「佛性」觀念是在東晉末年（五世紀初），因著大乘《涅槃經》譯出，而開始在中國受到注意；並且在南北朝時代（五、六世紀），隨著《涅槃經》日益流行，成為廣受關注的佛教思想課題。當時有關「佛性」的討論，基本上是環繞三個重點展開：(1)「佛性」一辭的涵義、(2)「眾生有佛性」這說法的意義、(3)是否一切眾生都有佛性的問題。淨影寺慧遠(523-597)是南北朝末葉的重要佛教思想家，在其著名作品《大乘義章》裡，有專章討論佛性的課題。本文根據這章的立論，探討慧遠於上述三個重點所持的觀點，並申析慧遠在佛性的體狀、佛性學說的來意等有關佛性的問題上表達的意見。

The idea "Buddha-nature" first became popular in China in the early fifth century with the translation of the Mahayana Mahapari-nirvana-sutra. Since then, a variety of theses have been propounded by Chinese Buddhist thinkers on several aspects of the ideal. Ching-ying Hui-yuan (523一597) was a prominent Buddhist thinker of the late sixth century, and an exegete and lecturer of high calibre. In his central work, the Ta-ch'eng I-chang, he devoted an entire chapter to the exposition of the Buddha-nature idea. Basing mainly on the discussion in this chapter, this paper tries to examine Hui-yuan's view on a number of questions which interested the Buddha-nature theorists of his time. These questions include: 1. What is the meaning of the term "Buddha-nature?" 2. What are the distinctive characteristics of "Buddha-nature?" 3.What do the Buddhist scriptures mean when they assert that sentient beings possess Buddha-nature? 4. Does every sentient being possess Buddha-nature? 5.What function does the Buddha-nature idea serve?