Contemplation: The Three Characters

After reviewing the guidelines for practice, take the following as your contemplation:

3. To summarize the three characters. Because of humanity's delusory perceptions, the lion seems to exist in a concrete manner; this is called the character of universal imagination [parikalpita]. The manifestation of the lion appears to be existing, this is called the character of dependency on others [paratantra]. The nature of gold never changes, this is called the character of perfect reality [parinispanna].

From Fazang's Treatise on the Golden Lion (minor adaptations made)

Contemplation: To Distinguish Form and Emptiness

After reviewing the guidelines for practice, take the following as your contemplation:

To distinguish form and emptiness. This means that the form of the lion is unreal; what is real is the gold. Because the lion is not existent, and the body of the gold is not non-existent, they are called form/emptiness. Furthermore, Emptiness does not have any mark of its own; it is through forms that [emptiness] is revealed. This fact that emptiness does not impede the illusory existence of forms is called form/emptiness.

From Fazang's Treatise on the Golden Lion

Contemplation: To Understand the Principle of Dependent Arising

After reviewing the guidelines for practice, take the following as your contemplation:

To understand the principle of dependent-arising. This is to say that gold has no inherent nature of its own [i.e., no Svabhāva]. It is owing to the artistry of the skillful craftsman that the form of the lion arises. This arising is the result solely of the cause-conditioning; therefore it is called the arising through dependent-arising.

From Fazang's Treatise on the Golden Lion

Contemplation: Now or Never

After reviewing the guidelines for practice, take the following as your contemplation:

The Pure Land is now or never

a famous calligraphy by Thich Nhat Hanh