This thesis, a comparison of the concepts of buddha-nature and dao-nature in the medieval period (from the 5th to the 10th centuries) of China, presents a historical investigation of the formation of the idea that insentient things are able to possess buddha-nature in medieval Chinese Mahāyāna Buddhism. In Chinese Mahāyāna Buddhism, the concept of buddha-nature was originally defined as a potential possessed by sentient beings that enabled them to achieve buddhahood. From the 6th century, the concept was reinterpreted within the Chinese Buddhist tradition so that insentient things were also able to possess buddha-nature. Recent scholarship has pointed out that the idea of insentient things having buddha-nature is a combination of Buddhist and Daoist ideas based on the concept of the all-pervading Dao found in the Zhuangzi 莊子. In this sense, buddha-nature seems to be interpreted as equivalent with the Dao of Daoism. My project suggests that the reinterpretation of buddha-nature in association with the insentient realm should be elucidated in a more nuanced way than the idea of all-pervasiveness of the Dao. A historical, doctrinal investigation of the intellectual formation of the concept of buddha-nature in Chinese Mahāyāna Buddhism demonstrates a new interpretation of buddha-nature in the context of insentient things having buddha-nature. Further, through a historical investigation of intellectual exchange between Buddhism and Daoism, some evidence provided in this project illustrates that the idea of insentient things having dao-nature in Daoism was not inherited from Buddhism, but drawn from Daoist tradition. This new perspective is different from that of some contemporary scholars who have claimed that the idea of insentient things having dao-nature was borrowed from Chinese Buddhism. A chronological investigation of the discussion of nature in Chinese thought demonstrates that the idea of insentient things having buddha-nature incorporates earlier Daoist traditions found in Arcane Study. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Le Traité qui montre la nature de bouddha, écrit par le 3e Karmapa Rangjoung Dorjé (1284-1339), est un texte important de la lignée Karma Kagyü du bouddhisme tibétain. En effet, il indique la nature véritable de chaque être, le véritable Soi, et la pratique méditative du mahāmudrā qui est propre à cette lignée se fonde sur cette vue. Notre thèse propose une traduction en français du Traité qui montre la nature de bouddha et d’un commentaire écrit par Jamgön Kongtrül Lodrö Tayé (1813-1899). Cette traduction est accompagnée d’une réflexion sur le sens de la présence en tous les êtres de la nature de bouddha et des raisons pour lesquelles la pratique méditative se base sur sa compréhension. Puisque la nature de bouddha désigne un état de conscience indicible, nous proposons de l’appréhender en suivant le chemin que la conscience ordinaire doit parcourir pour reconnaître ce qu’elle est véritablement, à savoir la vacuité-luminosité. / The Treatise which shows buddha nature, written by the 3rd Karmapa Rangjoung Dorjé (1284-1339), is an important text in the Karma Kagyü lineage of tibetan buddhism. It indicates indeed the true nature of every being, the true self, and the mahāmudrā meditative practice which is specific to this lineage is grounded on that understanding. This study proposes a french translation of the Treatise which shows buddha nature and of a commentary written by Jamgön Kongtrül Lodrö Tayé (1813-1899). We also try to understand the meaning of Buddha nature presence and the reasons why we should know it to practice mahāmudrā meditation. Since Buddha nature points out an inexpressible state of consciousness, we propose to apprehend it by following the path that the ordinary consciousness should go through, in order to recognize what is true, which is emptiness-luminosity.

圓教是中國佛學獨有的概念，圓主要指圓滿和圓融二義，圓教即圓滿究竟、圓融無礙地總攝一切法的教法。對天台宗來說，這圓教是如何可能的呢﹖智者大師透過教相門與觀心門來講圓教，教相門就是以判教理論，分判、判定有佛一代的說法，何者為權，何者為實，而最後必以天台圓教為實。觀心門就是通過智者大師自心所行法門，點出一念三千的教說，由此一念心即具三千法以明圓教之義。 　　另外，佛性是中土佛教思想的核心概念，主導著整個中國佛學的發展方向，然則在天台圓教浸潤下，會顯出何種形態的佛性理論﹖我們發現，在天台宗之思想中，佛性圓滿無盡地具足一切法，可以說和圓教義理是一致的，實則兩者之關係本來就密不可分。 　　總之，天台圓教和佛性思想表顯著中國佛教哲學的高峰，亦充份地開顯了大乘佛教的精神，實為人類思想文化的一大寶庫。

In this study the author investigates the nature of compassion, ways of developing compassion within ourselves, and ways of bringing compassion into schools. The author sees an imbalance and disconnection in the current Ontario public school system, between education of the mind (to have) and education of the heart (to be). This is demonstrated in the heightening violence in schools, because violence in schools means that students do not feel connected to and are not happy in their schools. To accomplish this purpose, the author explores the different ways we can connect—within ourselves, with classroom subjects, with students in the school, and with the community at large—through life stories of four holistic educators, including herself. Three have taught in Buddhist, Waldorf, and Montessori schools, which all foster compassion not only through empathy, caring, and love, but also through emotional and moral components of heart education, such as intuition, creativity, imagination, joy (Miller, 2006), and moral education (Noddings, 1992). The enquiry uses qualitative research and narrative method that includes portraiture and arts-based enquiry. The findings in the participants’ narratives reveal that compassion comprises spirituality, empathy, and caring. We can develop compassion through contemplation in an awareness of interconnection between the I and the Other. In conclusion, we can foster compassion in schools if we use holistic education’s basic principles of balance, inclusion, and connection (Miller, 1981, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2006, 2007, 2010), and if we bring in different ways of fostering compassion that the author has explored through four holistic teachers’ narratives in this study. By nurturing and connecting to students’ hearts, rather than forcing knowledge into their heads, it is possible to create schools where students are happy and feel connected to their learning.

In this study the author investigates the nature of compassion, ways of developing compassion within ourselves, and ways of bringing compassion into schools. The author sees an imbalance and disconnection in the current Ontario public school system, between education of the mind (to have) and education of the heart (to be). This is demonstrated in the heightening violence in schools, because violence in schools means that students do not feel connected to and are not happy in their schools. To accomplish this purpose, the author explores the different ways we can connect—within ourselves, with classroom subjects, with students in the school, and with the community at large—through life stories of four holistic educators, including herself. Three have taught in Buddhist, Waldorf, and Montessori schools, which all foster compassion not only through empathy, caring, and love, but also through emotional and moral components of heart education, such as intuition, creativity, imagination, joy (Miller, 2006), and moral education (Noddings, 1992). The enquiry uses qualitative research and narrative method that includes portraiture and arts-based enquiry. The findings in the participants’ narratives reveal that compassion comprises spirituality, empathy, and caring. We can develop compassion through contemplation in an awareness of interconnection between the I and the Other. In conclusion, we can foster compassion in schools if we use holistic education’s basic principles of balance, inclusion, and connection (Miller, 1981, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2006, 2007, 2010), and if we bring in different ways of fostering compassion that the author has explored through four holistic teachers’ narratives in this study. By nurturing and connecting to students’ hearts, rather than forcing knowledge into their heads, it is possible to create schools where students are happy and feel connected to their learning.