The assumptions we make about human nature are an essential part of the Buddhist path  •  the view of Buddhism is the opposite of the view of "original sin"; it is the view of original purity, of original goodness   •  the Buddhist approach is that despite all the problems we face, we're starting from a point that is not troubled, that is close to hand, intimate, and pure  •  while it has different names, the nature at the core of every living being is fundamentally known as "buddhanature"  •  the most common metaphors for buddhanature are: the sun and the clouds; a person who doesn’t realize that their hut sits atop a pot of gold; a gem covered with clay; silt settling in water; and space  •  what is it that separates you or me from enlightenment? exploring that question is our task as students and as practitioners of the Buddhadharma