“Refutation of the Assertion That the (Phenomenal) Appearances Are MindAlthough forms appear to the mind, the (objective) appearances are not mind.... When the reflection of your face appears in a mirror, it appears as the face looks, because the clear surface of the mirror is capable of making the reflection appear and the face has the potential of appearing or of projecting the reflection. At that time, the reflection of the face is not the face, nor is there any other face than the face which imprinted it. Likewise, various kinds (of phenomena) are appearing in the deluded mind because of the interdependent origination of the causes and conditions of delusion. The various objective appearances, such as mountains, are not mind. Also there is nothing in the mind which truly exists, but (merely) appearances (created by the) delusory habituation of the mind. So they are the forms of delusory appearances. They are wrong appearances, just as the person who has "hairy vision" will see hair before his eyes....”

“Although other (yānas) assert that liberation will be achieved by renouncing the objects, one will not be bound by the mere appearances or the mind and the objects (Yul Dang Ch'os-Su sNang-Ba), but will be bound if one attaches (Zhen-Pa) to them. So it is taught (in scriptures) that one should renounce apprehension and attachment. Tilopā said: 'Appearances do not bind, but attachments do. So, Nāropa, cut off the attachments....”

“Naturally occurring timeless awareness—utterly lucid awakened mind—is something marvelous and superb, primordially and spontaneously present.It is the treasury from which comes the universe of appearances and possibilities, whether of samsara or nirvana.Homage to the unwavering state, free of elaborations.”

“All phenomena are embraced within a single self-knowing awareness.Even though they arise as the totality of samsara and nirvana,the phenomena of the world of appearances and possibilities—limitless, boundless—arise from basic space.Therefore, they are subsumed within basic space from which the first arise.”

“Appearances to the mind are of four kinds. Things either are what they appear to be; or they neither are, nor appear to be; or they are, and do not appear to be; or they are not, and yet appear to be. Rightly to aim in all these cases is the wise man's task.”

“concealed from view a face so face-like in its appearance as to be positively facial.”

“Being always transcends appearance-that which only seems to be. Once you begin to know the being behind the very pretty or very ugly face, as determined by your bias, the surface appearances fade away until they simply no longer matter.”