Wisdom is not something we have to strive to acquire. Rather, wisdom arises naturally as we open our hearts to the truth of what is.

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

The purpose of studying Buddhism is not to study Buddhism, but to study ourselves.

Misery ceases to exist when we stop reacting to sensations.

The path to liberation is through understanding the true nature of mind and matter through direct observation.

Sleep is the best meditation.

Do not follow the ideas of others, but learn to listen to the voice within yourself.

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

The eye with which I see Buddha is the same eye with which Buddha sees me.

Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

Rejoicing in ordinary things is not sentimental or trite. It actually takes guts.

Love is the wish that others be happy, and compassion is the wish that they be free from suffering.

The purpose of meditation is to make our mind calm and peaceful. If our mind is peaceful, we will be free from worries and mental discomfort.

When we develop patience, we find that we develop a reserve of calm and tranquility.

The path of insight is a path of discovery, not a path of creation. We are discovering what is already there.

The path to enlightenment is not a path at all. It is a realization that where you are is where you have always been.

The practice of meditation requires both energy and patience, both effort and relaxation.

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

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

The most important factor in achieving happiness is the mind. Happiness and suffering are mental states and therefore depend on the mind.

The Buddha taught that wealth does not bring happiness and security. The pursuit of wealth is a matter of living in balance.

The archer ceases to be conscious of himself as the one who is engaged in hitting the bull's-eye which confronts him. This state of unconsciousness is realized only when, completely empty and rid of the self, he becomes one with the perfecting of his technical skill.

The most important thing in life is to know death is coming and to prepare for it.

In true vipassana practice, there is no room for likes and dislikes. There is only observation.

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.

True happiness is not about getting rid of all our problems, but about changing our relationship to them.

Worry pretends to be necessary but serves no useful purpose.

The basic idea of Zen is to come in touch with the inner workings of our being, and to do this in the most direct way possible, without resorting to anything external or superadded.

Meditation is not about stopping thoughts, but recognizing that we are not our thoughts.

The practice of meditation is like tuning an instrument. Too tight, and the strings break. Too loose, and they won't play.

When we rest in awareness, we discover a peace that is always present, regardless of circumstances.

When you are you, Zen is Zen. Big mind is just big mind.

Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.