It’s important to remember that the pure isn’t situated on one side and the impure on the other side and at some point are blended to make a whole; this is a very materialistic understanding. Pure and impure aren’t objects that are mixed together to create a new colour or texture. The nature of all things is pure. Having the sacred view means being free of concepts about pure and impure. We communicate through language by using words and try to describe the inexpressible, which isn’t the experiential level and isn’t the means to establish the deep meaning of the teachings. The essence of all phenomena is emptiness. Ascertaining emptiness is the sacred view. The ultimate, sacred view is cognition beyond notions of any kinds. When one apprehends phenomena, though, one doesn’t relate to their essence due to one’s habit of immediately designating a subject in contrast to objects one perceives. Having an impure view means not relating to the essence of things as they truly are, namely empty of substantial existence and free of distortions. One apprehends distortedly, but appearances in themselves aren’t distorted. Phenomena one thinks are pure or impure are by nature free of duality. Longing for purity or thinking one is free to do as one pleases have nothing to do with the sacred view. Merely believing in what one thinks is pure is also a mistake. Believing in an exclusive sphere that one calls “sacred” and thinks is outside the present moment is being biased; it is a defiled emotion, a mental fixation that a misled student clings to.

-- 3rd Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche