Trees, mountains, and vines all exist in nature according to their own truth. They are born and die following their nature. They remain this way because that's what they are. They don't practice meditation or do anything special.

The Buddha's teaching is not a philosophical system but a practical guide to living.

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

Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know.

The mind is intrinsically empty. It's empty of all that we perceive as being intrinsically "me" and "mine."

The difference between being caught in thoughts and being mindful of thoughts is like the difference between being in a movie and watching a movie.

The ocean does not reject any water; therefore it is great. The mountain does not select its stones; therefore it is great.

The purpose of Buddhist practice is not to become a Buddhist but to awaken to the nature of reality.

Just as a snake sheds its skin, we must shed our past over and over again.

True happiness is born of letting go of what is unnecessary.

Observe the reality as it is, not as you wish it to be.

The challenge in meditation is not to eliminate thinking but to understand the nature of thought itself.

The force of the kindness of others is so strong, we can't possibly measure it.

Real happiness lies within. It cannot be found in external objects or achievements.

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

Equanimity is not indifference. It is the balanced state of mind.

Everything that has a beginning has an ending. Make your peace with that and all will be well.

World peace must develop from inner peace. Peace is not just mere absence of violence. Peace is, I think, the manifestation of human compassion.

Those who grasp at things as truly existent are like someone trying to catch the reflection of the moon in water.

To live fully is to let go and die with each step.

Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.

Anxiety and excitement are the same emotion. The only difference is our attitude toward the experience.

Mindfulness helps you go home to the present. And every time you go there and recognize a condition of happiness that you have, happiness comes.

The future is completely open, and we are writing it moment to moment.

Maintain the state of undistractedness and distractions will fly away.

The practice of mindfulness leads naturally to concentration. Concentration leads naturally to wisdom.

The spiritual journey begins with the recognition that beneath our surface happiness there lies a deep inner pain.

Zen proposes its solution by directly appealing to facts of personal experience and not to book-knowledge.

Zazen is not step-by-step meditation. Rather it is simply the easy and pleasant practice of a Buddha, the realization of the Buddha's Wisdom.

The greatest achievement is selflessness. The greatest worth is self-mastery.

The more clearly you see the arising and passing of phenomena, the less you will be attached to them.

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

The whole moon and the entire sky are reflected in one dewdrop on the grass.