性 [py] xìng [wg] hsing [ko] 성 sŏng [ja] ショウ shō ||| (1) Nature, essence, substance, self-nature; (pre-)disposition, inclination, temperament. That which a person (or thing) is born with. (2) Quality, characteristic. (3) The inner essence of something as opposed to its outer form. That which does not change according to external influences (svabhāva). (4) Innate, inherent, inborn. (5) The quality or constituent by which one becomes a buddha. (6) Suchness, reality. (7) Sex. (8) One of the ten such-likes taught in the Lotus Sutra. See 十如是.