Taming the Mind by Thubten Chodron
(Our minds create our experience by interpreting the objects we perceive. How we interpret something determines how we experience it. Although we generally assume we accurately perceive what is “out there,” our experiences are in fact colored by our interpretations and projections.
For example, when two people meet Joe, one likes him while the other doesn’t. One see Joe as considerate Joe as considerate and intelligent, someone with a good sense of humor. The other perceives Joe as a person who makes fun of others and is competitive and insensitive to their feelings. Both assume they perceive Joe as he is. However, if that were true, they would perceive him the same way, and they clearly don’t.
Both people hear the same words and voice when Joe speaks, yet they interpret what is said differently. Their minds move very quickly from perception- the sounds and sights they perceive through their senses- to conclusion- the meaning placed on the sense data.
Thus, one person experiences Joe’s jokes as humorous and good-natured and thinks, “Joe is a nice person. I enjoy being with him.” Thereafter, whenever he meets Joe, he sees a friend and expects to have a good time. The other interprets Joe’s words as sarcastic and thinks, “Joe is egotistical. I don’t like him.” Later, when she meets him, she sees a disagreeable person and feels aversion.
Both people assume their perception of Joe is correct. But in fact, both relate to Joe through the veils of their own preconceptions. Joe’s qualities of being friendly or obnoxious are created by the projections of the people perceiving him. In an of himself, Joe is neither.
How we interpret our environment and the people in it depends on the purity of our minds. Just as the image reflected in a dirty mirror is unattractive and obscured, so too is the appearance of an object to a mind sullied by afflictions and negative karmic imprints. The same object reflected in a spotless mirror is clear and beautiful. Likewise, whatever is perceived by a pure mind is lovely.)
—-This is a very important principle in Buddhism to me it is one I wrestle with. Not because of lack of understanding but in application. In the way that the author illustrated his example, it is best most ratable explanation of the principle of the Buddhist believes of mind as creator of experience I have seen. How hard is it to see someone as they truly are? I think it almost impossible there is fear on both sides, it takes a lot of risk to show another who you are, and it takes a lot commitment to try and want to see, what if you don’t relate? Another problem I come to in my mind is that in the past a person has been told certain things about themselves by others: let me stick to the example and try and explain “wow Joe you are funny”, and so from past events where others have thought specific trains of Joe’s thoughts where funny when verbalized them; Joe would not want to take the risk again stick to what he knows that others in the past have liked. But then I come to, is that Joe being himself or going with what he beliefs will make him more ratable? This thought in my mind has always made me questions people more. I tend to not make judgments, but that becomes hard as you think you start knowing another person more and more. So my struggle with this principle is like most in Buddhism what is the middle path in knowing another? Is it complete trust that they are being honest with you? Is it not caring whether you know it or not? I have problem with this when it comes to love. I tend to think that we the potential to love, accept and know another fully, with our perceptions getting in the way. How do we drop our perceptions? I think a good start is to understand why we believe what we believe.
But remember this in knowing that you don’t know a person who you think you know but that you only know them through your preconceptions allows us to forgive people fully, right? 
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Thank you very much for you time… This has been BrotherShine coming to you from the limitless void in the back of your mind. Peace.
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