Characteristics of Clarity and Awakening

Understanding certain principles of the Tathagatagarbha is merely grasping the theory; it does not equate to realizing the Tathagatagarbha, nor does it signify enlightenment through seeing the true nature of mind. Enlightenment entails discovering and realizing precisely where and how the Tathagatagarbha functions, being able to observe its true existence, and observing the unreality of the dharmas through which it operates. Thereby, one genuinely comprehends the true reality of the world, and within the mind, genuinely gives rise to the perception of the emptiness and unreality of the five aggregates (form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness), while developing joyful curiosity toward the Tathagatagarbha.

After genuine enlightenment, all descriptions of the Tathagatagarbha possess their own distinctive features, being extremely concrete and authentic, rather than an empty recitation of theoretical concepts.