For me, the message is simple. Like this
Our souls are just part of supreme soul. Element is One. Higher self of every living being is the same. That includes humans, animals, plants, elements, matter-consciousness itself.
Religious texts appear to be different but they are talking about the same thing. In more or less effective and sensible way.
Individual consciousness is just a wave on a big ocean that is Cosmic/Absolute Consciousness. The whole universe is like a Universal Mind, not machine.
And evolution is not matter of coincidence. There is an intelligence. A creative cosmic principle. And because of it there is human being. Because of it's "ego" and ignorance that leads to identification with empty, interdependent and temporary "Self" it very far from knowing it's nature. Human - a being that is the furthest from experiencing unity with the whole Cosmos.
But at the sime time that being is closest to it.
Because there is possibility for human being to transcendend that lower, temporary Self and experience unity with whole Cosmos. To get to know it's Higher Self. To pursue and achieve enlightenment.
Atman is a part of Paramatman. They are the same in their nature.
And that's not all.
Nature of every thing is emptiness. And I am not talking about nihilism and nothingness. But "Self"-lessness. That both matter and consiousness are "made" of pure potential. They tend to be or are probable to be. There is no substance in anything, and all phenomena are interdependent.
That primodial Void (Sunyata) is ultimate paradox. It has no concrete form itself, but at the same time it contains all phenomena in their pure potential form. So emptiness = form.
So one element of universe can reflect every other elements just as they are, their "thussness", not subjective feelings about them. And that is the "Buddha Nature".
It is path discovered anew.
