." He teaches the…” quote by Karl Brunnholzl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/cb7/karl-brunnholzl-4600_logic_here-master-bhavya-states-this-as-the-ma_140001.jpg)
![“Therefore, everything is the illusory magical display of one's own mind. It is appearing yet delusive, and delusive while appearing. Thus, all of it is contained in the body, and the [body] is again contained in the mind. As for the mind, it has no color and no shape. It is natural luminosity that…” quote by Karl Brunnholzl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8f8/karl-brunnholzl-4600_psychology_therefore-everything-is-the-illusory-mag_189022.jpg)
![“Not only can nobody deny the appearance of mere consciousness whose nature is other-dependent and not affected by the flaw of conceptions of a body with form and so on, but those who make any such [denial] only invalidate themselves by perception and such.” quote by Karl Brunnholzl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/52d/karl-brunnholzl-4600_nature_not-only-can-nobody-deny-the-appearance_199293.jpg)
![“8. Man is not Good-natured nor Bad-natured, but Buddha-natured. We have had already occasion to observe that Zen teaches Buddha-nature, which all sentient beings are endowed with. The term 'Buddha-nature,'[FN#165] as accepted generally by Buddhists, means a latent and undeveloped nature, which…” quote by Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0e8/kaiten-nukariya-793_buddhism_8-man-is-not-good-natured-nor-bad-nature_405320.jpg)
