Within Tathāgatagarbha or Buddha‑nature philosophy, the path to awakening is understood as a process of uncovering what is already innately present rather than manufacturing something new. Every sentient being is said to possess an inherent Buddha‑element, a primordially pure nature of mind that serves as the very basis and possibility of enlightenment. This Buddha‑nature is portrayed as the wellspring of all virtuous qualities—wisdom, compassion, and skillful means—though it is obscured by adventitious defilements. Because these obscurations are regarded as temporary and removable, the path is framed as purification: removing what conceals rather than altering the underlying nature. In this way, the goal and the ground are intimately linked, since practice is simply the gradual revelation of what has always been present.

This understanding also shapes the inner orientation of the practitioner. Knowing that Buddha‑nature is universally present provides a profound assurance that no being is spiritually hopeless, which in turn fosters confidence, faith, and sustained effort. The Tathāgatagarbha is likened to a seed or embryo of Buddhahood that can be nurtured through ethical conduct, meditation, and the cultivation of wisdom, allowing the latent qualities of awakening to emerge. As defilements are progressively relinquished, the naturally luminous mind is more clearly recognized, and the Buddha‑nature functions both as the ultimate aim and as the living source of the path itself. Thus, the journey is understood as a gradual uncovering and actualization of an already complete potential, rather than an acquisition of something foreign or newly created.