| Key Term | Original Enlightenment |
|---|---|
| Chinese Script | 本覺 |
| Chinese Pinyin | benjue |
| Japanese Transliteration | honggaku |
| English Standard | original enlightenment |
| Basic Meaning | The inherent purity of the mind, endowed with buddha-nature. Common in East Asian Buddhist theory, original enlightenment is contrasted with "actualized enlightenment," which is the state of enlightenment that is attained through practice. |
| Has the Sense of | The natural purity of the mind |
| Definitions | |
According to East Asian Buddhism, the intrinsic enlightenment of all sentient beings. This is obscured by the many stains present in the ālayavijñāna. When these are purified, the natural state of enlightenment is recovered, a status known as "actualized enlightenment."
According to East Asian Buddhism, the intrinsic enlightenment of all sentient beings. This is obscured by the many stains present in the ālayavijñāna. When these are purified, the natural state of enlightenment is recovered, a status known as "actualized enlightenment."
Actualized enlightenment is enlightenment that is attained through practice. It is contrasted with original enlightenment, which is the mind's innate purity in its natural state. Ultimately, there is no difference between them. Because of the presence of ignorance, sentient beings are blind to their true nature. By removing that ignorance, one actualizes enlightenment.