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)