The goal of meditation is not to achieve a blank mind, but to gain insight into the nature of mind itself.

The Buddha taught us to leave alone the things that don't lead to awakening.

In Zen there must be satori; there must be a general mental upheaval which destroys the old accumulations of intellection and lays down the foundation for a new life.

Do not mistake understanding for realization, and do not mistake realization for liberation.

There is no path to happiness: happiness is the path.

Neither from itself nor from another, nor from both, nor without a cause, does anything whatever, anywhere arise.

Mindfulness helps us get better at seeing the difference between what's happening and the stories we tell ourselves about what's happening.

The development of wisdom does not occur in isolation but requires the cultivation of the entire Noble Eightfold Path.

The nature of the mind is like the sky, and our thoughts, emotions, and experiences are like clouds passing through it.

Through understanding emptiness, one does not become proud of one's virtues, just as one does not become proud of building a castle in the sky.

The contradiction so puzzling to the ordinary way of thinking comes from the fact that we have to use language to communicate our inner experience, which in its very nature transcends linguistics.

When we understand that peace is not dependent on external conditions, we can find it in the midst of any circumstance.

Panic, anxiety, and stress are not obstacles to the practice. They are the path to wisdom and compassion.

Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.

The Four Noble Truths are not mere doctrinal propositions but a framework for understanding and transforming our lives.

Intrinsically all living beings are Buddhas, just as ice and water are of the same substance.

Compassion is a verb.

If you want to find peace, then look at that point where you find you're dissatisfied and investigate what's really going on.

When you realize how perfect everything is, you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky.

A pure mind is always full of love - real love for all others.

Freedom is not found in the absence of difficulty, but in our relationship to it.

The more we understand impermanence, the more we appreciate each moment of our lives.

Our task is not to seek for love but to find all the barriers within ourselves that we have built against it.

The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances.

When you realize the emptiness of all phenomena, compassion will arise in your heart for all sentient beings who do not understand this truth.

The real meaning of enlightenment is to gaze with undimmed eyes on all darkness.

The nature of everything is empty and clear, and the mind is beyond both existence and nonexistence.

The only way to experience truth is to look within, to observe oneself.

Muddy water is best cleared by leaving it alone.

Our practice cannot be perfect, but without being discouraged by this, we should continue it. This is the secret of practice.

The Buddha's teaching is not about belief but about investigation, not about accepting but about examining.

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.

Concentration develops naturally through continuous noting. Don't try to force concentration to arise.