Buddha-Nature from the Geluk Perspective with Venerable Jampa Gyaltsen
Venerable Jampa Gyaltsen is currently in the UK as a visiting speaker at Oxford University. We are delighted that he has made time in his schedule to give a scholarly talk at Jamyang on Buddha-Nature.
About the talk
The doctrine of Buddha-nature (tathāgatagarbha) is one of the most influential and widely discussed teachings in Mahāyāna Buddhism. While Buddha-nature is often presented as the basis for the attainment of Buddhahood, its precise meaning and philosophical implications have been interpreted differently across Buddhist traditions. This presentation explores the Gelug understanding of Buddha-nature, drawing upon both sūtra and tantra sources and their interpretation within the scholastic tradition of Tsongkhapa.
The talk begins with a general introduction to the concept of Buddha-nature and its role in the Buddhist path as the foundation that makes enlightenment possible for all sentient beings. It then examines the Gelug identification of tathāgatagarbha(ཁམས་བདེ་གཤེགས་སྙིང་པོ།) with the naturally abiding Buddha-trait (རང་བཞྙིན་གནས་རྙིགས་), understood as the emptiness of the mind and the fundamental basis for spiritual transformation.
Particular attention will be given to the Gelug reconciliation of two important scriptural traditions: the Abhisamayālaṅkāra, which presents Buddha-nature primarily in terms of emptiness and spiritual potential, and the Tathāgatagarbha Sūtras, which often employ affirmative language suggestive of an inherent enlightened nature. The presentation will show how Gelug scholars interpret these teachings as complementary rather than contradictory, maintaining consistency with the Prāsaṅgika Madhyamaka view of emptiness. Finally, the talk explores the understanding of Buddha-nature in both Sūtra and Tantra, highlighting their shared foundation while clarifying the distinctive emphases of each approach. Through this examination, the presentation aims to demonstrate how the Gelug tradition integrates diverse scriptural sources into a coherent account of Buddha-nature that avoids both essentialism and nihilism, while preserving the universal possibility of Buddhahood for all sentient beings.
About the Speaker
Venerable Jampa Gyaltsen is a scholar monk in the Geluk tradition with over twenty years of rigorous training in Buddhist philosophy (Sera Jey Monastic University, Bylakuppe, India). Former Director of the Sera Jey Translation Department, he has led major Tibetan–English translation projects. He was also one of the participants in a Pāli–Sanskrit Exchange Programme at the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Thailand. A recipient of the ACLS Fellowship and Translation Grant in Buddhist Studies (2025), he has written on Tibetan monastic debate, brain synchronisation, and the neuroscience of analytical meditation. His scholarly focus encompasses the five major treatises of Buddhist philosophy — Logic and Epistemology (Pramāṇavārttika), Middle Way Philosophy (Madhyamaka), Perfection of Wisdom (Prajñāpāramitā), Phenomenology (Abhidharma), and Monastic Discipline (Vinaya) — alongside interdisciplinary research at the intersection of Buddhist philosophy, cognitive science, and psychology.
