Buddha-nature in the Tathagatagarbha, and the idea of atman

[ratikala]

namaskaram Carlita ji

If our underlining self is not called our Buddha nature, what is it called? The closest I can say is that we are all Buddhas we just nedd to realize it.

prehaps ''underlaying self'' could be better described as true nature , ....our true nature , ...except the problem we often face is the conception of 'our' as being individual , .....because at present due to our embodied nature we are perceiveing the seperateness of self .
Buddha nature to me is the inate awareness which trancends individual bodily awareness therefore it goes beyond self , it is the great wisdom and compassion of all Buddhas throughout time .