Just as if we had taken hallucinogens, whatever happy or sad appearances we see are samsaric, confused appearances of the mind. Even when we are not intoxicated, everything we perceive in this life comes out of confusion that arises from the power of karma. Whether we have the perception of being a human or animal, whether we perceive the appearances of earth, water, fire, or air, whatever appearances we see, come out of the power of a mistaken mind. All the external forms we see or sounds we hear are just emptiness. Whatever appears internally within our mind is also emptiness — none of it is actually there. Thus, all of the different experiences of the six classes of beings, whatever they may be, are empty images, nonexistent, yet appearing.

Thrangu Rinpoche

from the book Vivid Awareness: The Mind Instructions of Khenpo Gangshar

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Further quotes from the book Vivid Awareness:

• Taking Pain and Illness as the Path
• Karma
• Mind and brain
• The most important thing
• Awareness is naturally liberated
• The essence of afflictions
• Not rooted in anything
• Thinking while resting in the natural state
• Thoughts are just displays of the mind
• Virtuous and Non-virtuous Actions
• Goodness is something we all have
• Ordinary mind
• Resting within the essence of the mind