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

Not knowing how near the truth is, we seek it far away.

Buddhist practice is not to eliminate life's problems but to grow with them patiently and with compassion.

Mindfulness means keeping one's consciousness alive to the present reality.

Don't think that only sitting with the eyes closed is practice. If you do think this way, then quickly change your thinking.

Instead of having a deep understanding of the teaching, we need a strong confidence in our teaching, which says that originally we have Buddha nature.

The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.

Many people think excitement is happiness... But when you are excited you are not peaceful. True happiness is based on peace.

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

Peace requires us to surrender our illusions of control.

The planet does not need more successful people. The planet desperately needs more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers, and lovers of all kinds.

The past is for learning from, not for living in.

The most important thing is to enjoy your life - to be happy. This is the goal of Buddhist practice.

Devotion is the head of meditation, as is often said. When you are inspired by some spiritual teacher, you can have a very strong connection with that person, and thereby the blessings can enter.

Compassion is not just about being kind to others. It's about being kind to ourselves as well.

The idea of Zen is to catch life as it flows. There is nothing extraordinary or mysterious about Zen. I raise my hand; I take a book from the other side of the desk; I hear the boys playing ball outside my window; I see the clouds blown away beyond the neighboring wood: all these I do in Zen.

Every step on the path must be with the understanding of anicca - impermanence. This is the essence of the teaching.

The purpose of our lives is to be happy, and happiness is found in benefiting others.

You will not be punished for your anger; you will be punished by your anger.

The present moment is the only moment available to us, and it is the door to all moments.

Ethical conduct is not a constraint upon our freedom but a condition of our freedom.

In meditation, we're not trying to get rid of thoughts but to recognize their true nature.

The restraint of the senses is not a matter of suppression but of wise attention to our experience.

When both body and mind are at peace, all things appear as they are: perfect, complete, lacking nothing.

The nature of mind is clearer than the sky, yet we keep looking elsewhere.

Meditation practice isn't about trying to throw ourselves away and become something better. It's about befriending who we are already.

The instant you speak about a thing, you miss the mark.

If you want to know the past, look at the present. If you want to know the future, look at the present.

Mindfulness is the key to the present moment. Without it we cannot see the world clearly, and we cannot make the wisest choices in our lives.

The teaching is simple: act with kindness and compassion. If you cannot do this, at least try not to harm others.

The goal of Buddhist practice is not to escape from the world but to transform our relationship with it.

Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.

The trick is to keep exploring and not bail out, even when we find out that something is not what we thought.