Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra - Buddha-nature and True Self

Buddha-nature and True Self

The Mahaparinirvana Sutra is a long and highly composite Mahayana scripture. It has been highly influential in the development of Chinese Buddhism, because of its statements on Buddha-nature and the True Self, which it seemed to reify. It presents itself as providing the correct understanding of earlier Buddhist teachings, controverting the familiar Buddhist dictum that "all dharmas are non-Self". Instead of emptiness and non-self it emphasizes the existence of a True Self.