In Vajrayana Buddhism, the “View” (Tibetan: lta ba) refers to the deepest understanding of reality gained through study, meditation, and transmission. It’s not just a philosophy—it is the vision of reality as it truly is: empty of inherent existence, yet luminous with awareness and compassion. The View reveals that all phenomena are inseparable from the nature of mind—pure, open, and awake.
But realizing the View is only half the path. The other half is protecting it.
Just as a clear mountain view can become obscured by fog or dust, our insight can be clouded by distraction, doubt, habitual patterns, or emotional turbulence. This post explores how to protect the View—how to stay rooted in clarity and awareness even as the winds of daily life blow through us.
What Is the “View” in Vajrayana?
In Dzogchen and Mahamudra teachings, the View is the direct recognition of the true nature of mind—a state that is:
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Empty (lacking inherent, fixed existence)
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Luminous (naturally aware and awake)
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Unobstructed (not limited by conceptual boundaries)
The View is like the sky: vast, open, ungraspable. Emotions, thoughts, and identities are like clouds—they come and go, but the sky remains untouched.
Why the View Needs Protection
The moment we glimpse the View—perhaps during deep meditation, retreat, or a moment of spontaneous clarity—it can feel liberating. But without vigilance, old patterns return:
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We slip back into dualistic thinking (me vs. other, good vs. bad)
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We identify with our thoughts and emotions
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We cling to the past or worry about the future
In the Vajrayana path, this is called “losing the View.” While losing it isn’t failure, forgetting to return to it is what keeps us trapped in samsara.
1. Remembering the View Throughout the Day
The key to protecting the View is continual remembrance. Here are a few simple ways to integrate it:
Breath as a Reminder
Use of Symbols
Triggers as Teachers
2. Watch for the “Three Poisons”
The three mental poisons—ignorance, attachment, and aversion—are the main threats to the View. They pull us back into habitual perception.
| Poison | Antidote | View Reminder |
|---|---|---|
| Ignorance | Mindfulness / Curiosity | “What is this experience really made of?” |
| Attachment | Letting Go | “This pleasure will also pass.” |
| Aversion | Compassion / Patience | “This pain is energy—can I stay open?” |
Each poison is a door to deeper insight if met with awareness.
3. Beware the Subtle Ego
After glimpsing the View, a spiritual ego may arise: “I get it. I’ve realized something.” But the View is not something you possess—it's what remains when the ‘you’ dissolves.
Even the notion “I must protect the View” can become a subtle trap if it leads to rigidity. Remember:
“The View is vast like the sky,But conduct must be fine like flour.”— Tibetan Saying
Stay grounded in humility, ethics, and curiosity. The more ego is let go, the more effortlessly the View protects itself.
4. Return to the Three Pillars: View, Meditation, Conduct
In Vajrayana, View, Meditation, and Conduct are like a tripod. You need all three:
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View without meditation becomes intellectual.
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Meditation without conduct becomes escapist.
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Conduct without View becomes moralistic.
To protect the View, integrate all three:
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Meditate daily, even briefly
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Align your actions with compassion and awareness
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Revisit teachings, especially those on emptiness and luminosity
5. Stay Close to the Guru and Sangha
In Vajrayana, the Guru is seen as the living embodiment of the View. Staying connected to the Guru—through remembrance, visualizations, or receiving teachings—helps anchor the clarity you've tasted.
Likewise, engaging with Sangha (spiritual community) reinforces your path. When others are practicing and reminding you of the View, it becomes harder to forget.
6. Use Difficult Moments as Fuel
Don’t protect the View by avoiding life—engage with it fully, and see all experiences as the play of awareness.
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A traffic jam? Practice patience while resting in the View.
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Emotional pain? Recognize the space in which it arises.
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Anxiety? Let it point you to the spacious, unborn mind.
In this way, every moment becomes a reminder rather than a distraction.
7. Protecting vs. Clinging
To “protect” the View doesn’t mean to fixate or become rigid. It means to respect, remember, and return—again and again.
If the View is like a flame, protection means:
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Shielding it from strong winds (distraction, over-stimulation)
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Feeding it gently (meditation, study, ethics)
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Letting it burn quietly—not showing it off or shouting about it
Ultimately, the View protects you—from suffering, confusion, and misidentification.
Final Words: Rest and Return
The View is not something we attain—it’s something we recognize and then continually return to. Like sunlight behind the clouds, it's always there, whether seen or unseen.
As Guru Padmasambhava said:
“Although my View is as vast as the sky,My conduct is as fine as barley flour.”
Let that be our aspiration too.