The transcendence of appearances is closely tied to the shift from duality to non-duality in perception and understanding. Here's an explanation of how this transition unfolds:

1. Recognition of appearances as interdependent: One begins to recognize the interdependent nature of appearances. Rather than perceiving them as isolated and independent entities, there is an understanding that all phenomena arise and exist due to a complex web of causes and conditions. This recognition undermines the notion of a separate and fixed self encountering external objects.
2. Emptiness of appearances: As they deepen their insight, they come to see the emptiness or lack of inherent existence in appearances. They realize that appearances, including thoughts, emotions, and sensory perceptions, lack an independent and inherent self-nature. This understanding goes beyond mere intellectual knowledge and becomes an experiential insight into the empty nature of phenomena.
3. Non-grasping and non-dual awareness: With the recognition of the emptiness of appearances, the practitioner starts to let go of attachment and grasping onto them as inherently real. There is a shift in perception from dualistic fixation to non-dual awareness. The boundaries between subject and object, self and other, begin to dissolve as the practitioner realizes the interbeing and interconnectedness of all phenomena.
4. Direct realization of non-duality: Through continued practice and deepening insight, the practitioner may experience moments of direct realization of non-duality. This is a profound shift in perception, where the distinction between subject and object, self and other, collapses. There is a direct experience of the inseparability and non-dual nature of all phenomena, revealing the fundamental unity of existence.

In this way, the transcendence of appearances leads to a transformation in perception, shifting from a dualistic view of separate self and external world to a non-dual understanding of interdependence and inseparability. It is a profound realization of the unity of all things and the recognition of the fundamental non-duality of reality.

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