buddha essence (Sanskrit: Tathāgatagarbha)

The ultimate nature of the mind of sentient beings, which is empty of inherent existence and can be purified of adventitious defilements.

Synonyms:

buddha nature (Sanskrit: <i>buddhagotra</i>)

Nine similes for Tathāgatagarbha
Explaining the first two similes from the section, "Nine Similes for Tathāgatagarbha", in Chapter 13, exploring how our buddha essence or buddha nature is obscured by afflictive and cognitive obscurations.
Origin and spread of the Buddha’s doctrine
An excerpt from "Buddhism: One Teacher, Many Traditions" exploring the similarities and differences within Buddhist traditions.
Verse 21-4: Emptiness of mind
The clear light nature of the mind, transition from the sutra view to the tantric view of buddha nature.