Srimaladevi sutra

Srimaladevi sutra

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This srimaladevi sutra is The Lion's Roar of Queen Srimala Discourse A Buddhist Scripture on the Tathagatagarbha Theory . In the Srimala Devi Sutra the Tathagata-garbha is explained in terms of Emptiness; empty of defilements, but not ultimately empty, because it still possess the Buddha dharmas which are said to be nondiscrete and inconceivable.

The srimaladevi sutra is one of the main early Mahāyāna Buddhist texts that teaches the doctrines of Tathāgatagarbha and the One Vehicle . The srmaladevi  Sūtra teaches the reality of an ultimate, immaculate Consciousness within each living being, which is the Buddhic  Dharmakāya  (essence of Truth), which is yet temporarily sheathed in obscuring defilement. This Dharmakāya, when viewed as intrinsically free from spiritual ignorance, is said to constitute Eternity, Bliss, the Self, and Purity in their perfect state. The use of the word "Self" in this sutra is in a way unique to this class of sutra  the Dharmakāya of the Buddha has the perfection of permanence, the perfection of pleasure, the perfection of Self, the perfection of purity. Whatever sentient beings see the Dharmakāya of the Tathagāta that way, see correctly. Whoever see correctly are called the sons of the Lord born from his heart, born from his mouth, born from the Dharma, who behave as manifestation of Dharma and as heirs of Dharma

In the epilogue the Buddha says to keep this discourse as 'Teaching the hidden purport of the meaning of voidness' and as 'Teaching the hidden purport that the mind is intrinsically pure', thus underlining the main message of the sutra; that living beings have an intrinsic purity, the Tathagata-garbha, which is non-empty, unchanging and eternal.

I think the process described in the Srimala Devi Sutra is a process of uncovering an already pre-existent Buddhahood, rather than a development towards enlightenment.

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